Page 5 of Forever

Even though I know Bel’s busy with studying and exams and what not, she came.

For me.

Tink is here, on this side of the world, just because she knows how much this means to me.

“Bel is here,” I somehow manage to utter.

When there is no answer from my friend, I make myself look away from the love of my life to look at him.

“But you knew that already.”

“I maybe heard something about it,” he admits.

I’m not sure if I want to hug him or strangle him.

The last couple of weeks have been hard.

Mentally and physically.

There were times, numerous times, I would give anything to have Anabel by my side. Even if only to come home to her. To kiss her, hold her. To have her small body curl around mine as we fall asleep after a long day. Hell, I would have been happy if I’d gotten to hold her for a mere few minutes.

It made me realize something.

Playing professional football and winning the Super Bowl … Those have been my dreams since I was just a kid, but it doesn’t mean anything if I don’t have somebody to share it with. It doesn’t mean anything if I don’t have my Tinkerbell by my side.

Without her, I’m alive, but I’m not living.

Without her, I breathe, but I don’t feel.

Without her, my heart is just an empty shell.

I give the guys a signal before I jump off their shoulders and start walking toward the stands. People call my name. They want to congratulate me or talk to me, but I have only one goal on my mind.

Tinkerbell.

Get to her.

Hold her.

Kiss her.

Weeks. That’s how long we’ve been apart. Five weeks. Thirty-five days. Eight hundred and forty hours. Give or take.

Too fucking long.

Even if it’s only for five minutes, it’s too fucking long.

The day she graduates from college I’m handcuffing her to me, and I’m not letting her go. Because she’s mine, and I’m hers, and we … we’re forever.

People stare as I pass by. Some reporters try to keep up with me, but soon I leave them behind as my walk turns to a full-on run.

I climb the stairs two at the time. This distance that’s between us can’t disappear fast enough. It probably takes me a minute or two, but to me it feels like with every step I take toward her the time slows down more and more, keeping me away.

Everybody moves out of my way, even Sienna and Grace take a step back as I stride toward Anabel.

My eyes roam her body, taking her in. She’s just as beautiful as ever.

Her face is makeup free and her cheeks are rosy from the cold air, or maybe it’s excitement. She’s nibbling at her lower lip as she watches me near. Dark waves are disheveled from her fingers, and her clothes are wrinkled.

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