They headed across the street to the park and Hannah sat down at the chess table.
I wonder why Travis finds this game so fascinating…she thought while staring at the board.
She winced down at the pieces.
And Buttercup yawned. This was beyond boring.
The same man who played with Travis the day she met him, sat down to play a game with her.
She had no idea what she was doing but she was ready to take the leap and try.
She winced as she made a move.
As the man took a break to chat, Hannah sat there, wishing Travis was with her. She missed him so much.
Chess was only reminding her of him. She had to find another distraction.
She headed to the gym and let out some much needed anger.
As she punched the bag, the trainer came up behind her. “Fight Hannah! Fight for what you want! You can do this.” She punched and punched until she got tired. She pulled out her phone to call for a ride back home.
But instead, she found herself at Travis’s doorstep. She didn’t know if he left town already but she had to see.
She knocked on the door, hoping he was still inside.
When the doors opened, she saw him standing there.
She hugged him with a huge smile forming across her face. She had caught him in time. “Can I talk to you? Outside?” She said.
They walked outside as the rain started to pour down, but neither of them cared. “Travis. Please don’t leave town. Please.”
With his hand on his heart, Travis responded: “Hannah, you know how much I love you. You know. But I can’t just be your friend and watch you get hurt time and time again. And I can’t be your backup plan either. I’m sorry you came here but —“ before he could say anything else, Hannah cut him off.
“No Travis, you don’t understand,” she took his hands in hers as the rain drops gently hit the ground. “I came here because… because I love that you call me every day to check in with me. And I love that every time I see you, you manage to make me smile, no matter what is happening in my life. Travis, every single day there is only one person I wake up hoping to see. And that’s you.”
“I know I’ve been stupid and I’ve been denying these feelings for so long. But I finally realized. I was just scared. I finally found the person I’m meant to be with but I’ve been so scared that the person I love more than anything in this whole world, could have the power to break my heart one day. I didn’t want to ever lose you, Travis.”
“But in all of my avoidance, I did. I lost you,” she paused as he gazed at her. “I’m not scared anymore. I’m not. I don’t want to hide in these other relationships. Because I trust you and I realize now that you could never break my heart. Because you would never break something that belongs to you. And my heart does. My heart belongs to you, Travis. Fully, completely, and even if I wasn’t ready to admit it before, it always has.”
She took a breath. “I love you, Travis. I am in love with you. Fully, deeply, uncontrollably, in love with you. I want to be with you.”
She looked him in the eyes as he gazed back at her.
And she leaned in and kissed him.
He was stunned. Was this really happening?
He put his hand on his heart. This was the moment he had constantly wished for.
He smiled, “I love you too, Hannah.”
Hannah took a deep breath in.
And as they walked up to the porch of his house, Travis grabbed Hannah by the waist and pulled her in for a kiss.
Everything finally felt right.
“So… what happens now?” Hannah’s eyes gazed back and forth scanning each of his.
They stared at each other, taking each other in.
It was time to get out of those soaking cold wet clothes… Travis kissed Hannah passionately as she scrambled to open the door to the shower.
His skin felt so warm against her hand.
“Come in here, you.” She smiled at him.
She pulled him into the shower…Hannah and Travis were together and happy at last. Woohoo!
