Happily Letter After

Chapter 6

I was afraid to close my eyes again, last time I did he disappeared...it was all a dream last time. I didn't move, I didn't breathe, I didn't even blink afraid that this moment would shatter and he would disappear. Then I saw him walking towards me, one step at a time...it seemed everything was happening in slow motion. The surroundings disappeared for me; it was only him I could see...only him I wanted to see. And there he was standing before me, so close that I could touch him but I didn't...scared that everything would end. If nothing, I just wanted this moment to stay with me for a long time whether real or a dream.

His hands moved toward my cheeks wiping away the tears that fell unknown to me. My hands reached towards my face as if to check whether I was really crying and our hands brushed each other's. It was a light touch but it confirmed his presence for me.

It seemed I was in a trance which was broken when he spoke.

"Hi Anna," those two words were my undoing, I couldn't hold it any longer and I collapsed against him, hugged him to hold him close...never to let him go.

I wouldn't have been in my right mind because I would never have done this, had I been thinking clearly. What surprised me was that he hugged me back, holding me as close to him as I was, it seemed he also didn't want to let me go. How long we stayed like that, I didn't know but like I said I had stopped thinking. Everything was him.

We broke the hug after what seemed like forever and still not enough and looked at each other, our arms still around each other's waist. There were so many emotions in those brown eyes of his and yet not one I could decipher.

"I missed you so much Anna," he said and hugged me again.

"You did?" I was confused why would he miss me.

Sensing my confusion, he broke the hug and looked me in the eyes.

"Yes, I missed you, Anna. I missed you so much and for so long that it hurt." The longing in his eyes was radiating through his hug and I could feel it and connect because it is the same longing I felt for so long.

"Am I dreaming again? Please let it not be a dream," I couldn't believe what he was saying. Why would he miss me? It never felt that he liked me, he already had a girlfriend and he was happy with her. Did they break up? When? For how long has he liked me?

"It is not a dream. I am real and everything is happening for real," he said breaking my line of absurd thoughts.

"But how? When? What about Rose, you were together during school years? Weren't you in love with her? Why didn't you say anything if you had feelings for me? And your last name, it wasn't Ayers in high school? Did you change it?" the questions were endless. And then the weirdest thought stuck me.

"Is it all a prank, am I being filmed? I don't get it, how... how can all this happen so...,"

"Out of the blue," he said completing my thoughts.

"It didn't. It's a long story and I will answer all of your queries. Rose and I aren't together anymore, actually we never were together. We pretended to date to make her crush jealous so that he would confess his feelings and accept Rose." He guided us to the chairs and pulled out a chair for me. Always the gentleman, I thought and smiled.

"But you both looked so in love and comfortable with each other," I asked, my suspicions still lingering.

"That is because we were comfortable with each other. We are third cousins and have known each other for a long time." That explains it, I was about to ask him other questions on my mind but before I could he spoke himself.

"As to why I never confessed my feelings for you was because I never thought I was good enough for you. You were so kind, innocent and perfect and I felt my acquaintance would ruin you. And also, because I was afraid of rejection. Why didn't you ever confess?"

I didn't know what to say, although I have had this conversation in my head so many times but none of that came to me when I actually needed to answer. I collected my thoughts and said, "For the same reasons you never did. I... I didn't have the courage to confess, I was scared of rejection but more so...of the fact that once you would reject me, you would know who I am and you would stay clear of me, not talk to me or would notice me when I would follow you. At least with you not knowing, I could do all those things without being noticed. You know like a fan following their favorite idol." I looked away realizing all the time we have wasted because of our silence.

His hand on top of mine made me look up at him. He smiled and said, "Better late than never."

I smiled, a genuine one this time without any worries.

"Your last name-," before I could complete my question, he was ready with his explanation.

"My full name is Naimish Knight Ayers. I never used 'Ayers' in high school, it was there in the official documents but whenever someone asked, I dropped 'Ayers' from my name, it seemed too long with that. That is why I sent you messages with 'Mr. N. Ayers', the 'N' would make you wonder but the 'Ayers' wouldn't let you know."

It all made sense now but there was still something that didn't quite fit.

"Is it all true? The marriage proposal to save my father's company? Did you suggest it? How did you know?"

"Patience, sweetheart. You will get to know everything. Let's eat something first, I am famished. I couldn't eat anything the whole day because I was tied up in knots as to what your reaction would be."

A waiter brought our food and I was surprised to see that every dish was my favorite.

"How do you know all my favorites?" I asked surprised.

"I have known for a long time," he said...clearly happy with my surprised face. He opened the bottle of wine, again my favorite. How could he know all my favorites?

We didn't talk much during dinner, we both were busy gazing each other trying to make up for the lost time, still taking in reality that finally we were together.

After we were done with the dinner, we sat close together by the edge of the surface, our legs hanging and taking in the view of the serene river reflecting the full moon and countless stars.

I decided to ask him the remaining questions.

First, the most important of it all, "Why did you decide to confess now?"

He didn't seem surprised at my question, like he was expecting it and was prepared for it. He fished out an envelope from his suit jacket and that envelope looked very familiar. A closer look and my suspicions were confirmed. It was the letter I wrote to him, how I knew because the writing on the envelope was mine. I was shocked to say the least.

How did he even have that letter? It was in my drawer and I just read it yesterday.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE

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