Ali cursed herself the second the words left her mouth.
"What are you going to do if I buy you a goddamned plane ticket? Are you going to come here then if I do?"
It had been half a joke, half a challenge, one of those impulsive things she threw at Ray during their late-night talks. She never thought he would take it seriously. She definitely hadn't expected him to reply with nothing more than a smirking emoji followed by a screenshot of a booked flight.
Now, here she was-standing in an airport that felt impossibly large, every sound amplified, every announcement from the loudspeakers making her stomach clench. Her palms were damp, her fingers restless as she twisted the strap of her bag. Voices swirled together, footsteps echoed, wheels clattered against tile. She shifted from one foot to the other, chewing her lip.
Three years.
Three years of late-night calls. Three years of falling asleep to his voice on the line. Three years of memes, long messages, arguments that never lasted more than a few hours, and comfort on the nights when everything felt like it was collapsing. He had been her anchor, her constant, even if only through a glowing screen. And now he was here.
Ali swallowed hard, tugging her jacket closer though the terminal wasn't cold. She fixed her eyes on the floor, tiled in white and gray patterns, anything to avoid acknowledging the way her heart pounded like it wanted to break out of her chest.
The speakers crackled. A calm female voice announced the arrival of the flight she had been waiting for. Ali's breath caught, her eyes snapping up toward the gate. This was it. The doors would open any second. She felt like she was standing on the edge of a dream, one she'd replayed countless times but never thought would turn real.
Her legs felt heavy, yet somehow, she willed herself closer to the gate. Families gathered, partners held flowers, children jumped with excitement. Compared to them, Ali felt stripped bare, nerves pulling her taut, as if everyone could see how much this moment meant to her.
And then the doors opened.
Passengers spilled out-some rushing past, some scanning the crowd. A businessman. A mother with a child. A young couple holding hands. Ali's eyes darted across every face, her pulse spiking faster with each second.
And then she saw him.
Ray.
He looked almost exactly how she remembered from grainy video calls and the occasional filtered selfie. His hair was a little messy, his backpack slung over one shoulder. His eyes scanned the waiting crowd, and then-they landed on her.
Ali's lips parted, a sharp breath slipping out as her heart surged. For that moment, the airport faded. The noise, the crowd, everything blurred until it was just him. Him, and the weight of three years collapsing into a single instant.
A smile spread across her face-so wide, so raw it almost hurt. His grin bloomed to match hers.
Her feet moved before her mind caught up. She darted through the crowd, weaving past strangers until she reached him. Then she threw herself into his arms.
He caught her easily, stumbling back half a step from the force of her hug before steadying them both.
"God," Ali whispered against his shoulder, her voice trembling, "it's so good to finally see you after three years."
She clung to him like she was afraid he might vanish, afraid this was some cruel dream.
Ray laughed softly, the sound vibrating through his chest against her cheek. He buried his nose in her hair, inhaling deeply as though memorizing the scent of her, the reality of her. "I know," he murmured, low and warm. "It's surreal. You're really here."
Ali squeezed her eyes shut, her heartbeat wild. For years, he had only been a voice, a face behind glass, close enough to know everything about her but impossibly far to touch. And now, he was real.
She finally pulled back enough to see him, her hands still clutching his arms. His eyes were exactly the same-dark, steady, and warm.
"You're taller than I thought," she said with a shaky smile.
Ray chuckled, brushing a stray strand of her hair back. "And you're shorter than I imagined. Video calls don't do us justice."
They both laughed, the sound loosening the knot in her chest. Yet her hands still trembled, unsure how to bridge the gap between three years of longing and this new reality.
Ray seemed to sense it. He slipped his fingers through hers, holding her hand firmly, grounding her. "Come on," he said gently. "Let's get out of here. I want to talk without all..." He gestured at the swirl of voices, rolling bags, the chaos around them. "...this."
Ali nodded, letting him guide her toward baggage claim. Walking beside him felt unreal, like she had stepped inside a story she had been reading for years. Every little thing stood out-the way he adjusted the strap of his bag, the small sideways glances he gave her, the brush of his hand against hers.
They grabbed his suitcase, the silence between them buzzing with unspoken thoughts. Ali kept sneaking glances until Ray caught her, raising an eyebrow with a teasing smirk. "You keep staring like that and people are going to think you're in love with me."
Her cheeks flared. She rolled her eyes quickly to mask it. "Maybe I just missed seeing your stupid face without the pixels."
"Stupid face?" Ray gasped in mock offense. "That's not what you said in all those late-night calls."
Ali groaned, hiding her face in her hands. "Oh my God, you're never going to let that go, are you?"
He only laughed, the sound so familiar and easy that it eased her nerves more than anything else could. This-this was what she had wanted. The comfort. The closeness.
When they finally stepped outside, the evening air greeted them-cooler, freer. The sky stretched overhead, streaked with gold and pink. Ray tilted his head back, taking it in before glancing down at her.
"So," he said softly, "where do we go from here?"
Ali bit her lip, her chest tightening. Where indeed? She'd dreamed of this moment for years, but now that it was real, she didn't have a plan. All she knew was she didn't want it to end.
She smiled, small but certain. "Anywhere. As long as you're there."
Ray's grip on her hand tightened. His smile softened. For the first time all day, Ali let herself believe this wasn't a fleeting moment. This was real.
He gave her hand a playful squeeze. "We could go to your place," he said with a crooked smirk. "I do need somewhere to crash."
Ali laughed, the sound breaking through her nerves. "Right. I guess that makes me your very reluctant host."
Ray bumped her shoulder gently with his. "Reluctant? You practically sprinted at me back there."
"Shut up," she muttered, but she was smiling.
