Always | ✓

39. Pause

"Please. Don't," I said, squeezing my eyes shut. "Just not right now."

The rest of the journey was silent. Neither one of us saying a word.

***

I waited at the airport lounge, as our flight still had some time and whilst Danny had gone to buy some hot chocolate. I guess he really wanted to cheer me up.

It's really annoying when you think that you're completely over someone, but then the smallest thing could happen, and you realise that maybe you're not. The strings were still being tugged.

I thought that they had been snapped already, but maybe that had only happened today.

When I felt a figure approach me, I assumed it was Danny with the hot chocolate, but when I looked up, I was surprised.

It was Julie who stood in front of me, which left me incredibly confused.

I hesitantly stood up from my seat, whilst giving her a questioning look. Honestly, I wasn't even sure if she was actually here or I was just that deep into my thoughts, that I had begun hallucinating.

I really hope this wasn't my imagination.

Julie, or at least her hallucination, moved towards me and pulled me into a tight hug.

Okay, so she's real.

I continued to stay frozen as Julie hugged me, because I was very confused.

"Thank you so much. For everything," she she and I frowned.

When her tight grip began to turn a little painful, cutting off my air supply, I let out a sound of discomfort. Sensing this, Julie quickly loosened her hold on me, stepping back and looking a little apologetic.

However, she then had this strange look on her face. It seemed like her eyes were searching mine for something.

"How didn't I realise this before?" She asked.

I wasn't sure what she was even talking about.

"Julie, what..." I began to say, but she stopped me by raising her hand and shaking her head, simultaneously.

"No, no. Please, let me talk," she said.

I just nodded and let her continue, curious as to what she wanted to tell me.

"All this time, all these years, I always knew that you were my friend. One of my best friends, in fact. I just didn't know how much of an amazing friend you actually are," Julie told me.

I looked at her perplexed. I had no clue what that meant. Was she still happy that I came to her graduation? It's not that big of a gesture.

"You love him, don't you?" She asked.

Suddenly, it felt as if the chaos of the airport and all the noise just drowned out. It was only Julie's question just lingered in the air, the silence becoming the answer.

It was obvious who the 'him' was, but I still was speechless at why she would even ask this. What would make her ask me this?

She didn't look the slightest bit angry or betrayed. Instead, she had a genuine smile on her face, that I wasn't able to comprehend.

It kind of worried me that she was smiling, since that was not the reaction I was expecting.

Julie shook her head, as if finding my speechlessness, somewhat amusing.

"It's okay. You don't have to say anything. In fact, your silence says more than your words ever could," she told me, her smile still not wavering.