Found you

{the first and last chapter}

Distracted, that was she. Distracted but completely focused. Her eyes blurred out all faces, on a mission to find one, just one in particular. That was what she did every time she went out in public, she searched. She appeared uninterested and absent, but in reality she was completely present, just only paying selective interest to those whose faces she hadn't scanned yet. But out of all the hundreds of times she scanned for the face, his face, she never found it. So she didn't hold much hope that she would anytime soon.

It had happened once, yes, but that was months ago, when the heat of the summer sun was just beginning to reach the muggy temperature that was the usual for people in the hotter states. Still, that hope wouldn't die, no matter how many times she went home discouraged; she still couldn't stop her ears from scanning for his voice, nor her eyes from peering for his face. It was of habit of her's now. But habits die off eventually, and so does infatuation. So maybe the next time she popped by the grocery store for some desperately needed chocolate, she wouldn't even think of him. Yes, maybe next time. That's what she told herself a lot, trying to give herself an excuse for being so infatuated. Still,  something about the fact that he could be browsing just over in the next isle kept her spirits afloat and her senses alert.

Today she just needed a hug, a hug from a friend who she had grown so distant from, a hug from him. In fact he owed her one, long story short, and since they hadn't seen each other in months; she hadn't gotten it yet. 'Someday he'll have to give me a hug' she thought to herself, smirking at the thought of both of them being old and grey, and finally giving each other the long awaited hug.

Today she looked fine, she looked pretty ok, but inside she felt worn down from the weight of the world. The people, the lies, the drama. She just wanted a cove to hide out in until she gained some strength back. But still she continued putting up with it all. But sometimes it becomes too much, so retreating to do some idle grocery shopping was her only chance to escape, a chance that she took in a heartbeat.

The automatic door slid open for her, and with a small shopping basket on her arm, she started to browse randomly. She walked around wherever her feet decided to take her. She didn't really care much, for she had walked this store a billion times before. A couple chunks of cheese, a few slits of chocolate, a loaf of bread, a bottle of wine, a half a pound of meat, and she was all set to have a little dinner party when she got home.

She looked about at the faces around her, without giving any of them much notice. A couple old ladies offered her sweet smiles, a child looked at her sweetly, but today was just one of those days. Any other day she might have started a conversation with one of the elderly ladies, or waved at the child, but today she just needed to feel loved. To feel accepted. Everyone has those days, when they are just so tired, and need a shoulder to lean on. Today day was just one of those one's.

She circled around the store, and headed back to the cheese section, because come on; who can't resist another chunk of gouda? Besides, they were pretty reasonable prices, so another one to add to her pile of goodies wouldn't hurt. As she walked she looked around at the little trinkets stacked on tables; candies, goody baskets, stuffed animals. Every child's dream,

She flipped her eyes back around to meet a set of dark one's. Something in her mind's mental clock froze; and everything around her become misty, except for those eyes.

It took her a moment to process everything; the eyes, the hair, the overall joyful vibe that cluttered around this person, until she realized without a doubt who the person was. A flush bounced onto her cheeks, and a smile was threatening to creep onto her lips.

The smile that one wears when they've just met eyes with a friend. Maybe there's more behind the friendship, maybe they're lovers. But they tell the world that they're "just friends", and yet every time they meet eyes, they smile this specific smile that can't really be put into words. It's just a knowing smile, a laughing smile, a relieved smile, a smile that almost screams "I love you so dearly".

She tried to bite back her joyful grin while she placed her shopping basket on the ground, then eagerly, she ran towards the person. She ran towards him. Specifically; the boy she had been seeking out for months. The boy who had been her best friend. The boy who then grew distant from her. The boy who she had stayed up late texting some nights, all the while worrying that she was boring him. It was that boy. That silly, ridiculous boy who she had missed so badly.  And he was standing just twenty feet away from her.

With open arms she raced to him, every single memory of them replaying in her mind. Every single smile, every single joke, every single conversation, it all played across her mind's mental theater screen. All of those nights she had stayed up late, wishing she could talk to him, all of those day she spent in a blur; only thinking of his smile. Every single memory flashed through her brain. And before she knew it she was in his arms, her chest against his. She could hear his heartbeat, she could feel the comfort of his arms wrapped around her body. This was the only thing she had wanted, just a simple hug from the person she cared about so much. And that was what she got.

As she reluctantly began to ease her grip around him. She wished she could replay that moment again and again, for she wasn't ready to let go yet. But they had hugged for a while, probably longer than the usual "Oh hey there friend" kind of hug. So she let go.

She looked up into his eyes, his eyes that always seemed to be smiling, and her's smiled as well. With a playful look upon her face she mumbled with a sigh; "Well, found you.". His laugh sounded in her ears; the only sound she had wanted to hear that day. His contagious laugh caused her to break out in a chorus of giggles, giggles to which she didn't know the cause for. But that was how is usually worked; he would laugh and so would she, and it was more beautiful than a choir of angels.