Waiting

original date: March 13, 2009

He sat there motionless, looking up at the clock. 4:20 p.m. it said, the numbers getting bigger and bigger with each moment that passed. The anticipation grew every second as his palms increased with perspiration. He had no idea what to expect, or what to say. All he knew was that in ten minutes his life would never be the same again. He shifted nervously as he glanced up at the clock once more. He couldn’t believe how slow the time was passing. Why couldn’t it go faster, he thought to himself. Why couldn’t the minutes rush by like seconds? But deep down he knew he was happy to see it go by so slow.

He thought about the past 2 weeks, the laughs and jokes. The conversations about random things that most people wouldn’t even care to talk about. The amazing discoveries that he had made, the beautiful photographs he had seen, but mostly the eyes. Those eyes that grabbed his heart and didn’t let go. The eyes that were a deep blue, like the ocean in a storm. But they weren’t really blue, they were brown like dirt. But that didn’t matter to him. He was in love with those eyes. He could not wait until the moment that he would stare into those eyes, and the day those eyes would stare back at him.

4:25. Only 5 minutes had passed. He hoped she would be late, but at the same time hoped she would be early. What should I do when she arrives, he thought. Would a hug be too much? He had no idea what he would do. All he knew is that there were 5 minutes left til the moment that he had been waiting for since he started speaking to her. The anticipation of their meeting was causing him to daydream. The anticipation of their meeting was causing him to daydream. She seemed so interesting, and complex. The complexity of his words and swiftness of his thoughts made him so instantly attractive. He was inspired by her beauty, and the way that he could see himself in her. Today was the day that he had made arrangements to meet her. They would finally be able to gaze into each others eyes.

The motor of a vehicle approaching interrupted his thoughts for a moment. It stopped in front of the building, he held his breath. A young man walked out of the car. It’s not her. He went back to thinking about her lustrous hair. Her smile, the laugh he imagined she would have, but it always came back to the eyes.

Again the motor of yet another vehicle approached him. The car came to a halt. The door opened, his heart raced, his world froze. Could it be her? Could she be the one that I’m waiting for? Has my heart finally found the love that it desires?

As the door opened a black suede boot came out first, followed by a girl. It’s her, he screamed inside. She looked at him, and back at her ride. She bid farewell to the other person in the vehicle as it drove out of sight. She quickly moved towards the building, so as to get out of the chilly evening breeze. He walked outside and their eyes instantly met. The eyes he had for so long wanted to stare into were finally staring back at him. “Hey you”, came her sweet voice. “Hey”, was the response.

He felt trapped; trapped in love that is. He didn’t know what to say next. His lips were sealed shut, his tongue mysteriously dry and unable to move. “Are you going to give me a hug?” she proceeded in saying. It was as if all of his dreams had come true all at once.

Of course, he thought but didn’t say. He grabbed her in his arms and held her close. He never wanted to let go. This was his world, he knew it. Suddenly, all of the thoughts that this moment would change his life were real. He loved her, oh how he loved her. He would never love anyone ever again. And as he held her he thought to himself, I love you.

- by Hilda Lemus