It's his turn to go after her

Michael Forrester

Katherine...her name keeps repeating in his brain. Her sad smile keeps coming back to his memory. The sight of her turning around with a single tear streaking at her left cheek keeps playing at the back of his head. He should have stopped her. Why did he hesitate?

He should have told her the truth, but why he never did? In all those days he brought different girls, he’s not fooling around. He needed someone to lash out his frustrations. The frustration of not touching her.

Seeing her everyday is agonizing. He knows what she wants him to do. He’s aware of what those eyes convey, those lingering smiles impart, and that devastated expression.

Each time he saw her wearing that face, a sharp pounding mallet was smitten directly into his heart. Hammering, thrashing, the more she’s around him, the more it chokes his throat.

He can barely breathe. His eyes clamped shut, in a desperate effort to block out her shattered expression, but the effort backfires. It’s torturing him. All desires aching, he wants to touch her. He needs to lay his hands on her small frame. Or the need for the feeling of her skin will drive him mad.

When she cast him her melancholic eyes, his body only knows how to freeze. He’s fighting to catch his breath. He force his feet to turn around and don’t look back. And the effort itself takes every broken nerve in his being to avert his eyes from her.

She just doesn’t know. She never needs to know. He keeps telling himself. He thought treating her like a douchebag will protect her from getting hurt. He figured he must end what’s happening between them as early as now. To prevent their emotions from killing themselves.

He just doesn’t realize, what he’s doing… has only put them in misery. Forever trapped in a cage he setups.

He was a fool. He keeps telling himself he can never have her. When every cell in his body is screaming they want her.

Katherine… now he can never deny what he feels. It’s about time to stop torturing themselves. In an illusion that both will be happy without the other.

He sprints between staircases. He’s been hauled up in the living room since Alice left, he never noticed the sun already rising between buildings. If the rays did not penetrate the windows and touch his left shoulder, he wouldn’t feel the heat and the different brightness the room gives.

Oh, just screw it! He wasted a good night’s sleep. Then a damned free time to go after her! Looking at the time, it’s already ten-fifteen. How could he be so dumb sucking stupid to sit like a marbled statue for hours?! And to think he never notice anything?! Crap!

He slammed the glass door opened and raced outside. Crossing the pedestrian street to get to the main road, he took out his phone and dialed Katherine’s number. He can hear his blood rushing, heart pumping, chest rising. All his nerves are alert. His muscles flexing and straining from running the staircase five floors down.

“The number you have dialed is now unattended -” he punched the end button and tried to crush his phone between his fist.

“Damn it,” he cussed under his breath. Why won’t she answer? Where the hell is she? With his fingers, he tugged in his scalp and exhaled, frustrated about everything.

She can’t blame her for not picking up the phone. No one would. Especially when it’s someone who just told her to get the hell out of his face. He groaned.

When the traffic signal goes green, he bolted across the highway. Gaining speed as he waded through the streets. Slid past the crowds, parting ‘excuse me’ words to couples, girl groups, and anyone who sticks close. He doesn’t care if he receives complaints and grumbles as he pass through.

None of these extras mattered. He must find her. Get to her, before she leaves. Before he disappeared from his life completely.

He tried calling her again. Stopping to catch his breath. Where could her mother keep her? Other hotels or condos? No, she said book her ticket. Flight to New York.

There could be five or six international airports here in Great Regina City. He don’t have time to check these places one by one. He bolted to the left. Just a quick turn at this corner and he’ll arrive at Lateiñie Cafe. Where he works at.

He can ask Alice. They became closed in just one night so maybe she told her where she’s staying at.

After sprinting a few paces, he finally arrived. He saw Alice getting out in the back door. With her loose ponytail and glasses on, she put a black tennis cap on her head, black leather jacket, and black jeans.

Her fashion taste is as terrible as usual. You don’t wear tennis cap over leather. But she manage to keep it cool anyway.

Incorporating air into his lungs, he called out her name from a 10 meter distance.

“Alice!” she stopped. He dash to where she stood and huffed.

“Where’s Katheri -”

“ Dude. What are you still doing here?! Katherine’s boarding on her plane at exactly thirty minutes!”

“But where?!” he spread his arms wide in agitation. “I’ve been trying to reach her cell for twenty minutes now and she won’t even answer.”

“Cell? What’s her number?” he caught her off guard.

“Seven eight three last digit number.” she shakes her head and scoffed.

“Poor, poor Katherine. The guy she’s living with don’t even know what’s her phone number. You better stop pulling off this act horse-faced. Pretending not to care is one thing, not even knowing is another. And it’s much worse. Makes me doubt if you’re really in love with her.” Alice took his phone and keyed Katherine’s new number.

“But I do love her.” she gave a half mocking laugh.

“Oh yeah? Tell that to the airplane she’s about to board. Taxi!” she sprinted on the other side. Intercepted the white taxi coming up. She opened the door at the passenger seat and shoved him inside.

“Mister, can you take this big oaf to Reginar airport? He’s going after his runaway girlfriend. They’re having this big ugly fight and they parted ways just last night. But when he heard she’s boarding the plane in twenty five minutes he realize he can’t live without her so now he’s going after -”

“No need for the prep talk Alice.” he gave her a shut up look and she just smirked.

“That would be so sweet dear boy! My wife and I back in the days have so much love when we’re at your age -”

Michael gulped. Alice slowly closed the door with a ‘sucks to be you’ smile. Just the sight of her crooked teeth sent shivers down his spine. Will he be able to get there in time?

The driver keeps on blabbing about his and his wife’s love story. Which he did not care or have time to listen to. Fifteen minutes more. He’s getting restless.

He keeps tapping the dashboard, not sure where he’ll vent the anxiety gnawing inside him.

“And then my older kid -”

“Please sir, how much longer does it take to get to the airport?” he pleaded. He’s been trying to reach her cell but it keeps ringing.

“Just a quick turn in the left.” the driver trailed off. He veered the wheel in a counter-clockwise direction. Slowing down, to a curve with other taxis lined up. Michael quickly grabbed his wallet and paid the driver with a hundred dollars. Keep the change so he will shut up.

He pushed the door open and paved his way to crowds with luggage. He sweeps past a group of two families dragging three little kids with the backpack and travel suitcases. He scanned his eyes across signboards. Looking for a flight scheduled to new york.

Damn. He don’t have any idea what plane or schedule she’s boarding to. If he can’t find her now, he’ll never meet her again.

Crap! He leans against a post to catch his breath. He’s been going around in circles for ten minutes. But no Katherine.

Only five minutes left. How is he supposed to find her in this crowd?