Chapter 32 Weslyn
Weslyn
Two Weeks Later
The past few weeks have been nothing short of adventure and excitement and emotion.
School has been insanely busy and stressful, and for some reason having Kyran in my life has made me more motivated to figure out what life looks like after school.
Not that I wasn’t motivated before but he’s given me that extra push, and he doesn’t even know it yet.
I’ve had a few short conversations with my dad and he was very happy for me when I told him about Kyran.
It felt serious enough that I thought it was necessary and though I’m not sure when they’ll ever meet, he seemed to approve as long as he brings me happiness.
But I still work the same crappy job, declining Kyr’s offer to pay for my rent, though I can’t lie that the idea did entice me. And we talk every day, even if all we’re able to say is good morning or good night.
But as I walk into school today, I can’t help but feel a little worried.
A distressing feeling caresses my gut; I have yet to hear from him after sending my good morning handsome text to him nearly two hours ago.
I know he said he had a flight for a client meeting this morning, but I’m sure he’d have landed by now.
I try not to let the nerve-racking feeling surround me too much as I put my phone away and prepare for the pop quiz my professor just announced, one that I’m not sure I’m ready for.
But as I attempt to stuff my phone in my bag, my elbow accidentally knocks into my coffee cup and the whole thing topples over and spills all over my desk, my papers, and into my lap.
“Shit.” I berate myself, not caring much if anyone witnesses the disaster. But as I frantically try to clean up the mess, I can't help but let my troubled mind decide that today is going to be a very long day.
My last class concludes and as I walk out onto the campus sidewalk, snow falling from the sky and melting into the trees, my phone dings.
I rush for it, hoping that Kyran is finally getting back to me after not hearing from him all day.
My mind has been racing all day with different thoughts as to why he might not be able to respond to me, and of course, the worse of those ideas are the ones that fester the most.
But it’s not Kyran. It’s an email with the score of the pop quiz from earlier today and my heart drops when I see it’s the lowest grade I’ve gotten on anything all year.
I didn't realize how shaken I was this morning, and I can’t help but to assume that it might have something to do with Kyran’s absence.
Something isn’t right. What if something happened to his flight?
Maybe he lost his phone or . . . maybe he’s done talking to me.
I don’t want to be clingy or pushy but I hate not knowing what’s going on so I open a new text message to Kyran, deciding to try him one more time.
But right as I click on our conversation thread, my phone starts to ring.
It’s Kyran.
“Hello?” I answer rather frantically, standing in the middle of College Green.
“Hello, beautiful.” The tone in his voice sounds calm and composed, but he has no idea how stressed I’ve been all day wondering where the hell he's been.
“Kyran, I’ve been so worried about you. Is everything okay?
” I try not to sound too mad or upset with him; we haven’t really had an argument about anything yet and I don’t want him to think I’ve overreacted.
But I guess it’s the downside of talking to someone consistently and then not hearing them for an unheard amount of time.
Especially when there's a bit of distance involved.
“I’m fine, Weslyn. I promise. I just had some things to handle today.”
I feel disappointed. There is no urgency in his tone. And I almost feel as if there’s no remorse for worrying me either and it makes me feel a little concerned about our relationship.
“Okay then,” I respond, feeling a little rejected. But I’m not really sure what else to say and I don’t want to get upset with him, seeing as I’ve already had a pretty chaotic day. “Well, I’m glad to hear you’re fine,” I add, hating the way the silence feels.
“How was your day?” he asks and I’m hopeful that maybe nothing is wrong and I’m just moping because I miss him. He sounds rather normal other than his lack of awareness for my concern.
Part of me wants to hold back a little because of how distant this moment feels, but I decide that I’m going to be honest with him instead.
“To be honest, Kyran.” I sigh. “I missed you. I was scared something was wrong or something had happened to you. Or that you just randomly decided to stop talking to me for some reason. And I had the worst day today. I spilled my coffee, failed my test, was late to my lecture, and my head has been anywhere other than here.”
Everything comes falling out of my mouth, rapidly revealing to him just how much not having him talk to me today has impacted me.
And I worry his reception might not be what I’m used to.
He’s always been reassuring and validating.
But what if something did happen and his feelings have changed?
Is this distance really something I’m going to be able to handle if this happens again?
“I have to be honest, Weslyn.”
My heart drops to my stomach. His tone sounds serious—not in a good way—and it causes me to feel sick. This is where he lets me down. This is where he breaks my heart and tells me he can’t do this anymore and I am not prepared to deal with it. I don’t know what I’ll do.
But I don’t respond. Instead, I wait for him to break the news to me as I keep my eyes focused on my surrounding area. I watch as people walk around, not paying any attention to me at all as I’m nearly on the brink of a panic attack of some sort, waiting for the weight of Kyran’s words to crush me.
“It has been killing me keeping this from you, Wes. But I have to tell you…”
I feel the tears coming, I know this is going to hurt. The noise fades out around me as I hone in on the way my heart is pounding in my chest, knowing it’s about to shatter.
“The truth is, I’m not sure how I ever thought New York was the most beautiful view I’ve ever been privileged to, when the love of my life is standing right in front of me.”
My heart drops again, but this time assisted by some kind of adrenaline and butterflies. I turn my head from side to side in desperation, searching the space around me as the tears finally fall down my cheek.
"Turn around, Weslyn." I drop the phone from my ear, and when I turn around, eager to figure out what his words mean, the world stops spinning.
Kyran. Standing ten feet in front of me, right before my eyes. A handsome smirk curls on his face as he watches me.
“You’re here,” I say, something fragile caresses my tone. Because I thought he was leaving me. I thought he was attempting to break my heart. But he’s here.
“I’m right here, Weslyn.” His smile is lethal and my racing heart threatens to burst out of my chest. Every emotion tangles with how it feels to see him in person again. My head spins with the realization that he's really here.
I run toward him, jumping into his open arms. Kyran catches me and lifts me up, squeezing me to his chest. I let my tears fall freely against his neck as he presses a kiss into my hair. Utter disbelief and happiness twist in my heart as I hold on for dear life to the man I ache for.
“God, I missed you, love. This was the hardest secret I’ve ever had to keep.” His voice is soothing and passionate as he holds me. I lean back, needing to press my lips to his.
The kiss is electric and terrifyingly intimate considering we are still in public. But nothing else matters except this moment right now. Needing to feel his skin against mine. Feeling connected to the person who’s made my world tilt upside down.
After a few moments, Kyran sets me down and I can see so much love in his eyes, but then I realize the scare he’d put me through today and I don’t fail to let him know just how worried I was.
“You jerk!” I swat at his chest in a playful assault. “You scared me!”
Kyran chuckles at me as he yanks me by my wrist and pulls me into him again. “I’m sorry, beautiful. I didn’t mean to make you worry.” He rubs a hand up and down my back and I lean into his embrace, desperate to be close to him.
This is what I needed. There’s no doubt that I cherish the time we get to talk on the phone and I appreciate the hell out all of our text messages.
He’s done nothing but make me feel insanely special, even at a distance.
But nothing compares to this moment and his physical touch.
To be in his arms while I feel the beat of his heart in his chest.
“What are you doing here?” I ask as I pull away slightly, not letting him go but wanting to look into his eyes.
“I told you, I have a very good reason to come to Rhode Island, and it was killing me being so far away from you.” His touch doesn’t falter as he holds me, keeping me close as if he can tell it’s what I need.
“How long are you here for?” I ask him, leaning into his palm as he wraps it around my cheek.
“Well, considering I just came back from signing the lease on my new condo, I’d say I’m going to be here a while.”
My heart races again. My eyes widen.
“You what?” Shock laces my tone as my expression contorts to surprise and excitement.
Kyran lifts my chin with his fingers, leaning in and planting a fleeting kiss against my lips before he lowers his voice.
“Weslyn, I’ve never felt so serious about someone or so sure about a decision in my life. It’s you. My wrong number. My not Jane Doe. My Matt Donovan advocate. And my-”
“The love of your life.” I finish his statement, recalling the words he spoke to me on the phone mere moments ago.
“The undeniable love of my life,” he says with confidence and clarity.
Words can’t even describe this feeling anymore. I’m so overcome with emotion. I lean up on my toes, pressing my lips softly to his. He reaches behind me and clasps his hands around my back, holding me in.
“I love you, Kyran,” I whisper into his mouth and I feel a smile curl on his lips.
“I love you too, Weslyn,” he says and my body ignites.
“I can’t believe you’re here.”
“I can,” he says as we hold each other. “There’s nowhere else in this world I’d rather be.”
Neither of us have a care in the world that we are standing in the middle of the snow that falls, and in the middle of the foot traffic around us. This is all that matters. Us. Here with each other.
I let my head fall to his chest, a grin pulling on my face when I think about the start of this all.
“All of this because you texted the wrong number.” I look up at the handsome man in front of me, my heart feeling so fucking full of the love he’s given me.
“No,” Kyran starts, gently brushing my hair behind my ear. “All of this because the universe made sure that I had the right number, knowing it would lead me to my soulmate.”
The End