39

I fell

For you

And I am

Still

Falling.

I've been back in Belgium for a month now. My return was as emotional as my departure. My parents and brothers immediately apologized for not being there when I was in the hospital. My family has had a financial problem for a few years now because the company my dad worked in went bankrupt. They couldn't afford a plane ticket.

After another week of crying every night for my friends, but especially for Alex, I have returned to my daily routine. I still haven't made any friends here in Belgium and usually sit in my room reading or teasing my brothers. Of course, I call my friends in America every weekend. Alex is never there and the name isn't pronounced either, a bit like in Harry Potter. I hadn't forgotten my promise to Jax and Owen and went looking for a job. I've been working at the Starbucks at the station for three weeks now.

At school everything goes well, only the lessons are more boring and I'm not looking forward to it so much. I tried to talk to the school about a full exchange but they didn't like it. I am taken out of my mind by my colleague who calls the orders to me. Quickly, I make the coffees and call the names for who the order is. After another hour of work, we are allowed to close the shop and go home.

I sit on the bus at the window and look outside with music in my ears. I hear my mobile phone ringing and see that Coll is trying to call me. "Yeah?" I ask as I answer. "Hey sis, would you like to go to the supermarket before you come home?" I hear him ask. I'll sigh but then I tune in and lay off. I get off a stop before my normal stop and walk to the supermarket. I get my mobile phone and look at the things that Coll has forwarded that I have to take with me.

Confused, I look at the list. I have to take 6 pairs of everything and make sure the cake is for at least 6 people. I'm thinking if there was anything on the schedule for tonight, but nothing springs to mind, although I'm sure someone will visit, otherwise I would have to do some shopping for 5 instead of 6. And today is Friday, which means it's pizza day. I'm at the checkout and I pay once it's my turn. With two very heavy bags, I start my 400-meter long walk.

My fingers and arms get cramped every few minutes so I have to put the bags down. I also have to make sure that the bags really stay straight because there is a cake in each bag. And believe me, if the cake doesn't look perfect when mommy shows it to the guests, I will have to go to the baker. After half an hour, I arrive home, tired, and sweating. I knock on the door but no one opens it. I try the bell but still the door stays closed. They must be in the garden, I think to myself.

I drag the bags to the side of the house and open the gate. I hear Mom and Justin chatting to the background music. I drag the bags further back and yell to Coll before I'm around the corner. 'Coll, can you help your dear and only sister before she falls to her death and her arms are pulled off her body?' I ask. It's still August, so it's very hot.

I hear that the chatter stops but no one is standing up to come and help me. I sigh and walk around the corner. At first, I look at Coll angrily but when my gaze glides at the person next to him, the bags fall out of my hands and the food lies on the ground around me. I look straight into the brown-green eyes that were so dear to me but I break the contact by turning around in one jerk and walking out of the garden again.

This time, I do hear footsteps coming in my direction and I start walking a bit faster.' Popcorn, please wait' calls Alex trying to catch up with me. Instead of waiting, I start running but before I can take my second step, I feel an arm winding around my middle. 'Princess' I hear him breathing out as he hides his head in my neck.

I tremble and try to push him away but without success. "I'm sorry, can you please listen to me?" he asks. Instead of waiting for my answer, he pulls me on the ground between his legs while still holding me firmly. "When we put an end to our relationship, I had no intention of losing you. I immediately came up with a plan to keep you with me. I was on my way to say goodbye to you at the airport, to tell you how much I love you when there had been an accident and the street was blocked off. I was 10 minutes late, even though I had jumped out of the taxi and run the rest of the way as fast as I could. Since then, I have been constantly trying to make my plan work. I learned Dutch so that I could leave a good impression on your parents. Says he's pulling me closer.

"You know Dutch?" I'm surprised. I hear and feel him laughing as he shakes his head. "This is the only thing you remember?" he asks me. I turn around and connect our lips. 'I love you too and I hope your plan succeeds because I can't spend another day in my life without you.'