I had already made up my mind.
Six hours ago. When I learned that the last bus would leave at 11:30 pm and the next at 5:11 am. But I wanted to see him try to persuade me.
I know he thought he had won, when at 10:30 we were still at the posh restaurant where he had taken me to meet yet another of his aquantances.
He looked at me with a grin and said,
- You’re missing your bus, looking slightly less malicious when I told him:
- There’s an hour to go, so maybe I had better left in 15 minutes.
My bags were already packed and I had cleaned the flat rather thouroughly before he got back from work that afternoon, so he knew I would not need much time. Also since the stop is only a few meters down the street from his house. The minute I decided to go, I’d be gone.
He responded by ordering in more red wine. I was amused.
And touched. I’d seen the look he’d had all evening. He was brooding. Thinking of ways to make me change my mind. And he did come up with quite a few suggestions on alternative means.
Among them, besides postponing the trip altoghether, The Metro. Though he soon changed on that one, since it would be longer, not to mention the riskts of leaving a pretty girl alone in the metro.
To reach the air port I would have to change trains at Gare Centrale and he had no possibilities come with me. So, that took the metro out of the run. Appearantly Im too cute for my own good. But what about a taxi?
- As if I’d go for a 25€ trip alone with a paki, or worse a hairy iranian, for half an hour. Talk about taking an expensive risk.
- You a racist, you..!, he said along with a laugh and a brief hug.
He let his hand linger on mine for a second.
Six hours earlier we had been reading the bus schedule together. While doing that, I was struck by the notion that I will be missing him. Alot.
I could almost physically hear my heart telling my head:
- As much as you hate to rush, one more night with him will be worth having to dash in the morning.
My head had little else but to agree, yet answered:
- Let us see what he says, quite certain that she already knew. She just wanted to make sure by making him ask.
Our company had excused herself a while ago now. And I had begun wondering what was keeping her.
Just as I saw her returning down the stairs some distance behind him, he ended our schism by solemnly saying.
– Stay! Let us enjoy the evening. Spend you last night here with me!
I looked at my watch. It was 11:30 pm, sharp.
So, I smiled widely and replied.
- You’re right. Let’s not waste our last night together.
