This is my first piece, so would love feedback on it. This piece is set in a fantasy world where COVID and STDs are not a thing.
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The announcement filters through, pulling me away from my book, "Flight IA to Delhi has been delayed to 15:30. Please..." My frustration drowns out the rest of the static-filled message. I get up, scanning the airport for a restaurant where I can get drink. 7 hours of travel, and a delay call for a scotch.
I zigzag through the crowd of people, taking in the well-dressed presumably Europeans, the comfortable-looking Americans, and then the pods of Indian families. I imagine the families might also be waiting for the same flight home.
I get a table at a "restaurant" facing the gates, so I can people-watch. A dark-skinned woman speaks to me in English shaped by the needs of her primary language French, the rs soft, different from my own bastardised British/American rs. She smiles at me and I smile back as she takes my order. She's beautiful, dark eyes, cropped short curly hair, high cheekbones. I appreciate the curve of her jaw and I appreciate the simple interaction of just placing an order. No jovial false chattiness that marked most of my restaurant experiences in the US. Maybe it's the perk of working in the service industry outside of the US, no need to grovel and smile at people checking you out just to make a livable wage.
I sip the scotch, staring out at the bustling crowds, savoring the smooth taste of liquor, bracing for my return home after a very long 5 years.
"Aisha?"
I startle and turn around, and am shocked to see a face from almost 20 years ago staring back at me.
"I thought it was you. Hey." Light brown skin the shade of milky coffee, bright red-brown eyes, dimples. My ex from my school days. My "bad break up, let's not talk about him" ex from my school days. My stomach turns inward. He's having the opposite effect on the goal of my drink, which was to try chill the fuck out.
"Ahaan! It's been so long!" I blurt out, trying to be a normal 37-year-old instead of a 37-year-old filing away all the gross ick from when she was 18 and made some dumb ass choices.
"It has! I thought I'd recognized you and wanted to say hey." He thankfully seems happy to see me, which settles my nerves a bit.
"Hey," my eyes traveling down his body as discretely as possible, taking in his jeans, his sweater, his still seemingly fit body, and by habit, I notice the surprisingly lack of a wedding ring or tan line. "I'm glad you did." A lie. "It's been so long. Are you on the flight to Delhi too?"
"Yeah, the one that's delayed forever. Are you traveling by yourself?" I notice him doing a scan as well, as much as he could, since I was still seated.
"I am. What about you?"
"Me too. It's a pain. Especially with delays like this."
"Want to sit?" He smiles and nods as I pull my legs away from the empty chair to make room for him.
"You still wear heels? Even at the airport?" He asks, eyebrows raised.
I grin, "I carry a pair of flats wherever I go."
We talk, keeping to the nice topics about our lives. The harder stuff gets 1-2 sentences. His singlehood, divorce, and kids in our home town. My work and his. A short summary that explains my own current singlehood. No need for an explanation about my childlessness - he was one of the first outside of my family to know motherhood was of no interest to me.
I feel curiosity towards him, surprised to notice my desire to lean closer, to laugh, to flirt, to notice his openness to sit with me after all of these years of no contact. And after our crappy breakup - that was intriguing. He flirts back, his eyes are dancing in the fluorescent light, teasing me with a familiarity from long ago. His hands at times brushing mine as we show each other photos from our phone, as we sip each other's beverage of choice for taste.
"Flight IA to Delhi has been cancelled. Please talk to the helpdesk to reschedule and get hotel accommodations..."
I down my drink and so does he, wanting to get to the front of the line as soon as possible. I drop some euros on the table and stand.
"Ready?" He asks.
"Yeah." I stand up and follow him, my heels clicking on tiled floor, creating music with the roll of our suitcases.
Ready for what?
We reach the door to my room, we were both given rooms in the same hotel and same floor. The hallway is empty except for the increasing electricity between us, that started at the airport, continued through a silent cab ride, to now. I feel strange, my desire for him competing with my confusion - I'm not one to look back, to feel such desire for an ex in such an unplanned way. But our chemistry feels so palpable, and I question it, wondering if it's just me, or worse, if he's fucking with me for how I had ended things before.
"I'm glad you stopped by." At the airport, here. I leave that part unsaid.
I feel shy, young again, vulnerable and awkward, nauseatingly similar to my awkwardness that marks the early dance prior to our relationship, before we both said out loud we "liked" each other and wanted to date.
He smiles at me, and suddenly leans in, kissing me with his whole body, pressing me against my hotel door. I feel his lips on mine, the taste of beer a delicious mix with the whisky on my own breath. I pull him close to me, wrapping my arms around his neck, feeling his tongue slowly explore my world. My own desperation and desire take over: for his body, for his forgiveness, for the opportunity of mutual orgasms before my sexless 5 weeks at home.
He suddenly pulls back, "Is this okay?" Flashback to our first kiss, my first kiss. "Is this okay?"