Saturday Short Story: Akira by Nadia B

Akira

by nadia b

 

Akira would always remember the moment she saw Kian again. Not when he saw her, but when she recognized that familiar back and willed him to turn around and look at her.

 

Theirs had been a friendship that had often brinked on crossing the line. They had known each other forever and for some reason had never attempted to cross that line. The attraction was always there but more than that their friendship was sacred to them. They loved spending time with each other, talking about everything and nothing, going for long walks near the sea and enjoying this beautiful relationship they had. Often you would see them, deep in conversation, hands linked, walking in the park.  Both were married but in a sense that did not matter as the friendship as such was theirs but also flowed somewhat to their partners.

 

And then, suddenly everything changed. Akira could not remember the details of it now..that time in her memory was always hazy...too much had happened too fast. Kian had met Natalia on a work project, fallen madly and  walked out of his marriage and in that, all his friendships had been left by the wayside. Kian's family was devastated and Akira had spent much time with them, trying to give them strength and comfort.

 

In time, everyone seemed to move on. Kian's wife Eva had met someone and seemed at peace. Akira though often found herself thinking of Kian and wondered how he could have just walked out of her life like that. It still gave her the chills. He had moved away she had heard and was happy with Natalia.

 

Some years had passed, and here she was now, in the midst of a party, looking across the room at this back, that she knew was his. His bright white shirt was taut against his shoulders. He was deep in conversation with someone.

 

Kian had been back a few days and was easing himself  into his old life. His life with Natalia had ended terribly in a short six months, but he had not had the courage to return home. He had heard about Eva's remarriage and that was one of the reasons he had been able to come back. He knew he had a lot of explaining to do, especially to Akira. He still found it difficult to believe how he had behaved the way he had...

 

He felt something or someone right behind him, he slowly turned around and there she was, Akira. Staring straight at him with the most beautiful but hard, kohl lined eyes.  He felt as if a bolt of lightening had struck him. This beautiful apparition in white with cascading long hair, her neckline just deep enough to give you a glimmer of what lay underneath. Her wrap dress hugged her body and skimmed her knees. He stood there, unable to move, looking at her...

 

Akira knew she had to break this stare down, but seeing him made her angry. Remembering the way he had left bought back all the memories of her wanting to talk to him especially when her marriage was falling apart.

 

There were people in between them, amidst dozens of black urns with tall red roses. Time stood still. Suddenly she did not want to deal with him, so she turned around and walked away.

 

She picked up her clutch,  said a hasty goodbye to the host and chose to walk down the five flights of stairs of the hotel. The black bannister had red roses intertwined making the entire flight look like a fairytale. Two floors down, she heard footsteps, she knew it was him. She looked up and caught a glimpse of him running down the stairs to catch up with her. Bracing herself, she leaned against the wall of the stairs looking for some support. Closing her eyes she took a deep breathe and when she opened them, he was a stair opposite her. He tentatively stepped down to the stair she was on and they both looked at each other. She still angry, he as if he was seeing her for the first time. He reached across and slowly pulled her into him, mumbling, how he had missed her...

 

As he held her, her body melting into his, he knew he was not going to let her go. He remembered reading somewhere that its when you see someone after a long time, its at that very moment you remember how much you have missed them...and God, had he missed this girl.

 

Akira had not been touched like this nor had she felt like this in a long time. Her body was aflame. All she could think of was how much she wanted this man. She stepped back to look at him, he took her hand and led her to his room on that floor of the hotel.

 

They stumbled into the room and in the darkness he undressed her and  loved her slowly, for many hours like no man ever had.