Only one and half hour left for landing. Arlo was coming to pick me up from the JFK Airport, in New York. I booked a ticket in premium economy cabin, of Air France.

He didn't see me for like last 8 years, will he recognize me? will I recognize him? is he the same thin boy who loved to paint and draw?

I've seen articles on him, his pictures from social media and so on. But what would it be like to see him, or rather all of them from proximity, after so many years?

I ponder on these questions for while before giving up and start texting with Celine, my best friend back in Paris.

I tap on her name and start typing-

"Hé, qu'est-ce qui se passe?"

(translation-"Hey, what's going on?")

I type and lock my phone, waiting for her reply. She didn't take too long to reply.

"Hé" she wrote.

(translation-"Hey")

"Qu'est-ce que vous faites" I wrote.

(translation- "What are you doing")

"Discuter avec vous" she answered.

(translation-"Chat with you")

"Que faisiez-vous avant de discuter :-D" I smirk.

(translation-"What were you doing before discussing :-D")

"Il suffit de lire Madame Bovary" she replies.

(translation-"Just reading Madame Bovary"

"Je parcourais des albums et j'ai trouvé cette vieille photo de nous. Tu me manques des tonnes!" I wrote.

(translation-"I was going through albums and I found this old picture of us. I miss you tons!")

"Tu me manques aussi" she replies.

(translation-"I miss you too")

"Bye" I type.

"Au revoir" she types.

(translation-"Goodbye")

It was time for landing, so I shut my phone and look out of the window.

"I'm coming New York" I mutter.

After the plane lands, I go through the usual checking and stuff. Took my luggage and went out in the terminal, searching for Arlo.

Can you recognize the guy you haven't seen in nearly a decade? my conscience mocked me.

I see a very handsome man, with blonde hair, chiseled angular jaw, well built, wearing a suit, waiting in the line with a placard with the writing "Aurelie Newfeld". 

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I knew it. I knew it that instant that the man was none other than Arlo.

I rush over to the man and say-

"Arlo! Alro Ricardo"

"You are?" he asks, his voice smooth as honey.

"Aurelie, Aurelie 'Elle' Newfeld. Don't you recognize me?"

He scan me head  to toe and realization dawns on him.

He mutters something like moldy or goldy or whatever. He clears his throat and says-

"Aurelie, follow me" and start getting out of the crowd, towards a blue car, as go move closer I realize it was an Audi A4.

"Get in, I'm loading your luggage" 

"Such a gentleman" I mutter.

As I settle in the passenger seat, I take out my phone and swipe up through Instagram.

I notice that Arlo got in the car and is starting it.

"So how was life in Paris all these years?" he asks.

"Just great"

"Oh, so what are you planning to do?" he asks, taking a turn and getting on the main road.

"Well, I'll get in a Uni and, major in English, get in the swim team, probably carve a career out of swimming" I didn't look up from the screen.

"You're confident, I like it. You're good singer too, what about that? Or that you're a musician or a writer?" he muses.

"Those are just for fun. By the way how long to reach home" I ask.

"Like another one and half hour" 

"Okay"

I looked around the city through the window. 

"Fuck there a huge traffic waiting" I mutter, looking forward.

"Language Aurelie" he says in a stern voice.

"Fine" I grumble.

 I opened the massage box and tapped on Ethan's name. It showed that he was online.

"Hey" I send.

"Hey" he answers.

"What you doin?" 

"Just doing maths, what about you? Did you land safely?" he asks.

"Yes, am in the car. missing you"

"😮" he sends.

"I mean, you, Celine, and Paris." I explain.

"Oh" he responds.

 "Bye" I type and send.

He sends me a bye and I lock my phone, looking through the window.

"So you were texting?" he asks, curiosity laced in his voice.

"Sí"

"Aha so you finally caught up with Spanish" he chuckles and a let a smile form on my lips.

Wow Arlo changed a lot! From reserved to all talking and laughing? That's a lot.

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All my love~ Lily