The hug

Nyco had said “hello” and was waiting for her to also greet him or say something, anything. But Emma did not utter a word, she just froze looking at him.

The 20 year old looked at his childhood friend and the girl he loved wondering how he could break the ice. She was in her pajamas. Seeing her in her most casual after so long, gave him a faint smile. She was as beautiful as ever.

Emma was amazed by Nyco. He had grown taller in the years he was away. He was now a head taller than her. She could not believe he was there at her house like she had dreamt so many times.

-Hi…-, said Nyco again thinking that she may not have heard him before. -I… I don’t know what to sa…-. Before the shy boy could finish his sentence, Emma had run up to him and hugged him so passionately that he almost fell backwards. Nyco heard her whimper and burry her face in his chest.

-If you don’t know what to say… snif… How about “I’m sorry, Em”-, the girl teased him. She wasn’t actually mad, all she could think of was that he was finally back.

-I’m really sorry, Em. Sorry for hurting you-. Her wanting him to still call her Em did not go unnoticed. He felt blessed that she still wanted him to call her by her diminutive name.

Nyco apologised not because she asked him to, he really felt every word of that apology. Everything Emma had given him was happiness. He felt that he had given her more pain than joy. Although Emma would disagree.

They stood there in a hug that felt like paradise. Nyco had gone there to tell her that he was going on a very dangerous mission. He did not want to bring the subject up as it would break the magic. He decided he would tell her later, he still wanted to embrace her and feel her love… It could be his last time feeling it after all…

Nyco noticed that Emma’s TV was on. He looked over briefly as it caught his attention. He realised that she was playing the recording of when they went to the Moon in the 5-S. He could not prevent himself from chuckling thinking of her reaction when she would notice that the TV was on.

-What? What’s so funny?-, she asked him as she separated her head from his chest and looked at his beautiful eyes. Nyco didn’t answer. He just pointed at the screen with his head.

Emma felt a sudden wave of embarrassment. She ran quickly to the remote and turned the TV off.

-Ah… Why did you turn it off? My favorite part was about to come on-, he teased remembering that the experience she was watching ended with her taking his helmet off. He remembered laughing so hard at the fact that she ended the experience because she wanted to give him a kiss.

-I edited that part off, dummy-, she answered, feeling her cheeks turning red. She had just revealed that she loved him as much as the day he left. Emma damned her bad luck.

-I’ve missed you too-, Nyco added, hugging her tighter.

A sudden call on Emma’s E-C startled them. She looked at him as if asking if she should get it or not. Nyco nodded indicating that she should.

Emma went back to the sofa to see who it was.

-It’s Yve-, she announced.

-Perfect timing as always-, Nyco laughed remembering the time she had taken Nyco out of the experience all those years back. She was an expert in breaking the mood. -Pick it up. This should be fun-, he suggested. Emma ended up picking up the call.

-EMMA!-, screamed Yve. -I should have told you this before, I’m so sorry. Nyco is here on Earth!, they just told me that they discharged him today. That idiot didn’t even tell me today was his last day. Quick! Think of places he could be. Let’s go look for him!-, Nyco was doing his best at holding his laugh. -Aaagh, that dimwit told me he would contact you. When I get a hold of him…

-Yve, Yve!-, interrupted Emma as her friend wouldn’t even stop to breathe. -Nyco is here with me-, she informed. Emma turned the camera on and pointed it at Nyco. The boy waved at her friend with a big smile on his face.

-Oh… Ooooooh!!! Ok, ok. Good. I’ll leave you two to it then. Bye-, Yve hanged up the call without even waiting for a responde. She felt too ashamed for having lashed out at Nyco with him hearing everything. The boy on the other hand could not control his laughter. Emma started laughing too, he always had a very contagious laugh.

-Poor Yve-, Emma pointed out.

-Ooooh, she is just perfect-, Nyco added.

-She must feel embarrassed right now for shouting at you thinking you would have left without saying goodbye-, Emma explained. That comment made Nyco regain his composure.

-Well… She wasn’t exactly wrong… I wasn’t going to come at first but… There’s something I need to tell you-. Nyco decided it was time to explain everything. -The thing is… I’m going on a mission to the planet where Julie… where her body is. I’m going to take bring her back. I hate that she is still in that frozen planet-. Nyco announced. The sudden news made Emma feel a sting in her heart. He had just come back to her, now he was leaving again? Why would destiny be so cruel?...

-Please don’t go-, Emma begged as she hugged him again. -Please stay…

Hearing her like that really hurt him. He hated himself for that. But he had to get Julie back to her daughter.

-I’m sorry, Em. But you don’t need to worry. I’ve trained a lot and people I trust will also come with me-, he reassured her. The poor girl looked at his eyes and knew that there was nothing she could say that would change his mind. She decided she wouldn’t try to stop him any further. She didn’t want him to go with a bad feeling. She was scared that it would distract him on his mission. She decided she would cheer him on so he didn’t have to feel guilty for being who he was. That’s how the boy she loved was. He would always run into danger. She accepted that truth even though she hated it.

-Please be safe, Nyco. I could not stand losing you too-, she told him, feeling her throat fighting to hold back her cries.

-I will be. Don’t worry-, he said hugging her.

After a warm and long hug he let her go. He was selecting the Planet-Gazer’s headquarters destination in his Warpy when she held his hand to stop him.

-Before you go. I want you to know that I don’t care that you are a Star-finder. I don’t care, Nyco. You will always be that special boy I met at the beach. And about you losing your feelings with time... I don’t think it will happen. But if it does…. So be it. I would much rather spend a few years together with you until you stop loving me, than not be with you at all. I… I love you and I always will-, the girl expressed. She had been holding those words back for 3 years now. It felt good finally saying them outloud.

-... Thank you, Em. I really don’t know what I’ve done to deserve your love. I… Thank you for saying that… I love you too-, he confessed. Nyco didn’t know if he would stop loving her one day. But at that moment, he had to express his feelings. He decided he would think if he was worthy of her love once he came back. For now, seeing how his future was uncertain, he let himself enjoy her love.

Emma let go of his hand. Nyco selected the jumping destination and gave her a warm smile. Emma covered her mouth with her hands as she didn’t want him seeing her cry.

-Oh and one last thing-, Nyco said before pressing the button to teleport himself. -You really should tidy up your place. I see clothes over there on the floor. That’s no way for a grown woman to live-, he teased her in order to make her laugh.

-Oh shut up-, she smiled. Nyco thanked God he could see her laugh one last time. That’s the image he wanted to keep in his mind.

-I’ll see you in a few days-, he told her.

-I’ll be waiting-, she said.

Nyco selected the Planet-Gazer’s headquarters as his destination and pressed the button. Emma looked as the boy she loved disappeared from right in front of her.