As I sit in my seat anticipating take off, I tried not to think about her. But for some reason she kept appearing in my thoughts. Her wavy brown hair and hazel eyes staring into mine, I begin to smile just imagining her. I quickly realize how ridiculous I'm acting, like some teenage boy. I am an adult now and Kasey Lewis is in my past. I'm happy, I convinced myself. I closed my eyes only to be awoken by the flight attendant's typical speech that even I could recite. "We will be arriving in New York City at approximately 12 in the afternoon with temperatures around 30 degrees, have a nice flight!"

Before taking off I thought about the years that I lived in New York. I've missed a lot about the city, except the cold weather. I couldn't help but think about the only reason why I truly missed living there, and that was Kasey. I dreamt of our favorite restaurant right off broadway called Carmelo's. Its an italian restaurant with amazing food, we would go there almost once every week and stay for hours.

Stop! I refuse to think about her, I have moved on and I refuse to waste anymore time thinking about the past. I fell into a deep sleep and woke up as we were pulling up to the gate. I walked out of JFK airport and immediately haled a cab. I was planning on saying the hotel's address but instead blurted out, "133 53rd street." I tried to remember the last time I thought of this address and remembered the letter I wrote to Kasey three years ago. I told her that she was the one and that I would do whatever if takes to stay together, even if we were thousands of miles away. I waited for months but she never wrote me back. I tried writing her again but they mailed it back to me because she had changed her address. I had no idea where she was or how I could get in touch with her, I had no other choice but to move on. It wasn't until now that I had the same urge to find her. I looked out the window and I was at Kasey's old apartment. I handed the driver a 20 and got out.

I walked up to the third floor and knocked on 31B, the apartment next to Kasey's. My friend Derek lived here, he's the only one that might have some information about her. I began to lose hope when a scruffy looking man came to the door. "Derek? is that you?" I could barely recognize him with his beard and tight fitted white t-shirt. "Ryan? hey man! I haven't seen you in years, come on in!" As I walked in I remembered the first time Derek and I met. It was about six years ago at NYU, we had almost every class together and became really good friends. He introduced me to Kasey. But we've lost touch throughout the past few years.

"So how have you been, hows Cali, and what brings you to New York?" Derek asked

"Well, business but I'm actually looking for Kasey."
Derek's face dropped and for a split second I could tell that something was wrong. "Umm.. oh I haven't heard from her in about a year." Quickly changing the subject Derek started talking about his new job and other random things I honestly didn't care about. I told him I was late for a meeting and if he happened to hear from her to call me.

I starting walking towards Times Square just thinking about Kasey and all the good times we had together. We were suppose to spend the rest of our lives together, and start a family. I couldn't stop thinking about her, I just needed to know why! Why she never wrote me back, and why she never received any of my other letters. But I don't know how I'll be able to find her, theres no one else that would know where she would be. I thought about Kasey for hours and found myself a block away from our favorite restaurant, Carmelo's.

I walked in and sat at the vintage styled bar. It was about four o' clock in the afternoon and I needed a drink. I missed my meeting, and wasted my day looking for someone that was in my past. Right when I started to give up, the door opened.

Her wavy brown hair was all messed up from the wind but it only took a second for me to recognize who it was. I thought about running up to her and twirling her around. But I sat back down, and thought of another way to approach her. Hoping she would see me I looked away but quickly turned back to her. And then we locked eyes.

I smiled from ear to ear as she ran over. "Ryan, I've been thinking about you, and for some reason I thought to come here." I replied, "You have no idea how much Ive missed you."
She looked into my eyes and began to tear up. "Why did you leave me? I waited for you, for almost a year, I gave up on you Ryan." As a tear ran down her face I thought about my three page letter I wrote, confessing my love for her, "Did you even read my letter?" Her confused expression, said a thousand words and answered everything Ive been wondering for years. She never read the letter.

I told her all about it, and everything I remembered writing. She began to cry, "Ryan, I don't understand this, after a year of waiting for you I went to Derek for answers and after months of trying to get over you I moved on. Im so sorry but Derek and I are together now."

It hit me like a ton of bricks, everything finally made since. The reason why she never received the first letter, or any of my letters, and the reason why Derek said he didn't know where she was. Derek kept us apart. "I knew he had feelings for you the whole time we were together, don't you understand, Derek is the reason why were not together now." She wiped away her tears and I could see a sense of realization, "It all makes sense now, I can't believe I didn't know this until now."

We both looked at each other for what seemed like an hour, and then she surprised me with a kiss. All of the feelings that I had for Kasey came rushing back. The ache that I felt in my heart for the past three years was finally gone. We talked for hours at Carmelos and at the end of the night she agreed to move to San Francisco with me. But first she had to break up with Derek.
I was finally happy again.

A week later we were boarding the plane to San Francisco. Before taking off I stood up, looked into Kasey's eyes, pulled a small box out of my pocket and got on one knee, "I love you, and theres no way Im ever letting you go again, Will you marry me Kasey Lewis?" Tears running down her face she kissed me and then said "yes!"

The flight attended interrupted us with her announcement, "We will be arriving in San Francisco at approximately 12 in the afternoon with temperatures around 70 degrees, enjoy your flight and Congratulations to the future Mr. and Mrs. Mavverick." At that moment, we left our past in New York City and began our new life together.

THE END