Eternity

Ever since he was a little boy, Jason wanted to marry and have a family. It was his deepest, darkest desire that he kept hidden form the world in fear of loosing it, getting it tainted by the filth of other people. In his innocence, he still understood that a dream like that could get lost in meaningless encounters, fade away in maturity or simply laughed about by others who didn’t share it.
He grew up and met a girl, he fell in love and then got heartbroken, just as things sometimes are. There were other girls too but none of them quite like the first one. They say first love it’s impossible to forget and Jason thought this was true. He finished school and got a degree; worked every day without complaining and build a life for himself. And he woke up one day to find he was 35 and still alone, the hallways of his house empty, the rooms echoing when he called names inside of them.
One day on his way back from the office (he walked a lot these days even though there was a car parked in his driveway), his nose buried in the phone like usual, checking his e-mails, he bumped into a girl who was walking from the opposite direction and laughing with her friend. Her head was turned so she didn’t see Jason coming straight at her and when she did, it was already too late. Her left side of the face smashed painfully to Jason’s chest and she almost cried out.
‘Oh my god, I am so sorry!’ he blurted out, tossing the phone into his pocket without bothering to lock the screen. ‘I wasn’t looking where I was walking. Are you alright?’
The girl kept clutching at her face so he bent over to look. ‘You… need something?’
She dropped her hands down furiously and frowned at him: ‘ For you to get out of my face!’ She spit out. ‘That hurt like hell!’
‘I’m sorry.’ Jason said straightening up.
‘And why the fuck are you so tall? If you were smaller, at least you would have taken some damage too! How is it that only me got pain?’
‘You look alright though…no bruise thankfully.’ He was starting to get uncomfortable.
‘Oh? So if it doesn’t show, it means it doesn’t hurt? Is that how things work? Jesus!’
Jason just looked at her, unsure what to do or say.
Then finally the frown softened and the girl smiled. ‘Ah, I’m just messing with you. It hurt alright, but it’s gone now. So…want to get a coffee? I was going in there anyway.’ She pointed towards the coffee shop that was across the street.
He looked at her like he was seeing the most weird thing evolution could have brought to existence.
‘I don’t know. I was going home from work. I’m kinda tired.’
‘At least you can have a coffee with me after the beating you just delivered!’
‘Beating? Wait a minute… this was an accident, what are we talking about?’
‘You hit me with your chest.’
‘You hit me with your face! I wasn’t the only one not paying attention, you know!’
‘Oh yes. But who experienced the most pain, huh? I win.’
Jason looked back at the crazy woman perplexed. What was she talking about? Why were they still chatting?
‘You’re fine now. So I wish you all the best. I really have to go home now.’ And with that, he walked passed the girl without a second glance back.
The day ran away as usual and he forgot all about the encounter. Until night arrived.
When his body finally relaxed and his head hit the pillow, his eyes closed and his mind started projecting flashbacks of the encounter with the weird girl, instead of sleeping. He tossed and turned, wishing to put away the stupid thoughts, begging for rest, but still hours passed until he finally slumbered.
Days passed and during each and every one of them Jason found himself thinking back at the girl, her weird words, the awkwardness. But also her frown, her brown hair, her green eyes. He began wondering how would she look smiling. Laughing. Moaning and calling his name in bed.
He shook his head. These thoughts weren’t healthy. He needed to focus and forget all about her. He wasn’t a horny teenager anymore. He had no business thinking about a girl like that. It was creepy.
But nevertheless, as soon as the day ended and it was time to go home, Jason found himself opening the door to the coffee shop and looking inside in hopes of seeing her. She wasn’t there of course. What were the chances? But he ordered a tea and sat by the window, checking his e-mails (what got him in this trouble in the first place!) and sipping from time to time from his cup.
He was so absorbed in his phone that he didn’t notice at first when the girl approached his table, crossed her arms and said:
‘Well, if it isn’t the