Farfalla

3.

"Your father knows best Mia, you have to trust that he's only doing this to keep you safe." Louis came in close moving a loose strand of hair out of my face. He knew my disappointment with the entire situation after talking it over with him but he knew as well as I did that I had no choice in the matter.

"I just hate that I have to leave again. I thought that things like this wouldn't be a factor now that I'm older." I expressed sighing deeply moving my arms around Louis' waist. I was going to miss the lost time I would have with him, I was afraid that this long distance would crumble our relationship.

"Age isn't immune to danger, unfortunately." Louis made a point bringing clarity to my clouded point of view. Giving him a small side smile I shrugged my shoulders loosening my grip on his waist, tending to the empty suitcase that sat on the bed.

Folding articles of clothing and placing them strategically in the small space I had, while simultaneously thinking up what ifs. Small thoughts like this poked at me and brought me back to a state of discomfort.

What was going to happen at night when the darkness closed in from the cloaked over sky? When my nightmares rose from the dusty corners of my mind? Louis was no longer going to be there to calm me from my heightened state of panic, I was going to revert back to being alone. There would be no waking me up from the dreams I would often get trapped in, I was held prisoner to these dreadful images.

"You know I'm going to miss you right?" I spoke to him once again eliminating the silence between the two of us. I hoped that he wouldn't find another while I was gone, if he ever did there was no point in me returning in the first place.

"I'm already missing you." Louis lowered himself into the bed. His hair was still messily arranged from this morning, he obviously had other things to do other than tending to his hair. He wore a white t-shirt with a pair of black skinny jeans that hugged his ass just right turning me on with just a little glance.

"Don't say that." I huffed holding back my climbing emotion. I didn't want to cry over leaving Louis, I would feel utterly embarrassed to do so. Not because I cared for him to see me crying but more for the fact that I hated others seeing me vulnerable. I had spent most of my life as a futile doll that everyone risked their lives to keep safe, they wouldn't ever get close enough to break me; afraid of my fragility.

"Why? It's true, just seeing you pack up all your things makes me miss you that much more." Louis explained when I looked up from folding clothes to see his mouth in a slight frown.

"Because if you say things like that, it makes it that much harder to leave." I reverted my eyes back to packing up the few stray items that were left in the pile I had carefully folded and set aside.

"It's going to be hard regardless of what I say. Just promise me to stay safe, do what they instruct you to do." Louis stood up from the bed once I zipped up the case that held my essential items. I dreaded the moments beyond this one, I couldn't come to the fact that they were going to happen anyway no matter how much I delayed.

"Now you're starting to sound like my dad." I rolled my eyes playfully making light of everything, a method I used to push away any sad emotion.

"I'm serious Mia, I care about you more then any other girl I've met. I won't let you screw it up by getting yourself hurt," Coming back to a closer proximity I felt the heat between Louis and me.

"When have you ever known me to hurt myself by getting myself into trouble? I know the procedures, I've been doing this since I was four years old." I reminded him reaching up to wrap my arms around Louis's neck. In doing so Louis managed to press his lips against mine sadness tugging at the moment when I realized this would be the last one for a while.

"Walk with me?" I spoke in almost a whisper coming away from his kiss. Looking back into his sea green eyes I saw the same emotion that I reflected back.

"Yeah." He nodded taking my one piece of luggage and handling it off the bed. Extending the handle with his free hand he took his hand in mine.

"I'm going to miss this place," I admitted standing in the doorway for a few seconds, taking in the scene one last time. I smiled at the mess from breakfast in the kitchen that Louis always failed to clean up. He never could clean up his own messes, always needing me to remind him until he finally did it.

The walk down to the car that would carry me away was a short one. The weight of my feet moving across the floor was hard when I fought my own resistance to move. With each step, I moved further away from familiarity and it scared me to do so.

The sun was settling low behind higher skylines when we pushed open the entry door to the apartment complex. The warmer summer air cooling down from the sun hanging low in the sky. I saw the car waiting for me, the same man emerging from the car to open the back door of the car.

"This is my ride," I informed Louis out loud stating the obvious. Louis knew it was my ride by the color of the car and the way the driver opened the door and otherwise presented himself.

Letting the driver take my bags I stood at a heightened moment of time where feelings and emotions were at their peak. This was the awaited goodbye that I couldn't seem to delay. I focused on my breathing taking in slow breaths to my lungs that needed more oxygen at the time.

"Don't forget about me okay?" The tears pricked the back of my eyes upon feeling the last moments with Louis.

"I could never forget about you. Stay safe for me and eat some spaghetti for me yeah?" A smile curling on Louis' lips caused me to laugh and drop the tears that emerged. "No crying this isn't a goodbye, it's a see you soon."

"I know..." I wiped away the tears quickly as if they were never there. Sniffling I fell into Louis with my arms contouring around him, I wanted to feel his warmth one last time. "I love you," I whispered in his ear closing my eyes and letting the tears roll down my cheek.

"I love you more." He whispered back causing me to have to heave in a deep breath for me to deal with all of this.

"I'll see you around then." I backed away from Louis and began to move to the car that had been open for me. I soaked in his figure and what he wore, the way he stood alone, the way his hair blew in the light summer night breeze.

Closing me into the car I kept my eyes on him through the black tinted windows. I watched as he kept his eyes on the car driving further away from him, he didn't move but rather waited until the car was completely out of sight. I did the same watching him out the back window before I no longer could see the remains of my old life with him.

+

The airport was small and further than I thought from the city. I grew tired on the ride here, occasionally closing my eyes only to open them once again not wanting to drift off completely. I wouldn't want to fall asleep in the presence of the driver, I felt like I needed to match his level of alertness for some odd reason.

We eventually began driving over the tarmac, learning that this was a smaller airport because it was private. I saw my father standing and conversing with the man dressed in a white button-down collared shirt and black skinny jeans, the uniform most wore. From far away I couldn't gather many physical details on the man my father called Harry. I noticed his brown curly hair upon the vague details of his back, he had his back to me when we got into a better view. I waited patiently for the car to come to a complete stop, for my driver to open up my door for me like he was instructed by the procedure.

"Thank you." I always made sure to show my gratitude to others working this job. I didn't know what it was like for them to risk their lives for others like me. I didn't want to know what it was like to look into another person's eyes and know that I was about to end them.

The driver only nodded and held his hand out for me to grab, while Harry and my father kept eyes on me. I stood up to my full height and walked over to my father and Harry knowing that my driver would tend and square away my luggage.

"Mia, this is Harry." My father began when I stood in the middle of the two men making a triangle shape. I moved my gaze up to Harry's being caught off guard by his stunning green eyes, trying not to stare I looked elsewhere to try and not look like a complete creep.

I admired his sharp jawline and perfectly sculpted face that looked naturally contoured. His heart-shaped lips a perfect shade of pink that I could only admire from afar. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows revealing a few of his tattoos that bore images that I glanced at. His curly hair framing his face to add dimension to his look that was aesthetically pleasing me look at.

"Like I have told you before, Harry is a highly trained assassin and won't hesitate when keeping you safe. I have given him permission to go to any measures to keep you safe, you are his first priority so I expect you to cooperate with what he tells you." He reverted back to the same stern tone he had used with me earlier today. Keeping my annoyed attitude to myself I nodded and acknowledged the information given knowing that an argument about treating me like a child was not appropriate at the time.

"I know what is expected of me," I told him with a nod, my father embracing me in a tight hug shortly afterward.

"I will be in touch with you soon." He told me while still holding me in his embrace. This brought me comfort to what was ahead, all I wanted was to be held no matter how childish that may sound. Breaking the hug my father gave me space to make my way to the plane that was ready to take Harry and me to our destination.

"I love you," I spoke turning my head to speak to my dad one last time. Harry followed behind me when I turned to see him, he was only a few steps lower waiting for me to move along.

"I love you too!" My dad shouted over the plane that was becoming noisier as the time to leave was getting nearer. I looked around the plane upon entry and lit up at the luxurious taste it left in my mouth. The seats were a tan leather, two oversized chairs for both Harry and I, I would assume. The carpet the same color as the chairs, everything so uniform yet it put off an expensive look.

"So you're Harry, I'm Mia!" I stuck my hand out waiting for him to return the gesture by shaking my hand. Unfortunately, I was waiting in this position for longer than 30 seconds causing me to feel like an utter i***t with my arms extended to Harry's. Pulling my arm back down to my side I cast my eyes down not wanting to make contact while I blushed furiously to the exchange.

"I know who you are, I read your file," Harry said before going to take a seat in his cushioned chair that was more than comfortable.

"My file?" I furrowed a brow not knowing this bit of information. I knew it would make sense for the Intelligence to have information on me but I never thought I had a file at Harry's or any other assassins disposal. I wondered what that file contained, what information it had on me.

"Are you deaf or something? Yes, your file." Harry snapped rolling his eyes at me as if he were frustrated by my questions and overall presence.

Taken off guard I decided to keep quiet for a bit, obviously, Harry didn't care for casual conversation. His expression was that of serious and his posture stiff and somewhat proper as I looked over at him before his eyes darted back at me. Reverting my eyes back to my lap I adjusted my posture to a more comfortable one, this was going to be a long flight.

-April 15, 2016