THE MAGIC OF LOVE

Samantha glanced around the room, searching for her friends. Spotting them at a table nestled against the wall, she strode over to them. Lauretta looked up and smiled at her.

“Hey, baby girl. What’s been happening?” Lauretta was wedged against the wall and her boyfriend, Dave, who raised his hand in greeting.

“Not much, mate.” Samantha took a seat next to Nina, who was also with her boyfriend, Aaron. “This is a great place,” The friends nodded in agreement.

“Hey buddy!” a guy who walked up behind Aaron slapped him on the back.

Looking up at him, Samantha felt her heart leap up to her throat. She recognised him as Michael James, a guy Samantha had gone to school with and had had a major crush on. Except, then, the idea of them as a couple had been laughable. At school, Samantha had been a study freak, who never wasted any time on her looks. Michael, however, was as bad as a woman- he checked, double – checked and triple – checked his reflection every chance he got. As vain as he was, he was one of those hotties that made a woman weak at the knees, set their hearts’ racing, and made their worlds’ spin.

Snapping out of her revere, Samantha was amazed to see him smiling at her. She smiled back, imagining her hands through his blonde curls. He was as gorgeous as ever.

Spotting the spare seat next to her, Michael squeezed his way through. “Samantha Langsway,” he said as a way of greeting. “You don’t look at all like you used to,”

Samantha turned to face him. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” she teased.

Michael’s eyes scanned her face and slowly ran down her body. “Oh, definitely a good thing.”

“So what are you doing here? Last I heard, you were in London,” Samantha said, quivering inside.

As the two talked, reminiscing the past and sharing their ‘life after school’ tales, electricity began to flow between them. Long after their friends had left, Samantha and Michael remained until they were finally kicked out, when they retreated to Samantha’s flat, continuing their conversation until late in the morning.

Bleary eyed and tired, the two bade farewell at the gate, promising to catch up at a later stage.

When Samantha received the letter, she was astounded to say the lease. Her Aunt Phyllis had recently passed away and had left everything to Samantha. The thing was, Aunt Phyllis had lived in London.

Samantha had always wanted to travel, and she finally had the chance. There was nothing keeping her here. She hadn’t heard from Michael, and had to admit her disappointment, but she knew that she had to move on. Therefore, after teary goodbyes and brief qualms about whether or not she was doing the right thing, Samantha found herself in a quaint little cottage overlooking the Thames River.

Over the next few months, Samantha found herself feeling more and more at home. Her Aunt had owned a bookshop in the local Whitechapel district, and Samantha had been busy with the stock take and other such responsibilities. She had made a few friends, gone out a few times…and found herself frequently thinking about Michael.

One day, as Samantha was serving her last customer, she heard the doorbell ring. As the woman she was serving left, Samantha heard footsteps working their way up the main aisle.

“I’m sorry, but I’m just about to close up,” Samantha called out.

The footsteps paused, then quickened as they neared the counter. Looking up, Samantha felt her heart leap to her throat and her knees go weak. After all these years, there was still only on man who had that effect on her.

“Michael,” Samantha exclaimed.

Michael smiled at her, a smile which reached his sparkling blue eyes. He passed over his purchase.

Samantha glanced at the cover. “Ah, a man after my own heart.” She held up the newest James Patterson book. “His best yet,”

As she rung the book up, she felt Michael’s eyes on her. Handing over the money, Michael grasped Sam’s hand. She glanced up at him.

“Samantha, I’m sorry I never got around to catching up with you. But don’t think that I haven’t been thinking about you, because I have.”

Samantha’s heart fluttered at the touch of his hand. “I must admit that I’ve been thinking about you a lot as well,”

Michael led her around the counter until she was stranding infront of him.

She tilted her head. “What are you doing?”

Michael wrapped his arms around her. “What I should have done long ago,” He leant forward and kissed her.

Smiling against his lips, Samantha thought about how long she had wanted this to happen. It was absolute magic – the magic of love.