The Jester | K.TH

Chapter 21 Ready

My heart was heavy after leaving Jin. I hated myself for what I did to him, but there was no denying where life had taken me. I guess sometimes things just change. People change, desires change. Mine had. But I hoped that maybe one day, he too would find the one who spoke to his soul.

I walked down a street of the small little town, towards the hotel that contained all my recent possessions. The crisp autumn air filled my lungs and the golden leaves crunched beneath my feet. Often times fall is thought of as the season of change. Letting go of the old and preparing for the new. A time of releasing the things that couldn't continue, to make room for new life. Kind of ironic that all of these things would have happened during this time of year. But then again, maybe things were meant to happen like that. I never was one to believe in fate, but, I think my opinion on the matter had begun to change. Of all of the places and times for me to leave my relatively normal life, to come to a small little town and find a man who, previously unbeknownst to me, was a part of my past, made me feel like there was something greater than myself that brought me to Harriotsville. I didn't know what my future looked like, but I hoped more than anything Taehyung was a part of that. I had to hold on to the hope that I wasn't brought here just to slowly destroy  myself and the ones I loved. I refused to believe that.

I walked through that spinning door and saw Syndey's happy face talking to the creepy old man who owned the hotel. They both turned my way, and Sydney's smiled slowly faded.
I knew they had heard about what happened with me and my captor. Maybe not in detail, but they still knew, and the still fresh bruises on my face made it apparent that the rumors had been true.

"Hey." I said as I waved my hand at them.

"Hi." Sydney replied awkwardly.

They had misjudged me, and it was apparent, yet their pride wouldn't allow apologies. People have a way of taking a simple situation and making it far greater than it ever should have been, which is what they had done. But I had chosen to forgive them, but I knew things could never be the same.
This town had served its purpose, and it was obvious that my time here was about to end.

I walked down the hall towards my room and ran my fingers along the green ivy wall paper and offered my silent gratitude for having brought me what I hoped would be my forever.

I inserted the old skeleton key into my door one last time, and walked into my room. I stood in the doorways and looked around. The things in the room hadn't changed from when I had last been there......but I had. Everything was different now.

Memories of the first time I saw Taehyung in this room swam into my mind. His desperate search for a person from his past and his determination to find her. I couldn't help but chuckle. Most people would have just moved on, but not him. His love her Lilly drove him through centuries. He never gave up on her. He never gave up on their love. He knew he'd find her one day, and he did, he just didn't know it.

How could I tell him that Lilly was a part of me? That we had become one? Would he believe me? If the roles were reversed, I'm not sure I would.

What if I was crazy and had made all of this up in my head? What if I was wrong? I mean, how does something like this even happen? Had the Jester made me crazy like all those other girls and I just made all this up in my mind?

I began to panic. My insecurities started swarming me and I was filling up with anxiety.

"Pull yourself together, Ember!" I yelled at myself out of frustrating.

No. There was no way I was wrong. I was born to be with Taehyung. I could feel it deeper than anything I've felt before.

I changed out of the clothes I had borrow from Jin and threw them into the trash can. I looked at the simple white t-shirt sitting there and felt a little ache for Jin, but quickly shook it off and walked into the shower.

I could almost feel the pain sliding down my body and into the drain as I scrubbed every inch. I wanted to let go of everything I was before and embrace everything that I was now. I wanted to embrace Lilly, and mix the two of us together. To become something better than I ever was.

I stepped out of the shower and got dressed and gathered up the remainder of my things. As I zipped up my suitcase a sense of relief filled me as I released a sigh. It was time. I was ready.

END OF CHAPTER 21

Sorry for the shorter chapter, but with the end coming near, I wanted to give you all a little something to read in the meantime. 
Also, votes are always appreciated.  😜