a plot twist called you | ✓

▪︎ chapter thirty-nine ▪︎

"I have listened all I had to." I say before dashing out.

Connor, who was in the garage playing with his soccer ball, looks at me with worried eyes.

"What happened V? Why are you crying? And where are you going?" He asks as I get into my car.

"I don't know. Don't worry about me. I'll be back tomorrow. Tell me when they have all left." I whisper.

"Take care, and tell me when you reach wherever you are going." He says, nodding grimly.

✵

I was just driving. There was no destination, no place where I could go and escape from the hell that has been created. It felt like my existence was false, as if me being born was a mistake. I was a mistake. Maybe that's why I had always thought of dying. Because life wasn't worth it. But now it is, I was to live for myself. And I had learnt that the hard way.

Suddenly my eyes focused on the street I was in. Ian Eastwood. And I knew where to go. Maybe home isn't a place, its a feeling. And that feeling was solely in his arms. He was my home.

I park my car under their grand portico, the twilight growing into a dark moonless night.

Iris answers the door, to my surprise. Of course, I had been expecting Ian.

"Hey, Vanessa, come on in." She greets me with a smile --- the one that had been missing for quite some time had finally returned.

"How are you doing?" I ask, smiling back.

"Much better. Um, you look so stressed, is anything wrong?" She pulls together her eyebrows in question.

"Nothing's right. Where's Ian?"

She turns her gaze away, abruptly, as if asked a much dreaded question.

"Iris? Where's Ian?"

"He left." She sighs, pursing her lips together.

"Huh? Where? What do you mean? This is confusing!" I look at her, completely puzzled.

"He left for London, just about two hours ago." She says and my heart sinks a little.

"Oh, must have gone to see Mr. Eastwood. When is he returning?"

"He's not. He's not returning, Vanessa. Uh, he knew you would come. So he left you this letter." She states, walking over to the corner table and picking up a folded piece of paper.

My heart was aching. It felt like I was about to pass out. I had never imagined that this could happen someday. Passenger was right when he sang : you only miss the light when it's burning low, only miss the sun when it starts to snow, only know you love her when you let her go. Except that this time, it was a 'him.'

I open the letter with shaky hands as Iris looks at me with a pained expression.

And then I begin to read.

Dearest V,
By the time this reaches you, I'll be in my flight to London. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you goodbye. I'm sorry I couldn't kiss you one last time. I'm sorry it had to be this sudden.
My father called me last night, he wants me to handle the branch we have in London. Since Mom is here and is taking care of our company, he figured it's best that I go back.
I'll be giving my School Cert Exams online...bad luck that I can't be there for graduation too.
I'll miss you, Vanessa. When I first came to Adelaide, I never thought that I'd find love. I hated that I had to leave London and my good old life. But now that I am going back, my heart will always stay here, with you.
I love you, V. I am sorry I couldn't get a chance to properly say this to you.
But you know what, you're the most precious person to have ever entered my life. You are more than you believe you are. You don't know how crazy you make my heart beat. But more than anything, I want you to love yourself.
You are the strongest girl I've ever met.  Live for yourself, Vanessa. You deserve the world with that heart of yours.

I must stop here, but if there's something called destiny, we will cross paths again.

Love, Ian.

I was crying out loud by the time I reached the end of the letter, my eyes blurring with tears. Iris pulls me into her arms, rubbing my back and telling me to calm down.

But how could I? I didn't even get an opportunity to say him that I was so madly in love with him.

If I had a paper heart, he was the inextinguishable flame that had caught me.

Yes, months ago, when I had just returned after a failed suicide attempt, did I even expect to have ever fallen in love with the guy I hated for no reason? That too, when I was philophobic. Love scared the hell outta me. But at this moment, that was all I needed.

"Iris, I can't breathe. It's...its so tough...Iris, please tell him to come back." I sob.

"He isn't going to, Vanessa. He's bound. But, there's one way you could meet him." She says and I look at her with a question mark on my face.

"What is it?"

"You can move to London." She offers with hopeful eyes.

"And how is that going to happen?"

"Oh, what am I here for?" She smiles. No scratch that. She gives a mischievous little smirk. And I knew I could trust her on this.

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A/N : We are so close to the end. Oh my god! I'm excited. Are you?
Stay tuned for the next update. <3

- Mia.