29. Fin
End
Alice stood in the middle of the airport. People bustled around her, tugging their suitcases and rushing up and down the gates. Businessmen chattered on their phones, families hugged and kissed their relatives goodbye, and Alice struggled to keep a smile on her face as Finn walked towards her.
"I've checked in my suitcase," he said, coming to a stop in front of her. "And my flight will be leaving in an hour."
He paused, meeting Alice's eyes. She sent him a thin-lipped smile, but her watery eyes were all he needed to know. He sighed, running a hand over his face. Finn Cauley was rarely the type to show his emotions.
No, he had always been the silent, steely, composed one—the result of Mr Cauley shouting at any sight of a tear, and constant etiquette lessons teaching Finn to smile politely, just as Alice had grown so good at.
Except, instead of smiling politely, he'd become a man who frowned miserably at any rise of emotion. But not when he was with Alice.
Alice deserved his whole self.
He met her gaze, and she stared up at him, watery and close to blubbering, but composed. Like Finn, she'd been raised on the sole goal of politesse—of maintaining the Travers reputation, remaining graceful in public. Even now, when he was going to leave her for three years, she tried to smile, tried to act as if everything was okay.
"Alice," he began gently, gripping her arms. "It'll be fine."
"But, America," she started, her voice cracking and betraying her. "It's so far away."
"It's only a three-year course," he said, his eyes steely and determined. "We can talk every day on the phone. I'll text you, and we can video chat, and you can visit me!" He nodded at his own words. "Yeah. You want to visit the world. Maybe you'll stop by America some time. And I'll stop by Hong Kong. Parents can't stop me anymore."
She considered it. Alice would be starting at ANU in early February, and she was already planning her exchange. She'd go for her second year, staying in a student accommodation nearby her grandparents' family home.
Her parents had been surprisingly involved. At first, they'd argued over her accommodations—a Travers can't stay in a student flat!—but with one call to her grandparents, her mother relented, and then her father not long after.
Sometimes, they seemed unsure, on the verge of changing their minds, but then Alice would bring up the business subjects she would be studying, and their expressions would relax into a sort of quiet relief. She'd mention Finn, and their relief would turn into elation.
Maybe she'd found herself an acceptable husband after all.
They'd planned a few social events for Alice to attend, of course. She had a few dinner parties and business meetings to attend while in Hong Kong, but she didn't mind. It gave her a chance to see her parents, after all.
And, if she was to convince her parents that she was competent enough to take over the Chinese branch of Travers Consultants, it would begin with forming a network of her own.
She had plans for the Chinese branch of her family business, and it would begin with travelling to the furthest corners of Asia during her university breaks and weekends. Her second year had already been filled with destinations, and programs, and social events—Alice was glad she had her travel journal to keep track of it all and plan her itineraries, not to mention her syllabuses and required university credits.
Secretly, she'd already added Iowa to it. Her father would be ecstatic to hear that she'd visit America—they'd fill her schedule with high teas and dinners, no doubt, so it had to be secret.
The dates she'd be in America were already memorised, yet she only nodded her head in agreement. "Definitely."
"And I'll visit you," he continued. "Every Christmas. Every break. On your birthday. I'll come home. I promise."
Home.
She liked the sound of that.
Before Alice could reply, he stepped forward, tugging her into his arms. He squeezed her tight, his chin resting on the top of her head, and she buried her face into his chest, allowing a few tears to slip out.
"I'll miss you," she said into his shirt, her voice muffled and broken.
Finn's heart swelled, and he pulled her closer, clenching his jaw.
"Give me the word," he said quietly. "Just say it and I'll stay here. I'll study somewhere else—somewhere closer."
Alice pulled away abruptly, furrowing her brow at him in a deep frown. "Finn, I could never. It's your dream."
"But I love you more than any stupid university," he murmured.
Alice's heart skipped a beat. Her eyes burned. Her face burned. She wanted to slap him and kiss him all at once because Cauley was so good at getting a reaction out of her, even when she was willing every fibre in her body not to.
"Finn, I love you too. That's why—" she sniffled, sucking in a shaky breath, and sent him a gentle smile. "I can't hold you back. It's already a miracle that your parents haven't stopped you. You have to go."
Finn scoffed at the mention of his parents, letting out a bitter laugh. Alice discovered that it had taken years of pleading and negotiating until his parents agreed.
While Finn had always been a storyteller at heart, it had been his expulsion from Alice and Emily's little group that had pushed him over the edge. Once he'd stopped attending social events four years ago, a bachelor's in English didn't seem such a scary thing to ask for.
And so, years went by of begging and pleading. The Cauleys thought the dream would pass. It didn't. They thought he wouldn't be accepted into the program. He was.
And now, Finley was an adult. Taking his door from its hinges wouldn't have the same effect it had on a trembling fifteen-year-old boy. What choice did they have? He was their only son.
Three years, his father had said while his mother wept.
Three years to get his degree, to become an established writer and if he wasn't successful—he'd go to business school with no complaints.
Although, discovering Finn was currently dating Alice Travers had cheered them up a bit. They'd always wanted the two to end up together. It certainly helped that the Cauleys' family business was currently in negotiations with the Travers.
Finn met her eyes again to find her smile a little wider, her eyes a little brighter.
"It'll go fast," she said, determinedly. "We'll visit, like you said."
Finn nodded, a little unconvinced, but let it go. He glanced at his watch. His flight would start boarding in thirty minutes and he still had to go through security.
"Alice," he began, brushing her dark hair behind her ear. "I have to give you something."
She blinked up at him with watery eyes and he swung his duffel bag forward. She drew her brows together, watching as he dug through the bag, his bottom lip between his teeth. After a second of searching, he retrieved an object and held it out to Alice. She started at it.
"A book?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. It was a thick, hardcover book with a very classical looking design. It was a navy blue with golden typography across the cover—Beautiful Lies by...
"This is your book!" Alice exclaimed. Her eyes grew wide. She brushed a hand over the cover. Finn's words were contained in these pages. She moved to open it, but Finn's hand covered hers and stopped it.
"When I'm gone," he said quickly.
"But how?" she asked, still amazed. She ran her fingers over the lettering, feeling the embossed ridges of his name beneath her skin.
"I printed it myself." He shrugged nonchalantly. "My father knew a person in the publishing industry. I asked if I could get one copy printed. I want you to read it, before anyone else."
"You mean I'm the first to read it?"
He averted his gaze, his cheeks tinging pink, and Alice beamed. She leapt forward, ignoring all kinds of politesse and social etiquette, and pressed her lips to his.
Finn's eyes widened briefly before his arms snaked around her, his bag falling to the floor with a dull thud. He leaned forward, deepening the kiss, one hand moving to cup her face. He could feel a wetness on her cheeks and knew she was crying, so he wiped it away and kissed her harder.
"I love you, Alice Travers," he said breathlessly, his steel grey eyes focused on her. "Wait for me."
"I love you Finn," she said, sniffling. Her eyes watered, but she held back her tears. She wouldn't cry now. Not when Finn was leaving. Not when she wouldn't see him for at least the next six months. "Call me as soon as you land."
He nodded, grabbing his duffel bag and swinging it onto his shoulder. "I'll call you every day."
"And text me," Alice said defiantly. He smiled, stepping backwards towards security.
He took another step, his eyes still trained on Alice. He was metres away now, and Alice felt a dull ache in her chest. She lifted a hand to wave, and something in Finn snapped.
He bolted forward, gripping her face, and pressing a final deep kiss to her lips.
"I love you," he repeated desperately against her mouth.
He stumbled back with a final, crooked Finn Cauley grin, then turned and left her.
Alice stood in misery for a moment. Her entire body ached, and she found herself missing him completely—missing his stupid smirk, his annoying laugh, his know-it-all attitude, his lips against hers, and his hugs, and fingers gripping fingers, and the enigma that was Finn Cauley.
She sighed, her body deflating. She stared in the direction he'd left in, as if he'd come dashing back—as if it were all a joke, a bad practical joke.
But he didn't.
Alice sniffled, suddenly remembering the weight in her hands.
Lifting Finn's book up, she allowed herself a moment to wonder at the cover. She brushed her fingers over the printed letters, feeling the indentation of his name printed on a book—his book. Swallowing thickly, she opened the cover to the first page.
It read:
Beautiful Lies
Finn Cauley
Her heart swelled, and she imagined reading those words in a bookstore one day. Her eyes drifted to the lower corner of the page and she blinked slowly. A handwritten note had been scribbled onto the page in thick Sharpie.
'To the most annoying woman in the world. You're incorrigible, insufferable, and the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. I love you, Alice.'
She sputtered out a laugh. Of course, that would be the last message he'd leave with her before a six-hour flight. Before he'd fly half-way across the world and not see her for months.
She rolled her eyes with a grin, shaking her head. This was her Cauley.
She flipped the paper carefully to see a blank page. In the centre, the real dedication was printed in black text:
This story was yours all along, it only took me a while to realise it.
She furrowed her brow at the one lined dedication and read it again. Her breath caught in her throat and she found her eyes watering all over again. She ran her fingers over the page, a pressure growing in her chest with the pain of missing Finn.
The pain of knowing she wouldn't see him again for months.
Alice sniffled, gulped hard, and opened to the first page of their story.
THE END
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AUTHOR'S NOTE
Thank you all so much for reading Playing Perfect! I really hope you liked it!
If you read the original version before this, let me know what you thought of this re-written version! I really wanted to explore Alice's character more, especially as an Asian woman living in Australia myself. Also, I needed this story to be set in Australia for future stories 👀
If you liked this story, I definitely recommend checking out my others!
Caffeine: my first published novel, available on Amazon in paperback and E-Book! Recommend if you like cute romances with a main character who has anxiety :) - the spin-off With You is up on Wattpad in full!
Isla: a light-hearted, summer romance with enemies to lovers - full story is up on Wattpad
Like Gold: a sweet romance about two teenagers struggling with mental health, learning to heal together - full story is up on Wattpad
Otherwise, I hope to see you in another one of my stories soon! xx