Chapter 2 Part 2
My brow furrowed as I mustered the courage to challenge my mother's perspective. "For God's sake, Mother, true happiness can't be attained without struggle and suffering. Even if you fight for me to have a life devoid of hardships, I know deep down that it's not possible. I will endure suffering, and I will continue to do so until I find that genuine happiness."
The flight attendant's voice interrupted our heated exchange, "Good morning, folks. Please fasten your seat belts and prepare for takeoff." My seat belt was securely fastened, and I glanced around to see that my family had done the same.
I turned my gaze away from my mother, stealing one last glance at the woman who held my heart. "You don't want me to suffer for my happiness, yet it was you who inflicted suffering upon me by keeping me separated from the woman I longed to share that happiness with. I can only hope, Mother, that this decision turns out to be the right one, because if it isn't, I fear I'll spend the rest of my life haunted by the choice I made."
In a whisper barely audible, I uttered words meant for Kiea's ears alone, "I will return, Kiea. I promise to come back and trade my love for yours." A melancholic smile played upon my lips as the jet began its ascent. The weight of the moment pressed upon me, causing my body to sink into the seat. Taking a deep breath, I murmured one final sentiment, barely audible even to myself, "Kiea, I'm going to miss you more than words can express." And with that, I braced myself for the journey ahead.
KIEA'S (P.O.V)
As I stood there, tears streaming down my cheeks, I felt an overwhelming sense of emptiness. The sky above me seemed hazy, filled with smoke as if mirroring the tumultuous emotions swirling within me. The plane had taken off, carrying him away from me, leaving me behind like a foolish girl.
Regret washed over me, and I couldn't help but berate myself for not seizing the opportunity to hold him one last time, to embrace him tightly and pour out my heart. Our final moments together were stolen from us, leaving me with a lingering ache of unfinished conversations and unsaid goodbyes.
How do I move forward from this? I took a step back from him, compelled by my own fears and doubts, forcing him to embark on this journey far away from me. I pushed him away, and now I lacked the courage to meet his gaze, especially while tears stained my face.But even in those last moments, I knew he was thinking of me, searching for me amidst the chaos of this town. That memory etched in my mind, his eyes scanning the surroundings, desperately seeking a glimpse of me. I was one of the last things he wanted to see before he departed, and even if I was not within his line of sight, deep down, I knew it to be true.
A solitary tear trickled down my cheek as I whispered into the air, as if my words could reach him, "I will remain immersed in your love, and I will carry it within me, alive and thriving, even from afar."
Although he had never explicitly expressed it, I could feel it in my heart. His love for me surpassed my own. I wasn't blind to the adoration gleaming in his eyes, the way they lingered upon me with tenderness and care. His touch, his embrace, all whispered of his affection. His desires for me consumed his emotions, evident in every subtle gesture.
An hour passed, and the plane finally took off, piercing through the clouds. Just as my heart was weighed down by sorrow, my phone buzzed, indicating a voicemail. Anxious that the tears I was trying to contain would spill uncontrollably, I pressed the play button, clinging to his voice as a lifeline.
"I will return, Kiea. I promise to come back, and I will trade my heart for yours," his voice, gentle and soft, reached out to me through the recording. It seemed as though he didn't want anyone else to overhear his vulnerable words. And then, he continued, "I'm going to miss you a lot, Kiea." The voicemail ended, leaving me with a bittersweet mix of longing and hope.
"I will hold onto that, Wil," I whispered, a flicker of a smile illuminating my face amidst the tears.
The realization that he loved me more than I loved him resonated deep within me, taking root in the chambers of my heart. It was an unspoken truth, buried beneath layers of emotions and unspoken words. His eyes, the windows to his soul, spoke volumes of his affection whenever they met mine. Each touch, each embrace, carried a tenderness that revealed the depths of his feelings for me. His emotions overflowed, brimming with his love for me.
"I had planned to send this message once I arrived, but I can't bring myself to do it," he chuckled, his voice filling the void left by his absence. The sound of his laughter tugged at my lips, coaxing a smile to form. "Kiea, please wait for me. I will come back, and when that time comes, I will never let you go, even if you push me away. Consider this my final message to you, as my mother will surely take this phone away. I'm sorry," his voice carried a hint of sadness beneath his attempt to sound lighthearted. "This isn't a farewell forever, Kiea. I love you, always remember that." I could imagine the genuine smile that must have graced his face as he spoke. That was the last message, according to the voicemail.
"I love you too, Wil. I love you too," I whispered, my tears still flowing unabated. I was aware of the foolishness of my tear-streaked face, but in that moment, I couldn't care less.
Our love, as profound as it was, proved insufficient to bridge the vast distances that separated us. It was as if fate played a cruel hand, withholding the perfect timing that would have allowed our love to flourish.
Do people truly need time to believe in love? Was this the universal experience of everyone else?
"It's so unfair to be treated like this!" I erupted suddenly, my voice breaking through the heaviness in the air. Startled glances turned toward me as I defiantly looked up at the sky, my tear-filled eyes searching for answers.
"I had nothing to begin with, no one to call my own. Nobody wanted me. And now, someone comes into my life, someone willing to do anything to be with me. But what did you do? Huh?" I continued to shout at the heavens, a desperate plea to be heard by a higher power. "How could you take that someone away from me? He was the only person I had left, and you took him away. You didn't give me a family, a mother, a father, and now you took him away," my voice cracked, sinking into a mournful whisper as fresh tears flowed.
WIL'S (P.O.V)
I swear, Kiea will be the only reason in my life that I can shed tears of this magnitude. This girl, she is my first and, by holy grace, she will be my last.