Until She Was Gone

Chapter 32 | connection

          I was still taking in Austin's confession as I walked through the silent hallways of the college.

I didn't have to go to the studio today. It was the day before christmas. Christmas Eve. I didn't want to go either.

Austin had ran back to his classes after we had softly kissed in the middle of the field. I had gently pulled away first. His eyes had shot guilt through me. They were filled with much adoration.

But unlike Brady, who had passion in his eyes, Austin just had extreme joy in it.

Passion? Since when?

Why do you overthink things Lia? You just want to think that.

It was a bad habit of mine. Thinking too much. It's why I loved to escape. To not think. To disappear and make everything else vanish.

It's what I so desperately wanted to do right now.

So, I was heading to the music hall of the campus. It was usually always empty. 

I knew it would also be empty today. Most of the students would probably be having fun out somewhere on this special day.

And, here I was, crawling towards my escape from life with an ache in my chest. Or rather, a big gunshot hole.

Everything was too much. Everything was crumbling. I thought I had built a good thing. I thought I had saved myself.

 But instead, I might as well hurt the guy who really loved me.

The heart is a difficult thing. 

We sometimes try to change what it wants. But we never can.

The heart wants what it wants.

When I pushed the wooden double doors of the music hall slightly open, I heard the quiet playing of the guitar. It was a soft melody, tinged with sadness and desperation. It echoed through the room and I closed my eyes. The tune floated around me like it was the only air that existed. There was something so familiar in it.

But then, all music seemed familiar. It was my language. I understood it.

I could tell the person playing this was in the depths of despair.

Dramatic too much? Yeah.

Really though, this person was hella sad. Music told everything a human being cannot. I knew it.

I entered the room, prepared to see some random person crying with a guitar in their hands.

Instead, I saw a dark haired boy, sitting by the window with his face hidden in the sunlight. His feet were perched up on the small bench. He strung the strings on his instrument so expertly I wondered how I didn't know such a good artist.

His melody almost had me swaying to its enchantment. The lure tugged me hard, pulling me closer to this boy. It was all I could hear, all I could feel. I was above the clouds. And the sky beckoned to me.

It was familiar. This feeling.

" Via?" a voice snapped me out of my stupor. Via.

The boy turned to me. His legs fell down, now grounded to the floor. The music stopped.

I stepped back as dark blue eyes simmering in the sunlight met mine. His dark hair was very much ruffled and messy. His black leather jacket was now clear as his body moved towards me.