Damaged goods

Bonus chapter

ALYSSA

Nerves pull through me. It has been 3 months since Ezra moved to London. We've face timed everyday, and we don't stop messaging one another but I can't do it. I can't live here in Arizona when he's in a whole different country.

I message Trisran, asking him where Ezra was. I was going to invite Olivia to see them with me but Olivia and Tristan broke up just before summer ended, Liv cried and I comforted her. Ezra was consoling Tristan. Ezra and I did everything we could to get them back together but Tristan's parents weren't supportive of them and Liv was already stressed with Daisy. She said they jumped into a relationship way too quickly but I disagree. I think they'll be back together soon, or at least I hope.

I stand at the college, looking around. If I was going to move to England for Ezra, I need to find a stable career path, I want to be a therapist. I want to help people the same way I wish I was helped. The college I'm at is offering psychology, sociology and business. I'm taking all those courses.

It wasn't mainly my idea to move, Liv was the one who suggested it but I refused to leave her. She insisted I did, she didn't want me to miss out on my dreams just for her. We promised to call every night, no matter what we go through, she'll always be my best friend.
She got a job in a small cafe, she isn't going to college just yet. She wants to wait until Daisy grows up a bit before she creates a life for herself and seeing my best friend give everything up for her sister, makes my heart swell. She deserves the world and one day she'll get that. I know she will.

Tristan's dream is to be a doctor, mostly his parent's dream, which makes me upset. He's living the life his parents want for him, he doesn't get to choose his future. Tristan never spoke out, not if it disappointed his parents. All he wanted was to impress them, and sometimes it wasn't enough.

Ezra is going into law. He wants to be a lawyer and I'm so proud of him and the person he's become. Ezra always does what he wants, he would never let anyone tell him otherwise. This is the man I want to hold on to and remind him how incredible he is.

Once the tour of the college was finished, I called Ezra to break the news to him. I'm moving here.

He answers my call on the second ring. "Hey, buttercup." I hear him from the other line. He sounded out of breath.

"Hey, did I interrupt you?"

"I was just running, what's up?"

"How quickly can you get back to your dorm?" I ask.

"Why?"

"Just go there please," I say, ending the call.

Ezra's dorm room was a fifteen-minute walk from my college. I hauled down a taxi, which managed to get me to his dorm room in less than five minutes. I alerted Tristan that I was coming up and he told me Ezra wasn't there yet.

I knock on the door, and Tristan opens it. He looked entirely different. His brunette hair was grown out, which made him look mature. He wore glasses, but I didn't ignore the dark circles formed under his eyes.

"Hey." I smile.

"Hey, Alyssa," he replies, hugging me.

I hug him back. "You alright?" I ask.

"As alright as I can be. You?"

"I'm good."

He invits me in, their dorm room was nice and cosy. There was a huge TV screen on their wall, I notice a few pictures hanging on the shelves.

I smile and follow Tristan to the kitchen and took a seat on the stool. "Do you want a drink?"

I shake my head. "No thank you."

He pours in water for himself. "So how is everyone in Arizona?" he asks softly.

Everyone is a code for her.

"She's doing okay."

His eyes light up, "Really?" he asks.

I nod. "Please tell me she's going college," he asks, his voice full of hope.

I hesitate. "No, she isn't. She's working right now to look after Daisy. She wants to wait until Daisy grows up."

He looks upset. "Tell her to call me one day. I want to help her out. Even if we aren't together, I still love her."

I smile. "I will."

"What's the reason for the sudden surprise visit?"

I open my bag and took out my acceptance letter from my college. Tristan's eyes wander over the paper and a smile tugs at his lips. "This is amazing. I'm so proud of you."

I smile. "Thank you."

His phone went off, "He's here." he says.

I tuck the paper back in my bag and twisted my ring nervously. "I'm going to wait in his room."

He nods his head.

I walk into his room, it was a nice room. The walls were white, he had a shelf of our photos. His room was clean, he had the perfect view of the city from his window.

I sit on the edge of his bed, tapping my foot anxiously. I hear his door open and I look up. Ezra locks eyes with me, his mouth slightly parts. He wore a black long sleeve shirt with black long shorts. I slowly stand up as Ezra stares at me in surprise.

"He-"

I didn't get to finish my sentence as Ezra took a few steps towards me, crushing his lips on mine. His warm hands held my waist as I threw my arms around his neck. My eyes close as I felt his tongue slip into my mouth. He kissed me like I was his oxygen to breathe.

He pulls away. "You're here. You're really here," he mumbles repeatedly to himself.

"I fucking missed you," I whisper, throwing my arms around his neck.

His head was tucked into the crook of my neck as he left kisses on my neck. I pull away and smile at him sheepishly. "Hey baby." I grin.

"Hey buttercup." he smiles, and his dimple appeared, making my stomach flutter.

"I have incredible news." I say, grabbing my bag from his bed.

"What is it?"

I pull out the piece of paper I showed Tristan. I held it out for him, his brows furrow as he read the paper. A small smile tugs at his lips, and before I knew it he had wrapped his arms around me and lifted me, my legs instinctively wrapped around him. "Oh my God." he says.

I grin so widely. "I can't continue my life in Arizona if you're on the other side of the world. My life is wherever you are." I whisper to him.

I look at him and wrapped my arms around his neck and his hands held me tighter so I wouldn't fall. "You're so fucking perfect." he murmurs, pressing his lips against mine. I smile into the kiss.
This felt right. Ezra felt right.