Sparks Fly- L.N

Chapter 14

Eight weeks out of the twelve had flashed by like a whirlwind, and Elenore felt like she was on the verge of losing it. Even though they managed to catch up every night, they were both exhausted by then. The result? Conversations that often turned into sleep, the kind where words melted into mumbles and the sound of snores was the last thing they heard. Exhaustion had a grip on them, making even their heartfelt chats a struggle.

Lando tried his best to be supportive of Elenore's book project. He could tell she was excited, even though she kept quiet about the details, teasing him with a "you'll have to wait until it's out." He'd admit, that her excitement was infectious, but it didn't ease the ache of her absence. He longed for those moments when her sleepy eyes met his in the morning or she couldn't resist dancing to her favorite songs while cooking. It was her, in all her little quirks, that he missed like crazy. Each morning, his first instinct was to reach out and pull her close, only to remember he was all alone.

Elenore, however, was operating on a whole different plane of existence. Time to miss Lando was a luxury she couldn't afford right now. Work consumed her like never before. Sometimes, when Lando's snores signaled he was fast asleep, she'd sit back down and keep at it. She wouldn't hang up, though. It was as if the sound of his presence, even in slumber, was her motivation. She'd chatter away about her book, her train of thought a seemingly never-ending track. Amid her sleep-deprived work fests, Elenore's project evolved, changing its course. The initial plan, to write a story centered around her own life, had taken a twist. It was no longer just about her; it was about them. She was crafting their story. Through paragraphs and chapters, Elenore poured their journey onto the pages. The ups and downs, the laughter and the tiffs, everything that had painted the canvas of their time together. It was an ode to their connection, a chronicle of two lives intertwined across time zones and racetracks. And she called it 'Echos of Us'. She was soon done with her first draft and ready to send it to the publisher. 

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Elenore woke up at her work desk once again. It wasn't uncommon for her to fall asleep in the middle of working, especially since she had slept for about 12 hours during the past 5 days. She wanted to sleep if only you knew how much she ached after her bed. But she couldn't. As soon as she would lay down the ache in her only grew. She didn't know it was possible to miss someone so much that it physically hurt her. She would lay down in her bed and grab his pillow, trying to find a single trace of his smell, but it was gone. It was like his entire presence was gone. His clothes no longer smelled like him, his toothbrush had vanished from its spot next to hers, and her bed was no longer comforting. It scared her, she couldn't function properly without him. She would work herself so hard that she would forget to eat. Each time Lando called, his worry deepened as he saw the toll in her eyes growing heavier. He felt helpless, unable to bridge the growing chasm between them. He knew that her smile was a façade, a brave attempt to mask the turmoil she was going through. And yet, every time their eyes met, he felt an undeniable connection that went beyond words. He had been in the spotlight all his life, cameras capturing his every move, but her gaze held a power over him that he couldn't resist.

The parting between her and her brother was a constant pain in her heart, a reminder of the pain she had indirectly caused. Her messages to him remained unanswered, the silence speaking louder than any words could. The burden of lying and hiding weighed on her shoulders, pressing down like a boulder she could barely carry. Lando had become a big part of her life, a source of strength and ease, and yet she felt like a traitor for keeping him hidden from her brother. She longed for her brother's understanding, and his acceptance, but the fear of his rejection paralyzed her. She just wanted Charles to understand, that she didn't choose to fall for Lando. She didn't do it on purpose, but her heart was his. He was like a breeze on a hot day, a gasp of air when it felt like you were drowning. She loved him. Oh god, wait, she loved him? Oh my. She had to tell him, right now. But how? She couldn't go to him and she was certainly not going to tell him over text. 

She paced her room, her heart and mind entangled in a dance of apprehension and longing. She wanted the right moment, the perfect words – something that would capture the depth of her emotions without leaving room for doubt. The weight of her feelings had taken her by surprise, but now she needed to navigate the unknown waters of confession. As the sun set outside her window, she finally found herself in front of a blank sheet of paper. With a pen in hand, she began to write, the one thing she could always rely on, words. The ink flowed like her emotions, forming sentences that carried the weight of her affection and vulnerability. Each word was carefully chosen, each sentence a piece to the puzzle of her heart. Hours slipped away as she poured her feelings onto the paper. It was a letter that bared her soul, a testament to the journey her heart had taken. She read and reread, making sure every word resonated with the truth she felt. And as dawn broke, she finally held in her hands a confession, a piece of her heart captured on paper. And as she finally found herself done with the letter, she folded it up and tucked it away in a drawer. Even though that letter explained everything so perfectly, she just couldn't bring herself to give it to him. She knew that when the time came, she would give it to him.