beyond the pages

chapter 11

As his face drew nearer, our breaths intertwined, and I felt an overwhelming urge to surrender to the moment. My eyes drifted shut, anticipating the soft brush of his lips. I leaned in, my heart racing with anticipation... and then,

"Emilyyy!" A loud voice shattered the spell, and I jolted back to reality. The book slammed shut, and the illusion vanished. The door to my room burst open, and Skye stood before me, her chest heaving, her eyes wide with a mix of excitement and alarm. For a moment, I wondered if she'd witnessed the entire scene unfold in my mind. Had I been so lost in the fantasy that I'd forgotten where reality began and ended?

"H-he's back," Skye whispered, her words slicing through the haze of my fantasy. I glared at her, irritation etched on my face. "Who?" I snapped, still reeling from the sudden interruption. Skye's eyes locked onto mine, her voice barely audible. "Alex... he's back." My body froze, as if time itself had stuttered to a halt. 'He wants to meet you,' she added, her words dripping with an air of foreboding. Meet me? Why? What could he possibly want now? Hadn't we left everything in the past, buried beneath the rubble of what could never be again?

I took a deep breath, my gaze narrowing as I studied Skye. Was she truly my friend? I'd seen friendships tested by exes, watched as friends rallied around each other, their loyalty and disdain for the ex palpable. But Skye... she was different. She'd never spoken ill of Alex, never betrayed even a hint of anger or resentment towards him. Why? I couldn't fathom her motivations. Did she genuinely not care, or was she hiding her true feelings behind a mask of indifference?

"I don't want to meet him," I said, settling into my chair at the study table. I wrapped my hands around my book, holding it close as if to warm it, warm Miles within its pages.

"Why?" Skye asked, her hands folded together. "Don't you miss him?" I shook my head, the memories flooding back. "How can I meet someone who discarded me like trash, as if I never existed?" I stood up, taking a deep breath as the past washed over me. Memories of our time together flowed like a river around the jagged rocks of joy and sorrow, crafting a breathtakingly beautiful landscape. "As if we shared nothing?" My voice cracked, and I hastily wiped away a stray tear.

"Em—" Skye began, but I cut her off, my voice barely above a whisper. "Please, Skye, just leave me alone." I pleaded, my eyes welling up with tears. Skye sighed, but she nodded and quietly left my room. As the door closed behind her, I let my emotions unravel, and tears flowed down my cheeks. Maybe I was too sensitive, maybe I cried too easily, but that didn't mean I'd let anyone continue to hurt me, to make me cry again and again.

I dabbed at my tears with a tissue, a small smile spreading across my face. A newfound determination ignited within me. I vowed to never again let anyone's actions reduce me to tears. They didn't deserve the privilege of witnessing my vulnerability, of wasting my precious tears on them. From now on, my tears would be reserved for moments of joy, of love, and of beauty – not for those who sought to hurt me.

As I discarded the tissue, my gaze fell upon a note on the table. The same ominous message, penned in the same handwriting, sent a shiver down my spine: "Follow your heart." I whispered the words, my brow furrowed in concentration. Suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, the truth struck me. "Ana's writing," I breathed, my eyes widening as the pieces fell into place. It was her, all along.

"Run to me, angel," a faint whisper echoed in my mind. Miles... It was him. I spun around, my heart racing, and caressed the book, opening it with trembling hands. I hoped against hope to see Miles' handsome face staring back at me, but instead, I found a new chapter waiting for me. The familiar typed words replaced Ana's handwriting, and my heart sank with a mix of disappointment and curiosity.

Love is real
Miles's pov:

I've always been a mere specter in someone else's narrative, a fictional heartbeat that pulses with a life of its own. I've been loved, cherished, and wept for by those who've breathed life into my pages. But at what cost? For I am a cursed character, forever bound to the whims of my creator. I've witnessed laughter, tears, and even death - all for the sake of a story. And yet, I've never had a voice, never had a choice.

My existence is a mere footnote in the grand tome of someone else's imagination. Why? Because I've never been given the chance to speak, to share my own tale. The words that shape me are not my own, and so I remain, a silent sentinel, forever trapped within the pages of a story that is not mine to tell.

But today, I felt an overwhelming urge to confide in someone, someone who has transcended the boundaries of reader and writer, someone who means more to me than Ana or any other character who's ever laid eyes on me.

I've never been drawn to anyone the way I was to Ana, but Emily is different. She occupies a unique space in my heart, one that I'm still discovering. And yet, I'm aware of the sensation that's blossoming within me - it's new, yet familiar; strange, yet wonderful. For the first time, I'm experiencing a feeling that I can only describe as... affection. A feeling that's not rooted in the turmoil of my past, but in the promise of a new connection, one that I'm eager to explore.

Angel, I can sense your eyes on these words, and the faint smile that's spreading across your lips.

I must confess, I've been a harbinger of hardship for anyone who's ever fallen for me. But you're different, Emily.

You're the first person who's made me feel a pang of guilt for the suffering I've caused. And that's why I'm begging you: please, for your own sake, leave me. Burn me, if you must. Destroy the pages that hold me captive, so I can no longer ensnare anyone else in my web of sorrow. Spare yourself the heartache, Emily. I'm not worth it.

Please, Emily, end my existence. Burn the pages that hold me, and reduce me to ashes. I'm a cursed character, forever doomed to bring suffering to those who fall for me.

No one deserves to endure the heartache that I bring. I know that I'm not worthy of love, not worthy of being cherished. I'm a flawed, faulty creation, destined to cause pain. So, please, put an end to my misery. Burn me, and free the world from the curse that I embody. Let no other reader fall prey to my charms, only to suffer the consequences of loving a character like me.

Chapter ends

Emily Williams

I slammed the book shut, the sound echoing through the silence. "No, Miles, no... you're not cursed"  I whispered, my voice trembling. But was I trying to convince him, or myself? Was I desperately seeking reassurance that the character I'd grown to love wasn't doomed to bring suffering to those who cared for him? Or was I trying to quiet the doubts that had begun to creep into my own mind?

But one thing is certain, Miles - whether you're a fantasy or reality, I'll never abandon you. I won't burn you, no matter if you're cursed or not. I'll stand by you, always.

My voice cracked as I whispered, "Why did you tell me to run to you during my darkest moments, only to push me away now? Didn't you promise to be my safe heaven?" The pain in my chest intensified, making it hard to breathe. I felt as though I was drowning in the sea of Miles' words, unable to escape the weight of his rejection

I clutched my chest, gasping for air as tears streamed down my face. Why was I so fragile? Why did every little thing shatter me? I felt like I was drowning in a sea of emotions, unable to escape the undertow.

"Why am I always crying?" I whispered to myself, the words laced with frustration and despair. "Why can't I be stronger? Why do I let everyone in, only to get hurt?" My mind reeled with self-doubt, the questions swirling like a maelstrom.

I hated being emotional, hated how it made me feel weak and vulnerable. I hated how it allowed others to see the depths of my soul, to witness my fragility. I just wanted to be numb, to be able to shield myself from the world. But it seemed like no matter how hard I tried, I was forever trapped in this prison of emotions.

My head spun, and I collapsed onto my bed, my eyes closing as the darkness closed in around me. Everything went black, and for a moment, I was free from the torment of my own emotions.