Fighting the Stars - A Jack Harries Fanficton

Epilogue

Epilogue

"You ready, Sophie?" asked Jack. I sighed, glancing around the empty dorm that had caused me so much pain. But it wasn’t it’s fault. It couldn’t control the monster it had let inside.

The walls were painfully bare, empty of all the pictures and posters that used to occupy them. The bed lacked sheets and the dresser was free of any clutter. To anybody else this was just another dorm room at university. But to me, this was the place that centered all the bad things. This is were my nightmares come to haunt me.

I was about to nod to Jack when an idea sparked in my mind. I rummaged through my purse before pulling out a black permanent marker. Jack was opened his mouth to question as I strode over to the bed post, but he remained silent. On the back of the wood I wrote in small letters: I survived.

I took a few steps back, smiling at what I had just done. Now, whoever would be next to occupy this room would see my note and maybe, just maybe, it would give them some kind of hope. That’s all I could ever really ask for, to inspire someone when I couldn’t do the same for myself. Two words have the power to do that.

"Yeah," I said, letting out a satisfied sigh. "I’m ready."

I walked back over to Jack and he wrapped an arm around my shoulder. He smiled at me, placing a soft kiss to the side of my head. This was it. I was finally leaving this place behind, leaving all of my horrid memories behind. I could be free.

Jack’s car was stuffed full of both of our belongings. I was surprised we had even gotten it all to fit. I got into my seat and buckled myself in. I gazed out the window at the beautiful Bristol campus that would now become nothing more than something of my past. I could see that small storage shed from where we were parked, the one that had set the foundation for our relationship.

I heard the soft roar of the engine stirring to life as Jack turned the key in the ignition. I inhaled deeply. Leaving didn’t feel the way I thought it would. I still felt a passion for this place. Even though my memories of it will forever be tainted with those of being abused, good things did happen here. Jack happened here.

We leave something of ourselves behind when we leave a place, we stay there, even though we go away. And there are things in us we can find again only by going back there. That’s how Bristol feels to me.

I looked over at the man who had saved me, returning the smile that made his green eyes glisten. He grabbed my hand, giving it a soft squeeze. I felt…I felt light. I felt like air when he was touching me.

And so, he pulled out of his parking space and drove through the winding roads that led off campus. The sun was at its peak in the sky, casting an unusually sunny day in Britain. I couldn’t help but smile.

I know absolutely nothing about where I’m going, except that Jack is going with me. I’m fine with that. I’m happy about it. Before, I had nothing. I had no life, no friends, and no family really, and I didn’t really care. I had nothing, and nothing to lose, and then I knew loss. What I cared about was gone; it was all lost. Now I have everything to gain; everything is a clean slate. It’s all blank pages waiting to be written on. It’s all about going forward. It’s all about uncertainty and possibilities.

And I cannot wait to see where the rest of my life takes me.

**

"You don’t have to do this," said Jack as I sat in front of his camera. I had the backdrop of the new flat Jack and Finn have been living in for the past month. Mine happens to be just down the hall.