Where the Story Ends (ending to the Story of Her Life trilogy)

Where the Story Ends: 6

They were walking, hand in hand, to the motor.

"Do you want to do something today?"

"Sure, but can we stop by my house first? There's something I need to get."

"Breaking and entering!" she called as she walked through the door.

"That's a weird way to say 'I'm home.'"

"I know." she started to her room.

"Where were you last night?"

"Out."

"Ohhhhh...with your boyfriend."

"Sure."

"I saw the press conference on television. So that's all that happened, you never really kissed?"

"Nope."

"Well if that didn't take the fun out of it, then I don't know what will."

"Well I'm leaving."

"Why didn't you admit to dating Harry?"

"It didn't seem important."

"But they asked you about your boyfriend."

"I know, but the public isn't ready for that, and I am not ready for the public to know."

"'kay, got it."

"Bye."

"Where are you going?"

"Out."

"Where is out?"

"Nowhere." she opened the front door, to reveal him standing, waiting.

"Holy shit...that's Harry Styles!" it came out as a whisper and gradually got softer.

"Uhh..." he looked at the girl.

"She my roommate." Eli explained, but unable to explain why she acting the way she was.

"Ah. Ready to go?"

"Yeah." she closed the door, leaving Mackenzie standing there in awe.

"Holy shit, that was fucking Harry Styles." she whispered to herself, "I'm never going to get used to this."

They were walking the path that stretched around the lake in the park. Their arms were locked in one another.

It was cold and wet, therefore it was a perfect day to be out, so no one would disturb them.

Her head rested on his shoulder, as they walked in sync with one another.

"I could do this forever." Eli said, breaking the silence between them, "Just you and I, like this."

"Me too."

"It's perfect, isn't it?"

"Yes, and I'm glad you think it is." he stopped walking.

"What?" she looked up at him.

He took her hand and pulled her close, so there was less than three inches in between them.

She couldn't help but look away from his gaze. He placed his hand under her jaw line, and gently moved her head to face him.

"Harr-"

"I have something to say first."

"What is it? Is something wrong?"

"Quite the opposite, things couldn't be going better."

"Then what is it?"

"Hear me out." he took a deep breath. "I know you wanted to go to college, and that some people have their doubts about us," he said trying not to point the last part directly at her, "but I don't care about what they think. I love you." he kissed her once, in case this all went badly.

When they pulled apart, he took her by the hand.

"Eli, I love you, and I know this is sudden, but I want to be with you forever." her chest tightened as the words came from his mouth. "Will you be with me forever, and marry me?"

She seemed to hesitate a moment too long because it scared him when she didn't answer immediately.

"I-I don't... I don't know." tears started to form at the corners of her eyes. "I'm sorry." she spun around and ran off.

He watched after her. Watched her hair fly behind her as she slowly disappeared.

"ELI!" he called after her, but it was too late, she was already gone.

She slammed the door shut, and leaned up against it. She pushed back her sweaty hair, and was breathing heavily.

"Oh my God." she whispered, her head in her hands. She slid down the door, and was sitting on the floor in front of it.

She thought about what had just happened. "Oh my God, he just proposed. Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God." she kept whispering.

She broke down, crying. Her head sat in her lap, collecting the tears that fell onto her jeans.

She took a shaky breath, and stood up to go to her bedroom. She walked in to see that boxes of her things had been delivered, and were now waiting for her to unpack them.

She walked over to the closest one to her, and opened it.

The item at the top was a note, taped onto a framed picture.

Hey,

I found this on Mom's camera and thought that you might want it.

-Jacob

She lifted the note off the frame to reveal a picture. It was her and Harry sitting on the swing back home.

She vaguely remembered her mom taking the picture, but she had it now. She sat on the floor and went through the other contents of the box.

The next thing under the frame was a book. A book of fairy tales that her mom used to read to her every night when she was younger.

A rage came with the memory of the happiness, and she couldn't take it. She threw the little book against the wall, and didn't give it another thought.

In a fury she didn't understand, she started throwing everything out of boxes and to the floor, or against the wall. She didn't know what she was doing, and she couldn't stop herself.

Until she felt a sharp pain in her right foot. She left her leg to see blood and broken glass. Underneath the broken glass, was a picture. A, now, blood stained photograph of her and Harry, sitting on the swing on her porch back home.

She started crying, not from the pain in her food, but from the pain in her heart.

"Harry..."