Arm Distance Apart | ✔️

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Chapter Twenty-Nine | One -introverted
"I'm the lucky one who knew you, who still loves you, whose life will forever be divided into a before and after because of you."

Bellamy's Point of View

I sat in my car with the engine off in front of my house. I sighed and rested my head in my hands. She wasn't dead. But she...she wasn't Hadley. I could feel the tears pooling in my eyes.

This was the end of our story, huh? She didn't remember me let alone her mom or her brothers. I know they meant to the world to her.

I reluctantly got out of the car and slammed the door when I got into the house. "Bell?" I heard my mom call out from upstairs. "Bellamy? Honey, come out here I think somebody is in the house!" I heard her say to my dad trying to be as quiet as possible.

I leaned on the door. My stomach churned and I felt like I might throw up. My father came down the stairs slowly, a baseball bat in his hands, my mom with the other, slightly behind him. My mom gasped when she saw me and my dad let out a sigh of relief.

As soon as my mom realized that I was clearly sad about something she rushed to my side. "Oh honey, what happened?" She soothed me and held me in an embrace.

What do I say?

Oh, the girl I'm absolutely in love with can't remember a thing after being hit by a car on the road.

I couldn't say those words and make it without breaking down in tears. Instead I just hugged my mom back, my tears soaking her gown-covered shoulder.

-

A week later...

I fiddled with the ribbon lazily. I've looked at this countless times. I sat next to it on my floor waiting for a text that would allow me to do something heartbreaking for me.

Just as I had that thought, I heard my phone ping. I flipped it upside down to see the text.

Tai: She's gone now. Out with my mom. She'll be back soon.

Without responding I shut off my phone and grabbed the item, and hopped down the stairs quickly with my backpack on the other arm and said bye to my parents.

I slipped her gift under the seatbelt on the passenger seat and started the car, zooming of to her house's direction.

When I arrived Tai was already waiting for me at the doorway. He took the gift and ran upstairs to her room and came back down with nothing in his hands. A frown formed on his lips at the sight of me.

I knew how horrible I looked. Bags under my eyes, hair going in all sorts of directions, my outfit was clearly put together lazily, my eyes were red and puffy. I wasn't ashamed to show how much this situation was tearing me down, hurting me.

I love—loved her. And she doesn't even know who I am anymore, or the memories we'd had. But I would never forget her.

"You look, horrible man." Tai sounded weak himself.

"I feel horrible." I brought my hands to my face and took a deep breath. "I have to go...See you." I said with a lazy wave and turned around to leave.

"I think she'll love it. She won't understand it. But she'll love it." Tai said from behind me and a small smile formed on my lips.

"I hope so."

With that I exited the house and just as I walked out, she was walking up the path. Our eyes connected and she gave me a strange, confused look. It pained me more than you could know. I stepped aside to let her into the door and she walked right past.

I caught a waft of the wonderful perfume she wore and after taking it in, I quickly tried to get it out of my head.

I had to move on. For both our sakes.

-

Tai's Point of View...

I watched as Hadley walked up the stairs. I dragged my eyes away from her as soon as I heard the front door shut and my mom walk in. She leaned the door, clearly very tense.

When I went up to her to comfort her she put a hand up to stop me. She brushed past me quickly and went into her own room. I let out a shaky breath and slowly made my way upstairs to stealthy see if Hadley saw the basket.

Bellamy had put together a basket for Hadley's birthday but he never had the chance to give it to her. In the basket there was a teddy bear, two single roses, 2 small pieces of paper that I didn't have the time to read, printed photos of the two, some candy, a seperate letter that I also didn't read, and a photo of Hadley that he took when he was helping her move furniture. She looked so nice, so happy.

Now it's the opposite. She looks lost and scared when she walks into a room with us, she barely speaks and if she does it's barely audible. She won't talk to us let alone Max and Lyra.

I walked past her room to see her reading the big card with the teddy bear in her arms. She had a smile on her face and she laughed. For the first time since the accident she actually laughed.

She set the car down and picked up the photos and as her eyes scanned the photos her smile slowly fell. Her eyes snapped up and I was about to step towards her and ask her what happened when she ran right past me, down the steps and out onto the porch. I followed quickly behind her to see her look out at the street. She looked up and down the street. Looking for Bellamy I assume. When she didn't find him she looked defeated. She closed the door and went back up stairs without saying a word to me.

I didn't expect her to, but I didn't want to lose hope.

After grabbing a cup of water I went back upstairs to go to my room this time. But I didn't fail to notice that the basket was outside her door that was now closed.

-

Bellamy's Point of View...

I sat in my car yet again like I had when I lelt the hospital. I rested my forehead on the tops of my hands that were on the wheel. I let out another shaky breath, my nerves bunched together.

I've read stories before that end in sad endings. Those were always my favorite because they really made you feel. But I never thought that it would happen to me. That the girl I wanted in my life in both the future and present, would suddenly be ripped away from me. I never thought about how it would really feel like to lose the person you love like the characters had in those books. Or imagined having to let go of being able to talk to her whenever I'd like.

Things I wished could come true...they won't. Our story has come to an end...Our past suddenly is insignificant–for her anyway. I will cherish the moments and learn from them and make sure our story doesn't go to waste. But our story is over and there is no turning back. God knows I wish I could.

        ________________________________

"The saddest part of life is saying goodbye to someone you wish you could have spent your life with..."

"All that I am, all that we were, is here on these pages. This is me. Screaming to the world...I was here. I loved you. I was happy. It mattered."
-Ranata Suzuki

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Fin