Tilly|✔️

Chapter 23 - The Final Goodbye

I burst into the training area. Everyone looked at me as I ran over to Emily.

"Thank you for being there, Emily. You're so helpful and I wish I had got to know you better." I hugged her.

"Aw, that's okay Tilly. I hope we'll get through it all alive." She smiled. "It was nice knowing you too, Tilly."

I moved to Isla and Yuki. "Isla, thank you for being honest to me. You are such a brave girl, you know that?" I picked her up and gave her a quick squeeze. "If I don't come back home, just remember me, okay?"

"Why wouldn't you come home, Tilly?" Isla inquired curiously.

"I just.....might go to heaven." I kissed her fondly on the head. "Bye bye, Isla. I hope you'll have a good life. And say hello to Izzy for me."

"Okay!" Isla smiled.

I stopped crouching and looked up to Yuki. "Thank you for everything, Yuki. You taught me to be strong, you taught me what love feels like, and what it's like to lose someone important in your life. If we make it out of here, maybe you could be an army Sargent." I smiled.

"Thanks, Tilly. You're special. You taught me how to let go." We hugged quickly.

I moved to Mark.

"Listen, Mark..." I scratched the back of my head nervously. "I can't really explain it, but I do love you. You're a nice guy, and I think that I don't deserve you. I've pushed you away, so you should find a girl who loves and appreciates you. Not friend zones you like an idiot." I stared at the floor, shuffling my feet.

"No, you deserve more. You're sweet, funny, smart.....you deserve the best guy ever, who will treat you right all the time. And I guess that's Jasper."

"Yeah." I ran into his arms. "I'll miss you, Mark." I sobbed into his jacket.

"It's fine, it's okay, just let it all out," Mark coaxed quietly as he stroked my hair. "All done?" He asked as I let go. I sniffled.

"Yeah," I replied. "Sorry if I ruined your jacket."

"It's fine. I can always get another one." Mark grinned.

Finally, I moved to Jasper.

Everyone looked at me as I ran over to Jasper.

"Just in case we never see each other again, I wanted to say.....I love you." I stared into Jasper's eyes again.

"Me too." He replied, and kissed me. Then he swept me around. "I guess this is goodbye. It was nice knowing you, Tilly. You're a beautiful person and if I die, I'm sure someone else more deserving than me will get you."

I blushed. "Thank you, Jasper. You're really sweet. I hope we survive this. Together."

"We will," Jasper reassured me, but he sounded skeptical.

I hoped we would survive, we could do everything above land, go to a theatre, try new foods, everything. I'm sure higher life is better than the lowly life we've all lived down here.

If only that were true.....