Vintage Love

Chapter 32

❝END.❞

1931

I sat down in front of the unfinished cabin, a bottle of beer in my hands. Jace joins me a second later.

"I don't know why I drink these," I winced at the taste of the bitter alcohol after taking a sip. Jace stretches his arm towards me, volunteering to take the bitter liquid out of my hands with a chuckle.

I passed it to him and leaned back, staring at the foundation.

"You know," Jace started, tipping the beer to his lips as he took a swig. "It isn't going to change anything." He looked at me but I stare at the ground. I look at my feet that's playing with the dirt, making little rings.

I don't say a thing. I fold up my sleeves as I placed my elbows on my knees.

"I know you love her man," He reached out and touched my shoulder, "but isn't it better for the both of you to live instead of being together and the one of you tied to death?"

I sighed, feeling my eyes sting. I look up at the bright sky, silhouettes flying by. "I wish it were different. If we could only go back and stop ourselves before we touched the key then everything would fall into place. But you know Time won't let us go back that far. He masks himself like he's helping us but he's just killing us, over and over. Every single time we fail and go back and try again. It's like he's punishing us. There's no way out with Time."

"There's no way, huh?" I let out a bitter chuckle. He squeezes my shoulder lightly in comfort.

"Help me take this down then."  I stood up, taking the tools in my hands and passing some to Jace.

Slowly, we start taking down the cabin.

• • •

present

"Vintage Love." I start as I look at the class. I eye a particular student as she digs through her bag.

She looks up at me again and sinks to her seat, as though it'll keep her from my view. She refrains from meeting my gaze as her blush evidently crawls up her skin.

She always hated it because she felt like it betrayed her emotions. But I loved it. The pretty pink against her skin was beautiful and the fact that I was once the reason for the deepest shade of red to stain her cheeks is enough to want me to run to her and chase the blush with my lips.

I'd give anything to kiss my rose again.

I smile but catch myself, "No." I whispered as I turned to the board.

I scribbled some things down on it and look back to the class. Staring right into her brown orbs, studying the littlest details, knowing this would be the closest I'll ever get to her.

"A tragic romance novel," I pause, swallowing down the lump in my throat, my eyes still searching hers.

I exhaled, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. "About a guy who's desperately in love with someone who has never met him."

Vintage Love.

. . .

A/N: Archer took apart the cabin, so there isn't one anymore.  They haven't found a way to balance the seesaw out yet which means one of them's destined to a sad ending. Not wanting to lose Elreda, he doesn't build the cabin for her. The entire book of Vintage Love changes. They never meet so it's no longer a love story about a guy and a girl but a one sided love, with someone who doesn't know who he is.

Archer keeps it the same way in the present timeline, not wanting to risk losing Red. He loves her but the pain of losing her can't compare to the pain of not having her, so he chooses the latter.