The girl under the willow tree

[SIX]

I sat on my bed waiting for some sign from the universe that this was to good to be true, that i didn't want to be with her. But there was nothing. she was amazing, she was kind, beautiful, smart. If only I didn't have to marry her. A wave of rage flooded over the happiness i was feeling from earlier on. she was so understanding and happy with, me. she wanted to be with me, not the money that came with my fathers business. but i couldn't help feel scared she would leave me or try to hurt me in some way. i got up and shoved clothes in a bag i grabbed what i needed and ran out the door. it wasn't that late but i knew nobody would see me, i got to my car and started driving i don't know where i was going but i needed to get far away from here.

I arrive at emery's house, her car is parked outside the gate as usual, I walk up and tape a letter to her car. I needed to say sorry.

(time skip)

7 years later, london England

Its been seven years and I haven't had any contact with anyone from back home since I left, I saw myself on the news but thats about it. I open the door to the small bookshop I work at, one of the first things I did was get a job. The owner is a old lady who could barely keep the shop alive, she was overjoyed when I got it back up and running. I made a nice life for myself but I still think of Emery every night, I always wondered what happened after I disappeared.

Emery POV

It took a while after lianna left for me to move on, I dated a little but they never lasted long. I spent months trying to track her down but no one knew anything, the only thing she left was the letter I found on my car the a few days after our date. our families still merged businesses, I ran it with my brother, well I ran it and he was called the important one.

I woke up out of my daydream as the plane started its decent to the ground, this was the last oversees meeting I'd have for a while after a long streak of them, before I left I had just gotten back from Paris.

Walking into the arrivals area for my flight I could've sworn I saw lianna, but then again I could've sworn I saw her in Germany a week ago. I walk out the airport and get a taxi to my hotel as soon as I get into my room I start to get a million calls from work, I put all their minds at ease and sort out an argument caused by my brother at home. eventually I just flop out onto the bed.

A few days later after consistent meetings I finally have some time to myself I've been to london half a dozen times and I've never really seen london. I exit my hotel and go straight to the bookshop down the street. one thing I love about cities is the small shops all around them and I try to go in as many as I can.

Lianna POV

The day is almost over when I hear the bell on the door chime. I stay seated at the counter in the corner of the store when the owner comes out and gives me books to put on the shelves.

I turn the corner and bump into the person that just came into the store,

"Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going," I bend down to pick up the book I dropped.

"Lianna?" I recognise her voice and well enough the girl I was in love with in high school was standing in front of me.

"Emery, you're in London, you're in the book store, you're here." my eyes start watering and I drop the books I was holding, "why?"

"I would say I am here to find you but its been seven years." I look down and wipe my eyes. "Hey don't cry, I'm here for work." she smiles at me and picks up the books I dropped, "here,"

"Thanks. um, how long are you in London for?" I ask putting the books on the shelf behind her.

"Don't know, as long as I want I guess." A book caught her attention on the isolated shelf in a far corner.

I turn around to see the book she is holding but she already had a few more in her arms.

"I didn't know you liked to read that much." I smiled and came over to help her with the growing amount of books.

"Um, I travel a lot so I'm normally reading in spare time." She answered walking over to the counter.

"Okay, is this all for you today." I ask as I scan the books.

"How about your phone number?" She takes out her card and smirks at me.

"Um. Sure," I finish scanning the books. "£96.60,"

"Okay," she slides her card in the card machine in front of the till. "You know you don't have to give me your number, you obviously left for a reason so." She takes her card out, "thanks."

"Wait," I take her receipt and scribble my number down at the bottom. "Don't forget your receipt."

She laughs and walks back over, "Thanks, it's been nice seeing you again."

I hear the bell chime and the sound of passing traffic, then silence.

"So, who was that?" I jump as Emily one of my first friends here comes out from the storage room.

"A friend from America," I say quickly turning back around.

"Really, just a friend?" She asks. Her strawberry blonde hair covering her smile a bit.

"Yeah, just a friend," I blush a little and I could see her raise her eyebrow from the corner of her eye. "Well it's a long story," I turn back around to see her smiling.

"We have time."

"Okay," it took about 40 minutes to tell her everything, the story felt longer than it actually was though.

"So you were unhappy. And you ran away to here, and nobody knew where you went. And you left her, your girlfriend at the time." She went back through the story.

"Kinda, yeah...she wasn't my girlfriend though" I sigh and look out of the window.

"Wow, I knew you ran away but I didn't know this."

"Yeah sorry I didn't really want to speak about it to anyone."

"It's fine, but you should talk with her, I think she still likes you," She says standing up.

"That's absurd, it's been what, seven years." I stand up as well and walk to the back to get my stuff. "Anyway it was kind of horrible that I left, I mean I wrote her a letter. But that doesn't really cover everything."

"Fine, but meet up with her. Talk with her. I think she would like to see you."

"I think your wrong but okay." On cue my phone starts buzzing with an unrecognised number.

"Answer!" Emily half shouts seeing my phone buzz.

"Okay,"

Lianna: Hello?

Emery: Hey, so I was wondering if you want to meet up for a coffee and maybe catch up sometime.

Lianna: yeah sure, when?

Emery: are you free tomorrow around 11 or 12

Lianna: yeah,

Emery: great um, I'll text you where and an exact time

Lianna: okay, bye

Emery: bye

The phone went silent.

"So?" Emily asks standing in front of me.

"We are going to get coffee."

"I knew it, I knew she wanted to talk to you. You're just to awkward."

"HEY! I am not awkward." I furrow my eyebrows and cross my arms.

"Yes you are. I mean you should have seen yourself when you were talking to her, just now and when she was in here." She laughed a bit.

"Just shut up." I say walking out onto the the street.

Why did she want to meet up with me tomorrow? I thought the whole way home. What am I going to say to her.

(For some reason it kinda hates me and all my capital letters I tried to fix a lot of them but some of them are incorrect)