5 Chapter 5 : The Letter

Kylo Carson

One Year Later...

Not being able to stop her that day was because of my fear. Fear of how I will have to face the hatred from the one girl that I truly cared about, if I told her the truth that I could really read her thoughts. Fear of rejection.

Maybe I shouldn't have kept it a secret from her for so long. On winter mornings like this, when the street is covered in white and the becomes soullessly silent, that day resurfaces in my memories. Like an incomplete story, the day she walked out. Even if it's been an year since then, I still can't move on.

"It's that girl you meet in Olka town that's eating away your mind, isn't it?" Uncle Fred asked as he brought the coffee to me. I shook my head. I'm not in the mood for coffee now.

"You really are a stupid kid, Kylo. Refusing to drink coffee isn't gonna bring her back." He said. He knows everything like how it all started with a coffee spill and all.

"I know. It's over Uncle Fred." I tried to convince him. Or more to myself

"You can't move on until you open that letter she left for you. Either throw it away or read it. Then I will accept that you had really moved on." he said taking a bite of his cookies.

"That sugar ain't gonna do you good Uncle Fred. Do you want me to give a lecture on health?" I questioned the heart surgeon who's name the whole damn state knows.

'Old age health lecture isn't going to distract me from hearing your answer kid' he shouted at me through his thoughts.

"She wrote that letter before realising how betraying my act was. Knowing the truth about her and yet acting ignorant." I told him.

"That's because you are only human, my child. We humans love to hide our defects from others. We like to show how perfect we are even if we are broken on the inside, in front of our loved ones. Now, what you did was only that my child. You are only human never a monster. Atleast read what that child wants to tell you. I believe she is not like the others, if she had affected you this much" he said and walked to his bed.

I took out the letter I had kept safe for way too long. Never opening it. I opened it and smiled at her handwriting.

'Dear Kylo,

My life isn't something you can call perfect. When I was young my parents threw me into my grandmother's arms and flew away. At first, letters used to come promising of a return and then they stopped. I always waited for them standing before those giant gates of the mansion, in the shadow of my favourite tree.

As the tree grew old and lost it's leaves. I shed my leaves of hope too...the hope of their return. They never came until it was too late.

They came on my grandmother's funeral.

By that time my parents had split up, got married and became two different families instead of one. I was the burden for them.They always fought on who's duty  it was to look after me. And I became a piece of puzzle that was made with defects. A piece that doesn't fit anywhere, Kylo. And I'm an unfit puzzle piece for our love too. You are too perfect for me, I'm a burden I don't want you to have.

I have to go face my demons now. I promise that I will always treasure these memories I had with you. I'm sure you will find a piece that will fit you.

There is a secret I never told you, Kylo. One that I was careful to never think around you.

I knew that you can read my mind. Well this isn't the first time that we met.

Do you remember that kid who teased you for crying like a girl? Well that was me.

You had been my first crush, Kylo. Since way back then. The feather on your bracelet started the suspicion, the photo of you & your parents on your phone confirmed it. I wanted to tell you sooner. But I wanted to be pampered by your love, a bit more.

But now it's too late. I don't want you to be exposed to their ugly mind, Kylo. I know how it terrified you back then. I still remember what you had to go through.

Like how you disappeared back then, this time I'm leaving. Let's stay like two imperfect pieces that doesn't fit. But with treasured memories.

With love,

The girl that can

still punch like a guy.'

"Uncle Fred, you were right. She is one stubborn, stupid girl that I will regret if I fail to capture" I hugged him happily and started putting in my coat. And ran to my room to get my things.

"Aren't you the one that said, she ran off to marry some guy? Won't she be married and pregnant with his son by now? " He asked with a mischevious smile following me to my room.

"Nope. There is no way that she's gonna end up as some idiot's wife. She is mine. And I'm gonna bring her back" I told him.

"But you don't know where the hell she is" he called out on me.

"Well actually, I do know" He looked at my determined face and smiled. "I'm proud of you my child. You have all my blessings" he said giving me one final hug before I ran out.

I had been searching through many minds, trying to find some trace of her all this time. But I didn't get any clue. But ironically all the clue I needed was in that letter. It was as if she was telling me that she would wait there, the place that nobody came looking for her, the place where she abandoned her hope. She was so near yet so far. I drove my car all the way to Greenhem City , the place we met back then. The place that I used to call my hometown. I got down the car and walked down the lane I always avoided as a kid.

And there she was standing before me, too surprised to even smile. How could I forget those alluring green eyes? How did I mistake them to be a boy's with that much eyelashes?

I walked over to her and hugged her.

"How the hell did you find me?" She asked me with tears in her eyes.

'Ah finally, someone did come. . .seeking for me, now I can finally run away from here. This place no longer gives me the warmth it did back when grandma was here.'

I could hear her thoughts again.

"Ever since I was a kid, there was only one mansion around the centre of the city with a giant tree that made it look haunted. I was scared off this place as a kid, so there is no way that I will ever forget. It looks even scarier without the leaves." I laughed looking up at it.

"I'm glad that you came, Kylo. I wasn't sure how much longer I could bear it" she said crying.

"Well it's your own fault for acting like a hero. Everyone needs a saving sometime Ellie. For me, I was lucky to have my Uncle Fred. So for you, I want to be there.  Now stop crying there is something I want to do" I told her. She whipped away her tears and smiled at me.

"You know that thing you wrote about puzzle pieces that doesn't fit, well that's just bullshit. Pieces in a puzzle can be modified, cause it's us humans that built it. All it takes is a bit of glue and some paper.

In our case it's all on who will put forth a hand first." He said and kneeled before me taking out a box from his pocket.

"As cliche as it may sound, Ellie Ardon, will you please stay with me for the rest of our lives so that we could end up saving each other when we need saving, so that two pieces of imperfect puzzles can squeeze in and fit...Will you marry me? I promise to take in the punches if I end up being incompetent in anyway" I added as a side note. She smiled.

"Uh, I don't know what I will do with this man who can't even do a proper proposal, but I know that he can make me happy. Yes, Kylo Carson, I do want to be your wife." She said looking at the box that had the picture of two imperfect puzzles drawn to fit and my mother's wedding ring.

                                 ~ THE END ~

Published : 08 August 2020