Chapter 45: avey loss
Lucian’s eyes softened for a moment, but not enough to break the resolve he had built over time. "Avey, you know there comes a point where you have to decide whether to turn the page or just close the book entirely."
Avey’s breath hitched. His words felt like a punch to the chest, suffocating her, like the walls were closing in. She could feel herself teetering on the edge of breaking down completely, but she couldn’t show weakness now. She had to fight for him, for them. But before she could speak, Lucian’s next words hit her harder than she expected.
"And I think… it’s time I close this book." A single tear slipped down Lucian’s face, a tear that mirrored the pain in his heart, even though his voice remained calm. He had already decided that leaving her behind was the only way to save what was left of his shattered self. Even now, having made the decision, it still tore him apart.
He reached out gently, placing his hand on her shoulder, the touch so delicate that it seemed to burn through her skin. Avey’s legs felt weak, and her chest ached as she stared up at him, wide-eyed, as more tears fell. The gentleness in his touch only deepened the ache in her heart.
"No…" Avey’s voice was barely a whisper, trembling. She felt the words choke her, but she couldn’t let him walk away. She wouldn’t. Not again.
Lucian furrowed his brows, unsure if he had heard her correctly. "What?" he asked, his voice soft.
Avey didn’t answer, her lips quivering as more tears spilled down her cheeks. Instead, she extended a trembling hand, wiping away the tear that had escaped from Lucian’s eyes. The familiarity of the gesture took Lucian back to when they were younger, to when she had wiped his tear-streaked face as a child. That simple gesture, so tender, felt like a cruel twist of fate.
Lucian’s mind flashed to those moments, a time when things were simpler, when she was the one who had consoled him. He had been broken before, and she had helped him stand again just like now. But the difference was… now, it was too late. The damage was too deep. He had given her everything and had nothing left to give.
Avey’s touch sent a flood of memories through him, bittersweet and painful. For a fleeting moment, he let himself remember the warmth he had always associated with her, and another tear escaped down his cheek. He didn’t bother to wipe it away. It was an acknowledgment of everything he had felt for her and everything he had lost along the way.
"I wish…" Lucian’s voice faltered, barely above a whisper as he pulled away slightly, taking a deep, shaky breath. "I wish we could have been together, Avey. But it’s not possible anymore."
His words left Avey gasping for air, her chest heaving as the weight of his rejection hit her full force. She couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t think. All she could feel was the crushing devastation of losing him, of knowing that no matter how hard she tried now, it was too late.
"No, Lucian…" she whispered, her voice shaking. "We will be together." There was a fire behind her words now, even through the tears, a determination she hadn’t shown before. She didn’t care about the crowd, about the embarrassment of being rejected in front of everyone. None of that mattered anymore.
Lucian’s heart broke all over again as he heard her desperate plea, the way her voice trembled yet still held resolve. But he had already made his decision. There was no going back, no undoing the past. "Avey, I’m really sorry. But Its too late now."
The murmurs from the crowd grew louder, eyes wide with shock at what they were witnessing. How could this be happening? How could Lucian, who had pursued Avey relentlessly for so long, be the one rejecting her now? A hush fell over the crowd as they watched in stunned disbelief.
Its definitely a dream.
Avey’s eyes darted to the sea of faces surrounding them. Her heart raced with panic as the reality of her public rejection sank in. Her legs felt weak, shaking with the weight of embarrassment. How had it come to this? How had she gone from being the one with the power to reject Lucian to standing here, tears streaming down her face, as he turned her away in front of the entire college?
"I… I…" Avey tried to speak, her voice barely a whisper, but the words wouldn’t come. She was frozen, locked in place by her own shame and regret. The sound of her heartbeat drowned out everything else, her pulse loud in her ears.
Lucian’s sad expression softened as he looked at her, and the guilt weighed heavy on his heart. He had never wanted to hurt her, even now. But the pain she had caused him over the years couldn’t be erased. "Avey… please," he said gently, trying to save her from further embarrassment. "Stop this. Remember who you are.
The world is watching."
But Avey didn’t care. She shook her head, refusing to give in. "I don’t care," she whispered, her voice hoarse with emotion. "I don’t care about them, Lucian. I only care about you. I will not give up on you.
Just like you never gave up on me."
Lucian’s breath caught in his throat at her words, but he knew he couldn’t give her what she wanted. He had to walk away for his sake, if not for hers. With a heavy sigh, he turned, his heart aching as he took a step away from her.
Avey’s legs wobbled beneath her, barely able to hold her up. She couldn’t move, couldn’t chase after him. All she could do was watch as Lucian’s figure grew smaller, his lonely back fading into the distance. It looked so empty, so weighed down by everything he had carried for so long.
The crowd parted in silence, letting him pass through, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief. Some looked at Avey with pity, others with awe at the sheer drama that had unfolded before them.
Avey’s hand flew to her mouth, stifling the sobs that threatened to escape as she stood there, her heart breaking all over again. The flowers in her hand had withered, just like the hope she had clung to for so long.
Lucian was gone.
And all she could do was cry.
The scene around her blurred, her world reduced to the sound of her sobs and the overwhelming pain in her chest. She had lost him completely and irrevocably.
Avey watched Lucian’s figure grow smaller, his back radiating the kind of loneliness that twisted her heart even more. He looked so distant, as if he were completely alone in a world that had never understood him. The sight of him walking away, shoulders hunched with a weight she couldn’t fathom, made her sob harder. The pain was overwhelming, suffocating, and she couldn’t stop it.
Tears blurred her vision, but she didn’t move, frozen in place by regret and heartbreak.
As she stood there, drowning in her sorrow, Avey felt a soft pat on her shoulder. Surprised, she looked up to see her best friend, Cassandra, standing beside her with a sad, understanding smile. The blonde-haired girl held a gentle expression, but there was also pity in her eyes, as if she’d seen this tragedy unfolding long before Avey ever realized it.
"Avey..." Cassandra began, her voice soft but firm. "How many times did I tell you to cherish him? And now... now you regret it, don’t you?" Her tone wasn’t accusatory, just filled with an unspoken sadness, knowing that her best friend was finally feeling the consequences of her actions.
She bent down, gently wiping away Avey’s tears with a handkerchief, the same way a mother would comfort a crying child.
Avey broke into another sob, shaking her head as she realized the truth in Cassandra’s words. She clung to her friend, her body trembling from the weight of her emotions. "Cassandra... I messed everything up... I ruined everything," she cried, her voice barely holding together as she hugged her best friend tightly.
The words spilled out like a confession, each sob tearing at her chest as the reality of her mistakes hit harder than ever.
Cassandra held her close, patting her back gently, offering what little comfort she could. She understood Avey’s pain, but also knew the harsh truth she had to face. "Avey, please, don’t hate him for this," Cassandra whispered, her voice kind but steady. "He’s not wrong today, Avey. He’s not. You have to understand that.
He gave everything to you for years... and now he’s just... done."
Avey’s sobs grew louder, her shoulders shaking as she buried her face into Cassandra’s shoulder, unable to bear the shame and regret that coursed through her. "I don’t hate him... I’ll never hate him," Avey managed to choke out between sobs. "I hate myself... I ruined everything..."
Cassandra pulled back slightly, still holding Avey by the shoulders, and looked into her eyes with a mixture of compassion and frustration. "You’ve been hurting him for so long, Avey. You should’ve understood this ages ago. You had so many chances, and you... you pushed him away every time."
Avey nodded, the tears flowing freely again, her eyes red and swollen from crying. She couldn’t deny it anymore. She had done this to herself. She had let Lucian slip away, over and over, and now... now he was gone. Her best friend had warned her countless times.
She’d told her to stop rejecting him, to stop hurting him, to appreciate what she had before it was too late. And now, standing in the middle of the college courtyard, surrounded by onlookers who had witnessed the entire heartbreaking scene, Avey could see the truth that had always been there but had been too blind to notice.
"I... I finally understand," Avey sobbed, her voice weak and full of regret. "I love him, Cassandra... I love him so much. I don’t know why I did all those horrible things to him... why I rejected him." Her voice cracked, and her legs threatened to give way under the weight of her emotions.
She clung to Cassandra like a lifeline, desperate for someone to anchor her to reality. "You were right... you warned me, but I didn’t listen... and now he’s gone..."
Cassandra looked at Avey with a mixture of sympathy and frustration.
Avey’s sobs intensified, her entire body shaking as she leaned into Cassandra for support. She couldn’t stop the tears, the regret, the overwhelming sense of loss that was tearing her apart from the inside. "I love him, Cassandra... I love him so much. Why didn’t I see it before? Why didn’t I realize what I had?"
Cassandra sighed
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hmm two chapters a day now its time for power stones guys I’ve fell to 31 position from 30th
every stone give it to me everything haha
thanks for reading guys