Hi. I wanted to add a few words here in the beginning. First of all, I really enjoyed reading the book - right up till the ending :) The original ending makes such a strong impact and I see why the author wrote it that way. It left me quite sad and disturbed...But then I luckily found FanFiction and all the wonderful alternative endings and storylines here. They also inspired me to write one of my own which I initially called 'My Hollywood Ending' :) Thank you so much to everyone who takes the time to read it!
-Whiteybear
24
Will
And then she completely shut down on me, as if she had built a wall around her. We spent the 12-hour flight in silence - only Nathan breaking it with brief comments, adjusting my position and serving the dinner. I could see it from Nathan's face, he could guess what had happened. And I could even sense his disapproval towards what I had done.
In this forced solitude my mind kept repeating her words.
You are so selfish, Will.
I wish I'd never met you.
And I could still feel her rage.
Yes, I was selfish. But there was no other way. I had set my mind way before I met her. Her presence had made these last six months...bearable. And yes, I admit it, even more. I was flooded with memories. All those afternoons at the castle grounds, my visit to her parents' house...The day at the maze.
Oh how I had wanted to hold her.
At one point Louisa fell asleep.
Nathan was watching the movie and I couldn't help but looking at her.
Yes, she had definitely taken me off my balance.
The kiss. Her touch. And her words.
I love you.
I tried to shake those words off, felt something rising in my throat.
I could still remember her face as she said it, so beautifully gleaming and loving.
But I love you. I do.
Finally, the awkward journey ended. My parents stood there at the arrivals waiting. Louisa hid behind her sunglasses. With as few words as possible, she declined their offer for lunch. She rolled her luggage furiously towards the exit, my parents looking after her perplexed. I wanted to go after her. I really did. But what could I have said?
'Will, you look really well.' my father commented.
That evening we arrived at the quiet annexe and Nathan helped me through my evening rituals.
It was five more days till August 13th. Would she arrive tomorrow? I'm sure she would resign.
That night I couldn't sleep.
I was in no physical pain though.
I just stared at the all too familiar ceiling.
And I kept thinking.
Of life. Love.
And death.
The next morning she didn't come.
After Nathan had left, I went to my computer to erase everything as I had planned. I was going through the browser cache when a title caught my eye. A link to a forum for quads. And link was a message thread started by someone called Busy Bee. It had to be her. I had no idea she had used my computer. I checked the date. It was one Saturday morning she had stayed here.
And then I began - with a strange feeling - to read everything she had asked and said.
And I couldn't believe she had done all this...
For me.