Chapter 5:

The End

"Why was I so blind that I couldn't see our love was changing underneath our very noses?"

Jessica Sharp

I sat in my room after I spoke with Ariston. Thoughts of him still swirled in my mind. I replayed my memory of the car ride over and over again while laying on my bed, I felt like I was floating. Then the memory came to an end and Ariston's words lingered in my mind.

"This is about what you want Mera."

What I want. Do I know what I want? I thought I did, and then everything changed. One thing I know is that I no longer want to be in a relationship with Aaron. Yes, I have made my decision, but I do not want to do anything rash. I decided to sleep on it and if in the morning I still felt the same, then I would end my relationship with Aaron and that would be that. All I could think about was Aaron's reaction and what pain my choice will cause him; but Ariston was right, I cannot string him along hoping things will get better when I would only stay in it to keep him from hurting; it would be beyond wrong. I could not be with him, faking my 'I love you's' and making promises I knew I could not keep; it would be betraying both myself along with the memory of those wonderful years we spent together. Aaron is worth more than that, then a woman whom will not be able to love him. But no matter how much reasoning I put to this, my heart only seemed to ache more, knowing what I must do for both our sakes.

I took a long bath, and in one moment, Ariston's smile came into my mind and all I could do was smile as tears came to my eyes, missing his company. I thought through so many things I wanted to say to him as I imagined conversation after conversation we might have; and of course, thinking of how we danced a few days ago made me bite my lip as I laughed once and shook my head. It was only because of these thoughts that I got through the overwhelming emotions going on within me; though granted, thoughts of him did keep me up for half the evening. I could not think of Aaron, doing so hurt too much.


Morning came and nothing had changed, though I was incredibly tired when my alarm went off. I yawned and stretched before rising from my bed. I showered and tried to prepare myself for the day ahead, all the while thinking about what I would say to Aaron. I walked with Margret towards school, we were silent for awhile, only speaking of unimportant things. We ended up arriving early, and chose to sit in the grass of the courtyard as we waited for school to start. I stared at the blades of grass, lost in my own thoughts, until Margret spoke.

"So I have to ask, what happened with Ariston yesterday?" She asked.

"I asked him to meet me at the Stables. Ariston saw that something was wrong and he offered to talk it through with me." I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself and ease the sadness within my soul. "He put things into perspective. He told me that this is about what I want, that if I think that Aaron and I could have something again, then I should be with him." I said, Margret smiled in a way she tried to hide, making me wonder what she was thinking. "What?" I asked, she shook her head.

"Nothing." She said, though I knew it was something. "So what did you decide about Aaron?"

"I am going to end things with him today. I decided last night, but I had to be sure, and now I am certain." I told her.

"It will be alright." Margret said with a reassuring smile.

"I hope so." I told her.

A part of me felt that everything would be okay, and something told me that this must be done. I felt at peace with the decision; it was something I had to do. My sadness only came from what it would put Aaron through. When the time came, we stood and made our way to our first class of the day, a smile coming to my lips at the thought of whom I would see.

I smiled to Ariston when I walked into the history classroom, he smiled and despite everything that was going on, a blush managed to find its way to my cheeks and a feeling of relief washed over me along with that something else. As always, I became caught in his gaze when our eyes met before he looked away.

I enjoyed the class and was able to forget everything else while listening to Ariston talk about the Civil War, putting in a joke here and there and making the whole class laugh, myself included. He always seems to be able to make me laugh. Then there were the times our eyes would meet, sending that feeling I always get around him through me anew. It was as if he saw something within me that everyone else misses, and that only seemed to strengthen the connection between us, one which no words would be quite fit to describe.

The bell rang at the end of class and the students poured out, I stayed behind to speak with Ariston, telling Margret to go ahead without me again. Ariston leaned against his desk and watched me as I walked towards him. There was something in his eyes, as if he thought this might be the last time he would see me. This was not the old sadness I have seen in his eyes before, this was new, fresh. Something is hurting him right now. Why do I feel it is me? How could I be hurting him?

"Thank you for yesterday." I said, breaking the silence.

"I meant to ask you, what is your decision?" He asked, seeming slightly hesitant, as if he were afraid of the answer.

"I am going to end my relationship with Aaron. You were right, I do not love him anymore." I said.

The sadness left his eyes at my words and something came over his face, the look was gone before I could identify the emotion and was replaced with another that I could not understand, it looked like compassion mixed with something else.

"Have you spoken with Aaron?" Ariston asked in a calm voice.

"I am going to speak with him after school." I told him.

"Best of luck." He said, then smiled kindly.

"Thank you." I said, getting lost in his eyes again. There was a change in his eyes, something was different. I could have sworn it was a speck of hope.

I knew I should be going, but I could not seem to make my feet work, my body felt paralyzed under his sky blue eyes as all thoughts in my mind fell to a deep silence. I wanted to hold him again; I seem to get the urge when I see sadness within those ancient eyes. I wanted to assure him of something, but the words were not there, for what I wanted to assure him of was something I could not yet formulate into articulation, and a part of me was not ready to. Ariston looked away a moment later and I was able to move again. I quickly walked away before I could get trapped in his gaze again.

I made it to my next class only moments before it started. Aaron was there, though he did not sit next to me as he used to, and he barely glanced my way. As I kept looking at him, I was brought back to those times when we could not let the other out of our sights. He would watch me for most of our classes, to the point where the only way he was getting by in those classes was with my help. Of course studying always turned into kisses, laughs and giggles, me halfheartedly insisting that he needed to study as he tossed our book onto the floor and kissed me more and more. I still remembered how it felt, and knowing that it was gone and had been for sometime only amplified what I felt.

I watched him during the class, thinking and rethinking what I would say to him. I was so lost in thought that when the bell finally rang, it startled me, making me jump in my seat. I grabbed my bag and went to Aaron before he could rush out of the classroom like he has been doing in the past week.

"Aaron?" I said.

He stopped and took a breath then turned around. No emotions showed on his features, yet his eyes showed what he was feeling; I was barely able to speak. I knew I was only going to make it worse.

"What is it?" He spoke.

"We need to talk." I told him. He swallowed hard then nodded. His jaw clenched.

"I will come by your apartment after school." He said. I nodded, and after looking into my eyes for a moment, he walked away.


I sat on the couch in the living room and watched the clock, waiting for 3pm and dreading it at the same time. I already told Margret what was going on, she left ten minutes ago so that when Aaron arrives we can speak in private. Aaron should be here any minute, I did what I could to stay calm. How will he react? What will he say?

They say when the end is near, you think of the beginning. I could not help thinking back to my first day at Blueridge Prep, the day I met Aaron.

My parents walked me through my dorm, to what would be my apartment, as I took in the gilded hallway. I was still amazed by this place, part of me wondered if this wasn't some sort of daydream. My father carried my duffel bag and my mother walked next to him holding his hand, while I walked ahead of them, pulling my dark pink suitcases. We came to the correct door and I opened it, my eyes scanning the details of the room I walked into; a girl who looked to be about my age occupied it. She sat on the couch reading from a college level physics book, which looked like it weighed more than she did. She was very slim with fair skin, and nicely styled brown hair which reached her shoulders. The young woman immediately put her book down and got up to greet us with a friendly smile.

"Hello, I am Margret Petrova." She introduced herself with a slight Russian accent. "You must be Mera Vandenberg?"

"Yes, I am." I said, walking up to her and shaking her hand. "It is very nice to meet you. This is my mother and father." My parents went over to shake Margret's hand.

"It is nice to meet you Margret, I am Anne Vandenberg and this is my husband George." My mother introduced my father and herself with a smile.

"It is a pleasure to meet you." My father said to Margret with a friendly smile.

"You too." Margret said, then looked to me. "Your room is through here."

Margret led us through the door on the right and I was amazed once again. My father let out a whistle as we entered. The room was so much bigger than I had imagined it to be and beautifully decorated. With its tall ceilings with huge crown molding and a huge window in the wall with a window seat beneath it, it was beyond anything I imagined this place would be. It was even better than the brochure. The walls and floors looked to be from the early 1900's and were beautifully intact, however the furniture looked brand new and VERY expensive.

"This is all mine?" I asked in amazement.

"Of course it is." Margret said. "I hope you don't mind, I got bored and decided to decorate it before you came." I looked at Margret, she smiled with a sheepish expression. "You can change anything you like."

"It is perfect." I assured her, still lost in wonder. "That was incredibly generous of you." I smiled to her and her eyes lit up.

"That was very kind of you." My mother said.

"It was indeed. Where is the closet?" My father asked.

"Oh, right through that door, the other leads to your bathroom." She said.

"I get my own bathroom?" I asked in amazement. My mother had been warning me that I might have to have to share a bathroom with a few dozen other girls, and my father was teasing me about group showers, knowing how I like my privacy.

"Of course you do." Margret said.

I opened the closet door for my father; I expected a little closet, not the room behind the door. It was twice the size of my old bedroom, and ready to be filled.

"As if I could ever fill this." I said with a slight laugh.

"At least there will be room for your tack." My father said.

"And a few horses to go along with it". I said. "Dad, I should have brought Roger, there would have been more then enough room for him." I said, speaking of my pony back home. He laughed.

"You ride?" Margret asked excitedly.

"I do." I told her.

"OMG me too!" She said excitedly. "My mares name is Willow! You should come to the Stables with me in the morning and meet her!" I was just as excited as Margret was to have found someone who shared my passion for horses.

"I would love to!" I said with a big smile. Right then and there I knew that Margret and I were going to be great friends.

"We should be going, we do not want to miss our flight." My father said.

I looked at my parents. My father with his rugged good looks, brown hair and hazel eyes. Then I looked to my mother, I have always taken after her in my looks. We have the same golden wavy hair, the same violet eyes that are more purple than blue, and the same face. Although I was excited and very grateful for this new opportunity, I knew I would miss my mother and father greatly. My parents and I have always been close. I had never been away from them for more than a week in my life, and here I was about to be practically living on my own at fourteen years old. I saw my mother's violet eyes begin to water.

"Oh mom, do not cry." I said, tears beginning to form in my own eyes.

"I thought I had four more years before you moved out." My mother said through her tears. I went up to her and hugged her, and we held onto each other tightly; I really was going to miss her.

"I will be home for the summers and every holiday." I promised her. "Even Arbor Day."

"I know, but I am still going to miss you terribly." She said. "I love you so much Mera, so very, very much."

"I love you too." I said with all my heart. I let go of my mother and looked at my father, his warm hazel eyes were brimmed with tears. "Not you too." I said with a chuckle. I felt new tears prickling in my eyes. I went over to my father and leaned up on my toes to wrap my arms around his neck, his arms wrapped surely around me in that moment.

"What can I say?" My father said as he held me. "All fathers are push overs when it comes to their only daughter." I was going to miss him just as much as my mother. He pulled back to look at me as we let go. His face was serious. "Now there will be time enough for boys later on in life. You are here to earn an education, do you understand?" He asked, I nodded, keeping a straight face for as long as I could before we both smiled. My father never could be truly strict with his little girl, and I have always had too much of a free spirit for it to work. My father sighed and shook his head for a moment. "You know I trust you. If you do decide to date, just make sure he is a good boy, alright?" He asked, I nodded.

"I love you, dad." I said, hugging him again.

"I love you too, Mera." He said and kissed my head. I was crying now, clutching onto him, not wanting to be parted from my father. "You are strong, you can handle this." He said, I nodded.

We let go of each other and he wrapped his arm around my mother as she laid her head on his shoulder. He kissed her hair and they both looked at me.

"Be sure you call us if you need anything at all, even if you just want to say hello." My father said.

"I will." I told him, wiping my tears away.

I walked out with my parents and waved to them as they drove away. I remembered what my mother has always said, "For every end, there is a beginning." I wiped my tears away and walked back inside.

"Oh good," Margret said when I walked though the door. "I was just about to go and hang out with Jack and Aaron, do you want to come?"

"I would like that, it would be nice to meet some new people." I replied with a smile. She smiled and led me out the doorway and down the hall.

"Who are Jack and Aaron?" I asked her.

"Aaron is the quarterback for our football team; even though most of the boys he is up against are at least sixteen, he hasn't lost a game yet." Margret informed me. "Jack is his roommate and best friend. They are our age." She said, then added "By the way Jack is mine, even if he doesn't know it yet. You can have Aaron though." I laughed at how she said that.

"What makes you think I will want him?" I asked her, she rolled her eyes.

"If you don't want him, you would be the first." She said. "He is good looking, funny in a stupid way and has a good heart. What's not to like?" I went along with her conversation, even though boys were not what I had on my mind.

"So why doesn't he have a girlfriend?" I asked, hoping she would not try and set me up with someone who was already in a relationship. She shrugged.

"On govorit, chto hochet sosredotochitสนsya na futbole i shkoly" Margret began speaking in what sounded like Russian, I just looked at her, not understanding a word she had said. She covered her mouth then smiled to me. "Forgive me," She said in English. "I just got back from Russia, I sometimes forget what language I am speaking in."

"It is alright." I told her.

"As I was saying, in English this time," She said, I laughed. "Aaron says he wants to focus on football and school, that he doesn't have time for a relationship. I think that he's just waiting for the right girl to come along." She winked at me and I laughed and shook my head. I really was not looking for a relationship.

We walked out of the building and down the pathways to the football stadium, which we reached ten minutes later, all the while talking about horses and our interests, many of which we shared. There were other students, mostly girls, hanging out on the bleachers watching two boys toss a football back and forth.

Both of them were good looking and lean muscled. One was obviously into the gothic style with his black clothing, black hair and black nail polish. I tried to keep myself from laughing, it was quite a contradiction to his huge bright grin. The Goth boy was cute in an odd way but it was the other boy who caught my eye. He had shaggy, sandy blond hair, tan skin, a nice face and a great smile. He must be Aaron, no wonder every girl wants him, who would not?

"Hey Aaron." Margret yelled to him as we walked out onto the field and towards them.

"Hey." The sandy haired one said as he caught the football.

Aaron looked over to Margret, then his eyes snapped to me and our eyes met, his eyes were a beautiful shade of sage green. He smiled and threw the football back to Jack without looking away from me.

"Hey Margret." Jack said with that grin. Margret blushed and I bit back a smile.

"Hey Jack." She said, her voice soft. "Guys, this is my new roommate, Mera Vandenberg." She introduced me.

"Hey Mera, I'm Jack Franklin." The dark haired one waved to me.

"Hello Jack." I greeted him.

Aaron, who had barely taken his eyes off of me, walked over to me and held his hand out, a smile on his face.

"It's nice to meet you Mera, I'm Aaron, Aaron Rockford." He said, I shook his hand, it was strong and a bit rough from use.

"James, James Bond." Jack said as he walked up, Aaron gave him a look.

"Shut up." Aaron said. "And by the way, it's 'Bond, James Bond,' idiot." Jack rolled his eyes, making me chuckle as Aaron met my eyes.

"It is nice to meet you as well." I said, a slight blush coming over my cheeks as we let go of each others hand.

"Where are you from?" Aaron asked.

"California." I answered.

"No way, me too." He said. "Let me guess, Beverly Hills?" I shook my head. "San Francisco then?" He asked.

"I am afraid not. I live in a little town called Pescadero, it is quite lovely there." I answered.

"Ahh, a country girl." He said, I blushed and he laughed.

"I have never been one for big cities, I do enjoy visiting them but I could never live in all that smog." I said, they laughed. "What part are you from?" I asked.

"Beverly Hills," Aaron said. "Well for some of the year, we also have a house in the Hamptons and a few others. My father's business is real estate investment, so he gets the pick of the litter. He usually buys a few a year for us to vacation in." Aaron told me. I was surprised, even though I should not have been, most of the students here are rich.

"Oh will you stop showing off, you're not the only rich kid here." Jack said, popping some candy into his mouth as he came to stand by Margret. "Come on guys, I want to sit down." Jack added. I walked with Aaron on my left and Margret on my right towards the bleachers.

"Oh so guys, guess what? Mera rides!" Margret said excitedly.

"So we have another rich girl?" Jack asked. I laughed.

"I am far from rich. My father manages a barn on our property back home. My grandmother bought me a pony a few years ago but it seems we are going to need to sell him soon, since I have outgrown him." I said.

"You always talk like that?" Jack asked.

"How do you mean?" I asked, they chuckled.

"He is talking about how you articulate and have a proper sense of grammar." Aaron said. I nodded then looked at Jack.

"So in short, because you seem to use little if any grammar you think that I should use none? But then I would sound just like you, and what would that say for my intelligence?" I asked.

"Oh!" Aaron said loudly, we all started laughing, as Jack gave me an approving smile that I could handle myself.

"Come on Jack, let's get a soda." Margret said suddenly.

"I'll come with you," I said. "I could use a drink."

"No, no!" Margret said a little too quickly for my taste. "I will get one for you." She pulled on Jack's arm, giving him a look, and they walked away. Aaron laughed and shook his head.

Aaron and I made our way up the bleachers, sitting down side by side as I gazed out at the enormous stadium. Yes, it definitely took either money or a tremendous scholarship to attend this school, and it seemed like it would be worth it.

"How do you like your room?" Aaron asked, I looked at him in confusion. "I was over there with Jack when she was designing it." He explained.

"I love it. I have never had such a big room. Not to mention the closet!" I said with a shake of my head. "Margret is wonderful."

"You know she is trying to set us up, right?" Aaron asked, I raised an eyebrow.

"That obvious?" I asked, he laughed.

"I have to be honest with you, Mera," He said to me. "You are beautiful and you seem wonderful, but I am just not ready for a relationship. When I am with a girl I want to give her all my heart and attention, that is how I was raised, and I do not have the time for that in my life right now." I smiled, a funny feeling inside of me when he spoke like that.

"I am not looking for a relationship at the moment either, I am only fourteen after all." I told him. "Friends?" I asked him, holding out my hand.

"Friends." He agreed, shaking my hand with a smile that led me to believe that us being no more than friends would not last for long.

A knock on the door brought me forth from my reverie, and my heart sank. I took a deep breath then went and opened the door. Aaron stood there with a look that said "can we just get this over with?"

"Hello Aaron." I said.

"Hi." He said walking through the door, I closed it behind him.

"Do you want to sit?" I asked.

He sat down on the couch and I sat a foot away from him. I looked into his eyes and saw the sadness within them, it is nothing compared to the sadness I have seen in Ariston's eyes, but it still hurt me. We were silent for a time, I could not seem to get out the words I had planned to say, I could not look into his eyes. Aaron took a deep breath.

"Will you just say it already?" Aaron said, his voice sad but kinder than I deserved. "You are breaking up with me aren't you." It was not a question. I nodded, tears in my eyes. "Is this about the new History Professor?" He asked, I shook my head because this had begun before Ariston and I met.

"No, this is about us. I..." I swallowed then said the words while looking into his eyes. "I am not in love with you anymore; not the way you are in love me. I do not want to lose you, but I cannot be with you anymore." He was silent, his breathing troubled. He looked down, breaking my heart as I watched his break "I am so sorry. We just are not meant to be together; you must know that."

"No, no I don't know that." Aaron took my hand, and looked into my eyes, his voice and his eyes pleaded for me to understand. "Mera how can you say we don't belong together after all we have been through? We have been together for two years and now you are going to break up with me, just like that? No, I don't believe it." He said shaking his head, a stubborn look on his face. He placed his hand on my cheek and kissed me, a long lingering kiss. Our lips parted, his forehead resting against my own. "Doesn't that make you feel anything?" He asked, his breathing heavy. I shook my head.

"I wish it did." I told him. "Do you feel something?"

"I feel everything when I kiss you." He told me. I shook my head.

"I am so sorry," I said to him again. "I do not want to hurt you, I have never wanted to hurt you. I love you, just not the way you love me. I love you as a friend."

"Friend." Aaron said it as if it were a curse word as he leaned away from me, looking into my eyes. "And if that isn't enough?" He asked.

"It will have to be, it is all I can give to you." I told him. He removed his hand from my cheek.

He got up and went to the window and leaned his head on his forearm against the frame. His hands curled into fists, I have seen him do that before. It was not out of aggression, it was to hold himself together. He did the same thing when his father died a year ago. His jaw clenched.

I stood, unsure if I should go to him or if that would only make things worse.

"You said that you loved me," Aaron said. "So many times you told me that."

"There was a time when I did." I said, my voice just loud enough for him to hear. He was silent for what seemed like forever. "Aaron, say something." I almost begged.

"I need a minute." He said.

I was silent as he stood there, eyes closed. Aaron took a deep breath and finally turned around and looked at me. He walked over to me, looking into my eyes.

"Is there anything I can do to make you stay with me? To make you love me again? I will do anything, be anything for you." He said, I already knew that. I shook my head as a tear ran down my cheek.

"I am sorry, it would be a lie to stay with you when I do not love you." I said as I began to break down.

My tears fell from my eyes, making their trail down my cheeks, I could not breath through the lump in my throat. The expression on Aaron's face changed, softened, and he wrapped his arms around me. I held onto him and cried into his shirt.

"God, what have I done?" Aaron asked himself, his voice full of regret. "I promised myself that I would never make you cry, and look at what I am doing."

"It is not your fault, you are not breaking up with me." I said as I held onto him.

"It is my fault." He sighed, rubbing my back. "I am holding onto you, trying to keep you with me even if it hurts you. I must be the most selfish man alive." He said. "I am so sorry."

I could not speak through my tears. After a few minutes my tears subsided and he sighed.

"I do not make you happy anymore, not like I used to. I have known it for months now." Aaron said, to my surprise. "I still love you, I always will. But I cannot hurt you anymore; seeing you cry hurts me more than the past eight days combined. I want you to be happy... even if it's not with me." Aaron said. I could hear him swallow hard, his voice rough with emotion. "If you meet someone who makes you happy... like I used to... I want you to be with him." Aaron told me. "Don't worry about me and my stupidity. Your happiness means more to me than anything."

He pulled back to look into my eyes and dried my tears with his hand, a sad smile on his lips. I hated the pain I saw in his eyes, he should not be in pain, and it is entirely my fault. He laughed once, but I could hear the sadness in it.

"Don't do that." He said softly.

"Do what?" I asked in confusion.

"Blame yourself," Aaron said, I went to say something but he stopped me. "Don't try to deny it. I don't blame you, and I'll be fine. The last thing I want is for you to be upset because of me."

I hugged him again then I kissed his cheek. I decided to kiss his lips once more, just to be sure; half of me hoped there would be something left, the other half knew there would be nothing. When our lips met, there was no spark, no feelings except guilt and the taste of my tears on his lips, nothing more than that. I felt him treasure the kiss, caressing my cheek, knowing this kiss would be our last. I stepped back and looked at him after the kiss ended.

"Just checking." I said with a sheepish grin.

"Nothing?" He asked.

"I am sorry." I said. He closed his eyes and sighed, then opened them and looked at me.

"It's alright." He said.

"Are we still friends?" I asked, worried he might have changed his mind on that. He smiled a sad smile.

"I promised didn't I?" Aaron replied. "I just need some time to put things into perspective." I nodded, glad that I did not lose that part of us.

"Take all the time you need, I am glad that someday we will be friends again." I smiled a sad smile. He looked at me for a time.

"I wish I could be what you need." He told me.

"For a time, you were." I told him truthfully.

He kissed my forehead gently then walked past me and out the door. I took a deep breath to steady myself when I heard the door click shut, then sat down on the couch and put my head in my hands. It is really over, it took the door clicking shut behind him to make it real within my soul. I sent a text to Margret telling her that she could come back now then took a deep breath, or at least as much of one as I could muster as I reached for the tissues.

I laid on the couch and let a few more tears escape my eyes, will this guilt ever go away? A few minutes later the door opened and Margret came over and sat on the table across from the couch I was on.

"How did he take it?" She asked. I explained what happened. "He really is a good guy." She said with a sad smile.

"I know," I said, more tears rolling down my cheeks as she took my hand, giving it a squeeze, as another memory ran through my mind.

It was our first date, just over two years ago. For weeks, Aaron had been acting odd around me, he was nervous all of the time. And then, in a blurt of words, he finally asked me out and I said yes, since by this time I knew what I felt for him. We had a nice dinner at Tarresta's, after which he brought me up to see the city lights. He was so nervous as we sat there with the music on low.

"Mera?" He said.

"Yes?" I asked.

"I... I love you." He said to me. I gasped and smiled then he smiled and seemed to relax a little. "I have been in love with you for the past year, but I was too stupid to notice it."

"I love you too Aaron." I said the words I had been waiting to say.

He smiled and slowly leaned in and gently brushed his lips against mine. It was my first kiss and his too; a sweet, innocent and amazing kiss. He pulled back and smiled to me, I smiled back and bit my lip.

"Can I kiss you again?" Aaron asked.

I nodded and we began innocently making out. I was sure that night that my life could not get any better. To me, life was perfect.

More tears came. I pray that someday Aaron will find the woman he deserves, and that he will use the love he has for me to love her. He has so much love to give, all he needs is the right woman when the time comes for her to come along.

Later that night as I laid in my bed, emotionally exhausted, I thought of my mother's words. 'For every end, there is a beginning.' Could this end bring about a new beginning for me? If so, what in the world could it be? I did not possess the answers I sought yet and I could only hope they arrived sooner rather than later.


Author's Note: Obviously, this is called The End since it is when Aaron and Mera end things between them. Chapter 6 will be out soon, hopefully!

I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on this chapter and the story so far!

Jasmine