Categories > Celebrities > Fall Out Boy > Lasting Impressions
THANK YOUS
tryingtohard_x: A lot of people wished that Alex went after her, but after realizing how badly he'd messed up, he didn't know what to say.
Dang. Your Chucks are sparkling clean? I have 6 pairs and I've never cleaned any of them. lol.
lyrical_lies: Another fan of Chuck Taylors. Nice!
somethingorother: Aww. I'm sorry that you cried.
Your Rainbows sound very sturdy. My sandals are either A) uncomfortable, but super cute or B) comfy, but falling apart.
F-A-S-D: Alex really did dig himself into a hole.
Aww, you have peacocks on your shoes? That sounds adorable!
Hmm. it's hard to describe what goes on in my head during the writing process. Mostly it's just me trying to put myself in the characters' situations and figuring out what they would do. Then there's a lot of time spent trying to make sure that the situations are as realistic as possible. Then again, there's are voices in my head saying, "Wouldn't it be cute if _____?", "Wouldn't it be funny if _____?", etc.
danceislife: Booze has a way for creating more problems than it solves.
Ooh. Pointe shoes = ballerina! Exciting!!! Your brown heels sound lovely, too.
YESYESYES. I always listen to music when I'm writing. Usually I just have iTunes shuffle playing in the background, but on some occasions, I make a playlist to get into the right mindset. It would take too long to list all the songs on the playlist I made for the last chapter, but here are a few of them:
"Everything We Had" - TAI...
"Letdown" - This Providence
"Old Movie" - Automatic Loveletter
"Let Go" - Frou Frou
"Better That We Break" - Maroon5
"Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis" - Brand New
doyleangel: Yep. It seems that Alex's inaction got on a lot of people's nerves. But that's the way the cookie crumbles.
Flip flops at concerts. Daaang. Yours must be super comfortable.
Other than GK Tour, I'm going to see Owl City in September. Then I'm going to see BLG, Cobra Starship, The Maine, and ARTTM.
You went to a Blink/FOB/AAR show? Lucky ducky!
ash360: !!! I've always wanted a pair of Nike Dunks. I hope you get yours signed!
ATLloveRAWR: He didn't run after her because he was in shock. He finally realized how screwed up everything had gotten, and by the time Chloe admitted that she still loved him, he was too overwhelmed by guilt to do anything.
Although I don't like the album art, Hot Mess is a work of genius. I always want to dance whenever I listen to it ;)
MeggiePoooo lol. Here's your update.
STORY BELOWWW
In the morning, I woke up to warm sunshine on my face and a pair of arms around my waist.
“What time is it?” I yawned, turning my back on the sun and snuggling into Paul’s shoulder.
“It’s about 10. We still have an hour til checkout,” he replied.
“Awesome,” I sleepily said. “How was the party?”
“It was fun,” he simply answered, playing with my hair. “Once Martin heard that you weren’t coming back, he thought he could put his clothes back on, but we tossed them into the hot tub when he wasn’t looking.”
“Hah, that’s great,” I said, chuckling. “Anything else notable I should know about?”
“Not that I can remember,” he replied, shaking his head. “…Everything got kind of fuzzy after that. I just remember that I left around 3AM and knocked out once I got my arms around you.”
I looked up at him and grinned. Reaching up, I cupped his cheek in my hand. Smiling, he nuzzled against it before planting a kiss on my palm, and leaning down to kiss my forehead.
As he laced his fingers with mine, I let out a content sigh. I don’t know how to explain it, but everything seemed to fall into place when he was around. Consequently, this realization reminded me that in a matter of hours, he wouldn’t be around. He’d be off to Boston while I’d be heading home to Baltimore.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked, brushing my bangs out of my face.
“What are we going to do now that tour’s over?” I quietly asked.
This subject had been the elephant in the room for about two weeks. And we’d been tiptoeing around it for just as long. Since the beginning of our relationship, we’ve just been letting the cards fall where they may rather than pushing anything. Thus far it had worked, but what would happen when we added a couple hundred miles of distance between us?
“Chloe…” he sighed, cupping my face in his hand and running his thumb across my cheek. “I don’t wanna make any promises I can’t keep, but I’m gonna try my hardest to make this work.”
This being said, he planted another kiss on my forehead and pulled me closer to his chest.
The next hour went by inhumanly fast.
One minute Paul and I were cuddled in bed, watching Spongebob. The next, we were checking out of the hotel and heading for the airport.
As Martin, Paul, Bryan, and John talked about what they were going to do once they got back to Boston, I quietly sat by and watched as traffic whizzed past.
Although the bus’ speedometer would tell you otherwise, I felt as if we were moving at a million miles an hour. The past 3 months had flown by at an alarming rate, and it didn’t seem like they’d slow down anytime soon.
In 1 hour, we’d arrive at the airport.
In 2 hours, We The Kings would be boarding a plane to Florida.
In 2½ hours, Boys Like Girls would be boarding a plane to Massachusetts.
In 3 hours, All Time Low and I would be boarding a plane to Maryland.
Seconds were slipping through my fingers, and I was helpless to stop any of it.
“Chloe, you alright?” Paul asked, causing me turn my attention away from the window.
“Yeah,” I said, flashing the best smile I could muster.
Sensing that something was still off, he took my hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Simple as it was, this gesture made me feel as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
After arriving at the airport and checking in our bags, we headed to the food court for lunch. I admit that McDonalds wasn’t the healthiest choice, but it was enough to fill our stomachs.
Then came the anticipation.
Once we were done eating, there was nothing left to do but wait.
I tried my hardest to fight it, but I couldn’t help but stare at my watch and hope that its hands would slow down.
“It’s gonna be okay, Chloe,” Paul said noticing my apprehension. “I love you, and I’m still going to feel that way when I get on the plane.”
“And when you land?”
Rather than responding, he leaned over and pressed his lips against mine.
“I love you, too,” I softly said as he pulled away.
“Come on, let’s go walk,” he said, getting up from his seat and taking my hand in his.
For the most part, we aimlessly wandered around. Even so, it successfully calmed my nerves. We bumped into We The Kings just as they were about to leave, and exchanged goodbye hugs with everyone.
“Remember to tell Sasha I said hi!” I yelled to Travis as he walked into the terminal.
“Don’t worry, Barakat!” he yelled back, waving his hand as he did to.
After that, we stopped by the newsstand. He bought a copy of the New York Times, and we returned to out seats to work on the crossword. Caught up in trying to figure out a 5-letter word for ‘renovate,’ we failed to notice that their flight was being called.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and looked over at Paul. He wordlessly took my hand and we both stood up. As we approached the rest of the guys, he held me close to his side.
“I guess this is it,” I said, turning my attention to the 3 men in front of me. Paul let go of my hand, and I braced myself for goodbyes.
“I’m gonna miss you, Chloe,” Martin said, pulling me into a tight hug. “Never have I met a chick who could drink as much as you.”
“I know,” I replied, chuckling. “But if you practice, you might be able to beat me someday.”
“Maybe,” he laughed, before planting a kiss on my cheek and releasing my from his grasp.
Next up was Bryan.
“I’m gonna miss you, too,” the blonde bassist said, wrapping his arms around me. “You’re a lot prettier than your brother. And you gave us a reason to clean up on the bus.”
“Aww, thanks,” I laughed.
“We’ll definitely drop by your apartment when we play shows in Maryland.”
“Alright,” I smiled.
“My turn!” John excitedly said and practically squeezed the life out of me. “Just so you know, I’m expecting you to visit us before you go back to school.”
“Don’t worry,” I said, pulling away. “I have 2 months before I have to hit the books again.”
“Sweet,” he grinned. “That’s more than enough time to party with us in Boston.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I said, nodding.
He let me go, then came the tough part.
“So I guess this is it…” I said, turning my attention to Paul.
He pulled me into his arms and planted a kiss on my forehead.
“I’m going to miss you so much,” he said, tightly hugging me to his chest.
“I’ll miss you more,” I replied.
“I swear I’ll call. And text. And everything else I can,” he said, pressing his forehead against mine. “I want this to work.”
I didn’t have to look into his eyes to know he meant every word.
“I love you,” I whispered.
“I love you, too. This plane ride isn’t going to change that.”
That being said, he crashed his lips against mine. I kissed him back with everything I had. It was as if we were both trying to pour a month’s worth of passion into it.
“Flight 819 to Boston, now boarding.”
Upon hearing this, Paul and I reluctantly pulled away from each other.
“I don’t want to leave,” he said.
“But you have to,” I sadly replied.
Paul took my hands into his and kissed the top of my head.
“I’ll call once I land,” he reassured.
“Okay,” I nodded.
“Bye, Chloe.”
“Bye.”
As he joined Martin, John, and Bryan as they walked toward the terminal, I waved to them and stood there until all 4 of them disappeared from sight.
Sighing, I then turned around and headed toward my flight’s waiting area.
Upon my arrival, I quickly spotted Jack, Zack, and Rian. Alex, however, was nowhere to be seen.
“Hey,” my brother greeted, patting the empty seat next to him. I quickly sat down and offered him the biggest smile I could muster.
“Hungover?” I asked, referring to the big sunglasses adorning his face.
“Yeah, just a little. It was a lot worse this morning, though.”
“Excited to get back home?” I asked, trying to change the subject before he could ask questions about my screaming match with Alex.
“Yeah, definitely. I love tour, but I can’t wait to sleep in my own bed for once,” he happily said. “And I’ll finally be able to watch my porn without interruptions.”
“Lovely,” I said, chuckling. He laughed at my reaction and stretched his hands over his head before wrapping an arm around my shoulder.
“What about you, lil sis?”
“I just want to take a shower and not have to worry about people hiding my clothes.”
“Hey, I only did that once!” he defended. “The rest of the times it was Martin.”
“Suuure.”
“Believe whatever you want, but my conscience is cleeean.”
Just as I started laughing, Alex conveniently came into view. Upon noticing my presence, he immediately looked down and took a seat off to the side.
Even with 20 or so feet separating us, the tension between us was apparent.
“…He’s sorry, you know,” Jack quietly said. “About everything…”
“Yeah…” I replied, barely audible.
“Last night was a wake up call for him,” he explained. “After you left, he threw out his cigarettes and flushed the rest of the booze.”
Upon hearing this, I glanced over at the sandy blonde. Despite the sullen expression on his face, he looked put together. His hair was intentionally disheveled and he’d taken the time to shave.
“That’s good,” I replied, unsure of how else to respond.
Before an awkward silence could rear its ugly head, Jack’s phone started ringing. Upon looking at the screen, he turned and shot me a sympathetic smile before answering it.
“Hello? Oh, hey. What’s up? Yeah, we’re flying back today…”
Sensing that he’d be talking for a while, I took out the crossword Paul and I had started, and resumed in my efforts to fill in the boxes.
15 across. Unnecessary. 8 letters.
Unnecessary. Not needed… Unneeded? No, the fifth letter is ‘L’… Needless? Yeah, that works.
After filling in the appropriate boxes, I smiled and moved onto the next unanswered clue.
27 across. Beirut native. 8 letters.
Without a second thought, I filled that one in.
]L-E-B-A-N-E-S-E.
As I continued down the list, I easily came up with answers.
That is, until I reached 31 down.
Mercy. 11 letters.
‘Absolution’ isn‘t long enough…Compassion isn‘t either…Vindication is long enough, but doesn‘t have an ‘S’ in it…
I stared at this clue for a good 10 minutes, but had no idea what the answer was. All I knew was that the second to last letter was ‘S’.
Tired of thinking about that one, I skipped to the next clue. Then the next one. After filling in all of the boxes that I could, I tucked the puzzle back into my purse and took out my iPod. Setting it to shuffle, I slipped my earbuds in and leaned back in my seat.
While music filled my ears, time seemed to go by much faster. For the most part, the songs that played were upbeat and danceable. Then “Heart of the Matter” by Don Henley started playing.
“I got the call today, I didn't wanna hear
But I knew that it would come
An old true friend of ours was talkin' on the phone
She said you found someone
And I thought of all the bad luck,
And the struggles we went through
And how I lost me and you lost you…”
Although I wasn’t in the mood for such a sad song, I couldn’t find the will to skip it. After all, it was a really good song. So rather than hitting fast forward, I continued listening.
“…I'm learning to live without you now
But I miss you sometimes
The more I know, the less I understand
All the things I thought I knew, I'm learning again
I've been tryin' to get down to the heart of the matter
But my will gets weak
And my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore…”
Upon hearing the chorus, a light bulb went off in my head. I quickly reached into my bag and pulled out the crossword once again.
31 down. Mercy. 11 letters.
F-O-R-G-I-V-E-N-E-S-S.
With a satisfied smile, I filled it in.
Then just as I lifted my pencil, another light bulb went off.
Looking over at Alex, I realized that forgiveness was the answer to more than just a crossword puzzle.
+++++
There you have it: the FINAL CHAPTER of Lasting Impression.
Before you go all "OMG! WTF? That's how you're going to end it?!?!?!", there will be a SEQUEL.
Be patient though. I'm starting college on Monday, meaning that I won't have nearly as much free time as I do now.
Thank you thank you thank you for taking the time to read this.
I really appreciate it all of your support.
Q&A #18: What were your favorite parts of this story? What are your predictions for the sequel?
tryingtohard_x: A lot of people wished that Alex went after her, but after realizing how badly he'd messed up, he didn't know what to say.
Dang. Your Chucks are sparkling clean? I have 6 pairs and I've never cleaned any of them. lol.
lyrical_lies: Another fan of Chuck Taylors. Nice!
somethingorother: Aww. I'm sorry that you cried.
Your Rainbows sound very sturdy. My sandals are either A) uncomfortable, but super cute or B) comfy, but falling apart.
F-A-S-D: Alex really did dig himself into a hole.
Aww, you have peacocks on your shoes? That sounds adorable!
Hmm. it's hard to describe what goes on in my head during the writing process. Mostly it's just me trying to put myself in the characters' situations and figuring out what they would do. Then there's a lot of time spent trying to make sure that the situations are as realistic as possible. Then again, there's are voices in my head saying, "Wouldn't it be cute if _____?", "Wouldn't it be funny if _____?", etc.
danceislife: Booze has a way for creating more problems than it solves.
Ooh. Pointe shoes = ballerina! Exciting!!! Your brown heels sound lovely, too.
YESYESYES. I always listen to music when I'm writing. Usually I just have iTunes shuffle playing in the background, but on some occasions, I make a playlist to get into the right mindset. It would take too long to list all the songs on the playlist I made for the last chapter, but here are a few of them:
"Everything We Had" - TAI...
"Letdown" - This Providence
"Old Movie" - Automatic Loveletter
"Let Go" - Frou Frou
"Better That We Break" - Maroon5
"Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis" - Brand New
doyleangel: Yep. It seems that Alex's inaction got on a lot of people's nerves. But that's the way the cookie crumbles.
Flip flops at concerts. Daaang. Yours must be super comfortable.
Other than GK Tour, I'm going to see Owl City in September. Then I'm going to see BLG, Cobra Starship, The Maine, and ARTTM.
You went to a Blink/FOB/AAR show? Lucky ducky!
ash360: !!! I've always wanted a pair of Nike Dunks. I hope you get yours signed!
ATLloveRAWR: He didn't run after her because he was in shock. He finally realized how screwed up everything had gotten, and by the time Chloe admitted that she still loved him, he was too overwhelmed by guilt to do anything.
Although I don't like the album art, Hot Mess is a work of genius. I always want to dance whenever I listen to it ;)
MeggiePoooo lol. Here's your update.
STORY BELOWWW
In the morning, I woke up to warm sunshine on my face and a pair of arms around my waist.
“What time is it?” I yawned, turning my back on the sun and snuggling into Paul’s shoulder.
“It’s about 10. We still have an hour til checkout,” he replied.
“Awesome,” I sleepily said. “How was the party?”
“It was fun,” he simply answered, playing with my hair. “Once Martin heard that you weren’t coming back, he thought he could put his clothes back on, but we tossed them into the hot tub when he wasn’t looking.”
“Hah, that’s great,” I said, chuckling. “Anything else notable I should know about?”
“Not that I can remember,” he replied, shaking his head. “…Everything got kind of fuzzy after that. I just remember that I left around 3AM and knocked out once I got my arms around you.”
I looked up at him and grinned. Reaching up, I cupped his cheek in my hand. Smiling, he nuzzled against it before planting a kiss on my palm, and leaning down to kiss my forehead.
As he laced his fingers with mine, I let out a content sigh. I don’t know how to explain it, but everything seemed to fall into place when he was around. Consequently, this realization reminded me that in a matter of hours, he wouldn’t be around. He’d be off to Boston while I’d be heading home to Baltimore.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked, brushing my bangs out of my face.
“What are we going to do now that tour’s over?” I quietly asked.
This subject had been the elephant in the room for about two weeks. And we’d been tiptoeing around it for just as long. Since the beginning of our relationship, we’ve just been letting the cards fall where they may rather than pushing anything. Thus far it had worked, but what would happen when we added a couple hundred miles of distance between us?
“Chloe…” he sighed, cupping my face in his hand and running his thumb across my cheek. “I don’t wanna make any promises I can’t keep, but I’m gonna try my hardest to make this work.”
This being said, he planted another kiss on my forehead and pulled me closer to his chest.
The next hour went by inhumanly fast.
One minute Paul and I were cuddled in bed, watching Spongebob. The next, we were checking out of the hotel and heading for the airport.
As Martin, Paul, Bryan, and John talked about what they were going to do once they got back to Boston, I quietly sat by and watched as traffic whizzed past.
Although the bus’ speedometer would tell you otherwise, I felt as if we were moving at a million miles an hour. The past 3 months had flown by at an alarming rate, and it didn’t seem like they’d slow down anytime soon.
In 1 hour, we’d arrive at the airport.
In 2 hours, We The Kings would be boarding a plane to Florida.
In 2½ hours, Boys Like Girls would be boarding a plane to Massachusetts.
In 3 hours, All Time Low and I would be boarding a plane to Maryland.
Seconds were slipping through my fingers, and I was helpless to stop any of it.
“Chloe, you alright?” Paul asked, causing me turn my attention away from the window.
“Yeah,” I said, flashing the best smile I could muster.
Sensing that something was still off, he took my hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Simple as it was, this gesture made me feel as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
After arriving at the airport and checking in our bags, we headed to the food court for lunch. I admit that McDonalds wasn’t the healthiest choice, but it was enough to fill our stomachs.
Then came the anticipation.
Once we were done eating, there was nothing left to do but wait.
I tried my hardest to fight it, but I couldn’t help but stare at my watch and hope that its hands would slow down.
“It’s gonna be okay, Chloe,” Paul said noticing my apprehension. “I love you, and I’m still going to feel that way when I get on the plane.”
“And when you land?”
Rather than responding, he leaned over and pressed his lips against mine.
“I love you, too,” I softly said as he pulled away.
“Come on, let’s go walk,” he said, getting up from his seat and taking my hand in his.
For the most part, we aimlessly wandered around. Even so, it successfully calmed my nerves. We bumped into We The Kings just as they were about to leave, and exchanged goodbye hugs with everyone.
“Remember to tell Sasha I said hi!” I yelled to Travis as he walked into the terminal.
“Don’t worry, Barakat!” he yelled back, waving his hand as he did to.
After that, we stopped by the newsstand. He bought a copy of the New York Times, and we returned to out seats to work on the crossword. Caught up in trying to figure out a 5-letter word for ‘renovate,’ we failed to notice that their flight was being called.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and looked over at Paul. He wordlessly took my hand and we both stood up. As we approached the rest of the guys, he held me close to his side.
“I guess this is it,” I said, turning my attention to the 3 men in front of me. Paul let go of my hand, and I braced myself for goodbyes.
“I’m gonna miss you, Chloe,” Martin said, pulling me into a tight hug. “Never have I met a chick who could drink as much as you.”
“I know,” I replied, chuckling. “But if you practice, you might be able to beat me someday.”
“Maybe,” he laughed, before planting a kiss on my cheek and releasing my from his grasp.
Next up was Bryan.
“I’m gonna miss you, too,” the blonde bassist said, wrapping his arms around me. “You’re a lot prettier than your brother. And you gave us a reason to clean up on the bus.”
“Aww, thanks,” I laughed.
“We’ll definitely drop by your apartment when we play shows in Maryland.”
“Alright,” I smiled.
“My turn!” John excitedly said and practically squeezed the life out of me. “Just so you know, I’m expecting you to visit us before you go back to school.”
“Don’t worry,” I said, pulling away. “I have 2 months before I have to hit the books again.”
“Sweet,” he grinned. “That’s more than enough time to party with us in Boston.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I said, nodding.
He let me go, then came the tough part.
“So I guess this is it…” I said, turning my attention to Paul.
He pulled me into his arms and planted a kiss on my forehead.
“I’m going to miss you so much,” he said, tightly hugging me to his chest.
“I’ll miss you more,” I replied.
“I swear I’ll call. And text. And everything else I can,” he said, pressing his forehead against mine. “I want this to work.”
I didn’t have to look into his eyes to know he meant every word.
“I love you,” I whispered.
“I love you, too. This plane ride isn’t going to change that.”
That being said, he crashed his lips against mine. I kissed him back with everything I had. It was as if we were both trying to pour a month’s worth of passion into it.
“Flight 819 to Boston, now boarding.”
Upon hearing this, Paul and I reluctantly pulled away from each other.
“I don’t want to leave,” he said.
“But you have to,” I sadly replied.
Paul took my hands into his and kissed the top of my head.
“I’ll call once I land,” he reassured.
“Okay,” I nodded.
“Bye, Chloe.”
“Bye.”
As he joined Martin, John, and Bryan as they walked toward the terminal, I waved to them and stood there until all 4 of them disappeared from sight.
Sighing, I then turned around and headed toward my flight’s waiting area.
Upon my arrival, I quickly spotted Jack, Zack, and Rian. Alex, however, was nowhere to be seen.
“Hey,” my brother greeted, patting the empty seat next to him. I quickly sat down and offered him the biggest smile I could muster.
“Hungover?” I asked, referring to the big sunglasses adorning his face.
“Yeah, just a little. It was a lot worse this morning, though.”
“Excited to get back home?” I asked, trying to change the subject before he could ask questions about my screaming match with Alex.
“Yeah, definitely. I love tour, but I can’t wait to sleep in my own bed for once,” he happily said. “And I’ll finally be able to watch my porn without interruptions.”
“Lovely,” I said, chuckling. He laughed at my reaction and stretched his hands over his head before wrapping an arm around my shoulder.
“What about you, lil sis?”
“I just want to take a shower and not have to worry about people hiding my clothes.”
“Hey, I only did that once!” he defended. “The rest of the times it was Martin.”
“Suuure.”
“Believe whatever you want, but my conscience is cleeean.”
Just as I started laughing, Alex conveniently came into view. Upon noticing my presence, he immediately looked down and took a seat off to the side.
Even with 20 or so feet separating us, the tension between us was apparent.
“…He’s sorry, you know,” Jack quietly said. “About everything…”
“Yeah…” I replied, barely audible.
“Last night was a wake up call for him,” he explained. “After you left, he threw out his cigarettes and flushed the rest of the booze.”
Upon hearing this, I glanced over at the sandy blonde. Despite the sullen expression on his face, he looked put together. His hair was intentionally disheveled and he’d taken the time to shave.
“That’s good,” I replied, unsure of how else to respond.
Before an awkward silence could rear its ugly head, Jack’s phone started ringing. Upon looking at the screen, he turned and shot me a sympathetic smile before answering it.
“Hello? Oh, hey. What’s up? Yeah, we’re flying back today…”
Sensing that he’d be talking for a while, I took out the crossword Paul and I had started, and resumed in my efforts to fill in the boxes.
15 across. Unnecessary. 8 letters.
Unnecessary. Not needed… Unneeded? No, the fifth letter is ‘L’… Needless? Yeah, that works.
After filling in the appropriate boxes, I smiled and moved onto the next unanswered clue.
27 across. Beirut native. 8 letters.
Without a second thought, I filled that one in.
]L-E-B-A-N-E-S-E.
As I continued down the list, I easily came up with answers.
That is, until I reached 31 down.
Mercy. 11 letters.
‘Absolution’ isn‘t long enough…Compassion isn‘t either…Vindication is long enough, but doesn‘t have an ‘S’ in it…
I stared at this clue for a good 10 minutes, but had no idea what the answer was. All I knew was that the second to last letter was ‘S’.
Tired of thinking about that one, I skipped to the next clue. Then the next one. After filling in all of the boxes that I could, I tucked the puzzle back into my purse and took out my iPod. Setting it to shuffle, I slipped my earbuds in and leaned back in my seat.
While music filled my ears, time seemed to go by much faster. For the most part, the songs that played were upbeat and danceable. Then “Heart of the Matter” by Don Henley started playing.
“I got the call today, I didn't wanna hear
But I knew that it would come
An old true friend of ours was talkin' on the phone
She said you found someone
And I thought of all the bad luck,
And the struggles we went through
And how I lost me and you lost you…”
Although I wasn’t in the mood for such a sad song, I couldn’t find the will to skip it. After all, it was a really good song. So rather than hitting fast forward, I continued listening.
“…I'm learning to live without you now
But I miss you sometimes
The more I know, the less I understand
All the things I thought I knew, I'm learning again
I've been tryin' to get down to the heart of the matter
But my will gets weak
And my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore…”
Upon hearing the chorus, a light bulb went off in my head. I quickly reached into my bag and pulled out the crossword once again.
31 down. Mercy. 11 letters.
F-O-R-G-I-V-E-N-E-S-S.
With a satisfied smile, I filled it in.
Then just as I lifted my pencil, another light bulb went off.
Looking over at Alex, I realized that forgiveness was the answer to more than just a crossword puzzle.
+++++
There you have it: the FINAL CHAPTER of Lasting Impression.
Before you go all "OMG! WTF? That's how you're going to end it?!?!?!", there will be a SEQUEL.
Be patient though. I'm starting college on Monday, meaning that I won't have nearly as much free time as I do now.
Thank you thank you thank you for taking the time to read this.
I really appreciate it all of your support.
Q&A #18: What were your favorite parts of this story? What are your predictions for the sequel?
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