The room was quieter than it had ever been.
Nicholas stood beside his bed, finishing the last part of his packing.
Everything was already in place—clothes folded, documents arranged, bag zipped.
All that was left was time.
Time he no longer had much of.
He paused for a moment, looking around the room like he was trying to remember what it felt like to belong somewhere.
A knock came at the door.
Before he could respond, Jackson walked in.
"You're really doing this," Jackson said, half statement, half disbelief.
Nicholas didn't look up immediately.
"I already did," he replied quietly.
Jackson stepped inside, eyes scanning the packed bags.
"This is different from what I thought you'd look like before leaving," Jackson added.
Nicholas gave a faint exhale.
"What did you expect?"
Jackson shrugged slightly. "I don't know. Less… quiet."
That made Nicholas pause.
Because quiet was exactly what he had become.
Not empty.
Just… different.
"I'll walk with you," Jackson said after a moment.
Nicholas nodded once.
"Yeah."
No hesitation.
No delay.
Just acceptance.
They walked in silence for most of the way.
The campus looked the same.
But it didn't feel the same anymore.
People passed them without knowing.
Without understanding that something was ending in real time.
Jackson glanced at him once.
"You didn't even tell her properly," he said.
Nicholas didn't react immediately.
Then quietly—
"I tried."
Jackson raised a brow. "That's it?"
Nicholas looked ahead.
"I don't think I know how to say goodbye to her properly," he admitted.
That was the truth.
Not fear.
Not avoidance.
Just truth.
Jackson didn't respond after that.
Because there wasn't anything to argue with.
Ava lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling.
Lila sat nearby, scrolling through her phone.
The room was quiet—but not peaceful.
Ava had been like that all morning.
Still.
But not calm.
Lila noticed.
"You've been quiet since morning," she said.
Ava didn't respond immediately.
Then softly—
"I think something is happening."
Lila looked up. "With what?"
A pause.
Ava turned slightly.
"With him."
That made Lila sit up a bit more.
"Nicholas?"
Ava nodded once.
There was silence again.
Then Lila spoke carefully.
"I heard he's leaving today."
Ava blinked.
For a second, nothing processed.
Then—
"What?" she sat up slightly.
Lila frowned. "Wait… you didn't know?"
That was all it took.
Ava froze.
Because she didn't just not know.
She was the only one who didn't know.
Everyone knew.
Everyone except her.
Her fingers tightened slightly on the bedsheet.
"Where is he now?" she asked quietly.
Lila: I don't know but he must still be at the campus.
That was enough.
Ava stood up immediately, and rushed out asking questions of his whereabouts, till someone told her he just saw him at the field with jackson.
She ran off immediately
No hesitation now.
No confusion.
Just certainty
Not doubt.
Not confusion.
Clarity.
And clarity moves faster than fear.
Nicholas and Jackson were already at the field when Jackson slowed his steps.
"You should know," Jackson said quietly.
Nicholas frowned slightly. "Know what?"
Jackson nodded ahead.
Nicholas turned.
And saw her.
Ava.
Standing at the edge of the field.
Breathing slightly uneven.
But not unsure.
Not lost.
Just… certain.
Jackson gave Nicholas a look.
"I'll give you space," he said quietly, stepping back.
And then—
it was just Nicholas and Ava again.
Like everything had been leading them back here.
Nicholas didn't move at first.
Neither did Ava.
The wind passed between them.
But neither of them broke eye contact.
And then Ava walked forward.
Slowly.
But without hesitation.
Nicholas watched her every step.
Not surprised.
Not confused.
Just… present.
The Final Distance
When she stopped in front of him, there was no anger in her expression.
No confusion.
Only truth.
"You were going to leave," she said quietly.
Nicholas didn't deny it.
"Yes," he replied.
A pause.
Then softer—
"Today."
That word landed heavily.
Ava nodded slightly.
"I found out late," she said.
Nicholas looked down briefly.
"I was going to tell you," he said.
Ava shook her head slightly.
"I know."
Then—
"I just didn't want to hear it from anyone but you." and
I hated how it ended ,she admitted softly.Not just because of what you did... but because what we were befor that
Ava stepped closer.
This time, she didn't stop halfway.
She closed the distance completely.
Nicholas didn't move away.
Didn't rush her.
Just stayed still.
Listening.
Waiting.
"I came because I couldn't let you leave without this," she said softly.
Nicholas's voice lowered.
"Ava…"
But she didn't stop.
"I tried to stay angry," she admitted. "I really did."
A breath.
"But it stopped making sense."
Nicholas watched her carefully.
Ava looked up at him properly.
"I don't want perfect," she said. "I don't want easy."
A pause.
"I just want something real."
Her voice softened.
"And you are real to me."
That was the moment everything changed.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
Just deeply.
Nicholas exhaled slowly.
Like something inside him had finally stopped resisting.
"You make it very hard to leave," he said quietly.
Ava shook her head slightly.
"I'm not trying to stop you," she replied.
Then softer—
"I just needed you to know what you mean to me."
That was it.
No games.
No confusion.
Just truth.
Nicholas stepped forward.
Carefully.
Slowly.
Like he was afraid the moment might disappear if he rushed it.
Ava didn't move away.
She met him halfway.
And when he kissed her—
it wasn't uncertain.
It wasn't rushed.
It was everything they had held back finally finding a place to exist.
When they pulled apart, their foreheads rested together.
Breathing uneven.
Close.
Real.
Nicholas closed his eyes briefly.
Then opened them again.
"I love you," he said quietly.
No hesitation.
No fear.
Just truth.
Eva said I have loved you since the first time we met.
The wind moved gently across the field.
But neither of them felt distance anymore.
Because for the first time—
nothing was left unsaid.
Only what came next.
The End.