How I Love You (Zac Efron & A Non-Famous Girl)

Chapter-53

Grace waited almost 4 days in the airport.  She was in the same clothes for 4 days.  The airport was crowded.  Because of the rain, the networks were blocked. The airport management managed to supply enough power to the airport so that the passengers won't have to live in a dark airport. 
Grace layed her head on her bag and rest her body on the floor. She missed Zac so much.  She wanted to see him and hug him and kiss away his pain.  She hated herself for doing this to him. Tears made their way out of her eyes again. This time, the tears cried for his forgiveness.  She hoped he'd forgive her. 

Mark and Meg were at the hospital with Zac. Zac's parents had to go home to freshen up.
"So...what are you thinking, man?" asked Mark disturbing the Mr.Deep in thought, Zac.
"How could she do this to me?" asks Zac. He was heart broken.  He felt like his heart choked.  
"I gave her everything she wanted. I loved her. Why can't she understand that?" asks Zac furiously.
Mark didn't answer. 
"It's been 4 days.  She's off enjoying her holidays in India? She doesn't care... Why did I love her?  What was I thinking?  I should have snapped out of it the day she said 'you and I can't be together because I will harm you' yeah,right!  Bullshit! " spat Zac. He was mad at Grace. He hated her for her insensitivity.   he expected her to at least call him or visit him once but she didn't and he was upset and disappointed. 
"What was I thinking anyway?" asked Zac out loud. 
Meg and Mark just listened to him speak. He didn't really speak ever since Grace left, but now,  he's speaking. Meg and Mark didn't want to stop him. He had to let those buried emotions out. 
"I hope she found someone whom she can't 'harm'!" said Zac. He was irritated. 
"I have lived without love for 20 fucking 5 years.  I can live without Grace from now.  Yes,it will be difficult.  But I have to try.  I need to snap out of it. I'll just focus on my career " says Zac looking at the ground, making silent calculations about life in his mind.
"But, Zac...Grace h-" Mark was interrupted
"Grace does not exist to me anymore.  That chapter is closed.  She has moved on. So should I" says Zac.  His voice cracking and his eyes red. He was really hurt that Grace didn't care about him or at least call.  She didn't. Now,he doesn't want her to.
"So,that's it? You're moving on?" asks Meg in disbelief.
"I will, Meg. I need to erase Grace out of my life.... It's all over now " says Zac looking at Meg right in the eye. 

~~~~~~~~~2 days later~~~~~~~~~

The weather got a little better. It stopped raining and the sun came out. Grace got on the plane and flee back to The USA.  Her father received her at the airport. 
After a whole day of flying, Grace reached home.
They both were inside the car. Her dad was driving and she was sitting next to him.
Grace :How's Zac? 
Dad: He's good now.
Grace: Why did he cut himself? 
Dad: Grace....
Grace: Yeah, I knew that he did it because of me.
Dad:Grace, No. He doesn't want to see you.
Grace :Zac doesn't want to see me? Why? 
Dad: *silence *
Grace: how do you know? 
Dad: Meg...
Grace :How's Meg? 
Dad: Now, you want to know about Meg?
Grace: whoa!  Why are you mad at me? What did I do? 
Dad: WHAT DIDN'T YOU DO? YOU LEFT YOUR MOM,ME, MEG, ZAC AND EVERYTHING BEHIND AND LEFT TO INDIA TO HAVE A NEW LIFE THERE?  You haven't thought about once what or how any of us would react, did you? You're turning into this person I've never known.  Who are you? 
Grace :dad i-
Dad: betraying your friends, ditching your family, your life?  For what?  One guy? 
Grace :He's not some guy.  Yes, I've done all of this because I just couldn't deal with any of it. I loved all of you people and all of you loved me back and I cannot be thankful enough but him....he made me love myself.  He loves me. I love him. How hard it is for you guys to understand that?  I just... I love him,dad. I don't even know how to explain.
Dad: But he doesn't
Grace :what? 
Dad: He is trying to move on, Grace.... So should you.
Grace :dad stop the car.
Dad: Why?
Grace :just fuckin' stop the car.

He stops the car. Grace storms out of the car and opens her dad's car door. 
"He didn't really say he wanted to move on,did he? You're only saying that I can move on,right?  " asked Grace her voice shivering. 
"I wish what you asked was true " says Grace's dad.
"You can't be serious. So,what he just moved on? Just like that?  What about the promise he made me? This bracelet I've been wearing around no matter what... Is everything just over? " asks Grace crying out loud.
"I'm sorry Grace. But you needed to know the truth " says Grace's dad and pats her head. 
"I'm sorry you had to come all the way from India just to hear this " says Grace's dad.
"and Grace... It's not your fault he cut himself... " continued Grace's dad.
"Really? Then what is?" asked Grace
"Sometimes we get so caught up in emotions, we forget we have a life to live, reality to explore and people to smile with..." explained Grace's dad.
Grace was now sitting on the road,her back against the car with her dad.the road wasn't too crowded. It was almost deserted. 
"So,this is it..." says Grace breathing and wiping her tears.
"This is it...who knew? " smiled Grace's dad.
"I miss him,dad" said Grace, her throat lumping again with pain.
"I know, Sweety " said Grace's dad. 
"But he doesn't " says Grace and looked at the sky, with her red eyes, filled with hurt and her throat suffocating with pain caused by a crying heart. 
Her dad took Grace to their house and she met her mom. She hugged her and cried her heart out to her.
"Everything is going to be alright, Sweety " said Grace's mom. 
"I wish... " says Grace crying harder while hugging her mom.
Two days later Grace flew back to India. She didn't want to be in a place, where Zac didn't love her and moved on.
Priya received her at the airport after the long flight.  Priya drove and Grace sat next to her.
"So? What happened? " asks Priya wanting to know what actually happened. 
"Nothing. " says Grace looking outside the window.
"Nothing? Really? " asks Priya.
"He is moving on and apparently doesn't want to see me. Ever " says Grace trying to control her tears.
"I'm sorry, Grace.  Who knew, he'd actually do it?" said Priya quite shocked.
"I did.  I deserve this I guess. For breaking his heart. Leaving him like that. I deserve this pain " says Grace
"Don't beat yourself up. He's going to be alright.. And you will too"  says Priya trying to cheer up.
"I don't know about me...but yeah... I know that he'll be fine " says Grace softly.
Soon, Priya dropped Grace at her apartment in Nizampet. Grace opened her apartment's door and put her bag on the floor. She went inside her bedroom and started crying. This was the worst.  One thing she cared for and that one thing she left behind because of her own insecurities.

Crying is not the way out.
Sometimes, crying is a way of dealing.