Then You Are Gone

f o u r t e e n

NOVEMBER 26, 2016
11:11 PM

I can't believe what I've read. I didn't expect that plot twist coming. I need a chapter break.

hey, hannah. good evening too.

What's this? Lander, after all these damn times, Lander was her dead boyfriend? Goodness. I'm sick. I'm done.

you didn't read on?

No, I can't read it anymore.

you will never understand his reasons until you read on. it's worth it.

I'm outside right now. I need cool air.

you should get the book with you and read it.

No, thanks. I'm quite comfortable where I am.

where are you?

Lying on the grass, watching the stars.

isn't it cold outside?

I have a jacket. Can you just tell me what happened next?

you want me to tell you the rest of the story?

Yeah, that's what I said.

i'm warning you, i'm a terrible story teller.

where did you stop reading?

At the point where Lily felt like being nosy and read the manuscript of Lander's life and ran out of the house and Lander chased her begging her to read the whole manuscript so basically I stopped at the point where Lander tried to shove the rest of the manuscript in the taxi she hailed.

grammar wise, that's the longest run-on sentence i've ever read.

Did you just call me illiterate?

what? no. i was kidding.

You better be.

i was kidding. what's up? you sound distressed.

Okay, okay. I'm just having a bad day.

want to talk about it?

No. Just tell me the rest of the story.

okay, this might take long.

a year after that, lander mailed the whole manuscript to her, begging her to at least read it. she didn't read it right away. couldn't blame her. she was traumatized by the old version lander. damn.

but after a few days, her dad talked to her and told her to read the manuscript. he confessed that he had something to do with it, and asked her to read it, and they will talk about it.

so it turns out lander is actually her abusive boyfriend. he suffered physical abuse under his father. when he became a teen, he started showing terrible anger issues. poor lily was the first and last person that he hit, before he "died".

lander went to therapy and tried to change himself by containing his rage and hate. lander changed. he was guilty about what he did to lily and wanted to make everything up. so when he accidentally crossed paths with lily, he tried to get close to her, hoping that someday she will forgive him for what he did.

the ending? i can't tell you. you have to read the whole book to read it.

Point well made, Mr. Kessler.

This-keeping-the-truth-from-her part is unforgivable. Please tell me she didn't forgive him.

i know.

i can't tell you.

Well, thank you for recommending that book. I love the story. I love how it's written, and I love the plot. I had doubts at first. I'll probably read it again one day.

Somehow, I can relate to Lily-Donovan father-daughter relationship.

why? are your parents divorced?

Yes. Can we talk about something else?

like what?

Something random

your name is a palindrome. hannah, when spelled backwards, is still hannah.

Took you long enough to realize .

Spell Atlanta backwards, it's a palindrome too.

you sadly got me there. i actually spelled it backwards.

You're the first person to point out that my name is a palindrome.

you should have expected it will be me, the smart one, who will point it out first.

Hurricane, Paris. Hurricane. Tone it down, you might blow me away.

humor me, hannah

your turn. tell me a random thing.

I got a childhood friend. Whenever our parents refuse to let us out to play outside, we would go to our room and knock on our windows.

why?

I don't know, some sort of communication system, maybe? We would just answer each other with a knock.

Your turn.

when i was twelve, i tried, for the first time, climbing a tree. i fell and almost broke my leg. i never climbed a tree again.

Why did you climb the tree?

because i wanted to. i earned a huge bruise on my arm.

Speaking of bruises. Paris, this thing has been bothering me for days now. Mind if I ask you a question?

fire away.

Do you know why Ian has bruises?

bruises? what do you mean?

I saw him in a cafe this afternoon, and he got something on his face and I'm pretty sure it's a bruise.

oh that. we were skateboarding this tuesday and ian sucks at skateboarding

I don't believe you.

Months ago, he got bruises and cuts too. I saw it.

Paris, tell me.

Paris?

jeez, give my carrot a minute to pee okay?

we were riding a bike. ian sucks when it comes to balancing and stuffs

Stop making excuses, Paris.

i'm not making excuses, hannah. i thought you hate him?

I don't know anymore, Paris.

I think I should just get some rest. Good mornight.

okay, hannah. mornight.