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"When my world is falling apart, when there's no light to break up the dark, that's when I look at you." - Miley Cyrus

*2 years later*

The world adapted to something new without the presence of Ian Miller. In my eyes, it always seems to have a glint of gloom, no matter which way I turn. There'd always be a section of darkness with no Ian to light it up.

I grew accustomed to the change eventually.

My therapist promised me for months that the world would go on, but I had a hard time believing her. It was hard to believe, until one day, it just happened.

I was simply hanging out with Mason in my apartment that I owned on my lonesome, because Kaila moved out to live with Edie, and we suddenly weren't just hanging out anymore.

We kissed.

And despite the overpowering feeling of guilt I felt for kissing Ian's best friend, I did enjoy it. So did he.

That was nine months ago.

Mason and I grew much closer after we lost Ian. Our pains were similar and we leaned on each other for emotional support. Eventually, something just shifted. It was the world finally going on.

Mason and I kissed for the first time 14 months and 11 days after Ian died. We didn't talk to each other for 4 days after that because we were so guilt ridden. 14 months and 17 days after Ian died, Mason and I went on our first date.

He took me to a nice restaurant outside of Miami, and we spent hours talking to each other about anything and everything. I thought I knew Mason pretty well before, but I realized that day that there was still so much to know.

15 months and 5 days after Ian died, Mason and I started dating with the title included. I sat by Ian's grave and cried almost all night after we put a title to our relationship.

It took me so long to even consider going on a date with Joel, a complete stranger to Ian at the time, when he was overseas. Yet, it only took just over a year for me to move on to his best friend after he passed away. I felt like a shitty person, to say the least.

Hayden had shocked me by showing up to the grave that night. He promised me that Ian would be happy to see me with Mason since we were two of his favorite people on this planet. I try to keep that thought in my head as often as I can.

It's been 9 months and 23 days since Mason and I started dating and 2 years and 28 days since Ian died.

He still crosses my mind every single day.

A lot has changed in the world around me in the past two years. Ian's family, Hayden and Penelope included, moved home because they couldn't stand living a thousand miles away from where their son and brother was buried. Kaila was fully public with her relationship with Edie and has not worked at Westchester in almost an entire year. Mason has been doing tons of business around Westchester with Mr. W and Caroline, specifically including the hotels that are being built at the end of August. Noah and Andrea finally got married only 3 months ago. Anthony has found himself in his longest relationship yet: 10 months. Joel got drafted to play in the NFL on the New York Jets this season.

Then there's me: I still work once a week at Westchester when I'm not working at a small counseling center for the troubled youth. I have found myself in a committed relationship with Ian's best friend whom I had never looked at in more than a friend way until last year. I lived by myself for about two months before I moved in with Mason; however, I did spend a lot of nights with Mason, Anthony, or Kaila. I avoided being alone at all costs.

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