All Chapters of I Watched Our Future End in the Sunset: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Hannah's POVThe wind from the lake swept right through my clothes as I walked back to the hotel.After noticing how terrible I looked, the receptionist brought over a thermometer. I was burning up at 102.9 degrees Fahrenheit.She was startled. "Where are your friends? Why did they let you come back alone?"I braced against the reception desk, my voice hoarse. "They are still enjoying the view."I heard Andy Hall, my boyfriend's friend, laughing outside the door shortly after I took the fever medication.He gushed, "That shot is amazing. The sunset makes it look so good."The door opened, and my boyfriend, Jacob Pratt, came in. He stopped when he saw me sitting on the edge of the bed. "You went to the lake?"I didn't answer.Jacob glanced at my dirty, sand-caked shoes, his voice cold. "I told you to stay in bed, right? What were you doing outside? Trying to get yourself sent to the hospital?"My so-called best friend, Susie Kinsella, followed behind him, wearing his jacket. S

Strong winds blew across Crescent Lake that night. The road around the lake was closed. Whatever we were supposed to do the next day had to be canceled.Jacob moved his laptop into the living room. "Since we can't leave, let's figure out what we're doing after graduation."He opened up his business plan along with the apartment floor plan. "The landlord is bugging me about the lease. Let's sign it when we get back and move in. No more waiting around."Susie reached over and took the laptop before I could. She started going through the floor plan like she was the one moving in."The living room looks plain with all that natural wood. A cream-colored style would look better in photos. And this second bedroom gets the best light. We should use it for livestreaming."Jacob nodded. "Sure, change it however you like."I looked at Susie. "That's the apartment Jacob and I rented. Why should we decorate it based on what you like?"Susie seemed to realize she'd said too much and quickly e

Third-Person POVJacob and the others returned to the hotel at noon. They eventually found Susie's bracelet stuck in a crack in the pavement by the parking lot.Now that Susie had it back, her mood brightened up, and she clung to Jacob's arm the whole way back."I'm so glad you stayed to search for it with me, or I would've freaked out."Jacob wiped the dust off the bracelet for her. He said gently, "Be more careful next time."Andy joked, "It's just a bracelet. If you lose it, Jacob can always buy you another one."They walked into the lobby, joking around. Jacob instinctively glanced over at where Hannah had been standing earlier. The bench was empty. There was only a SIM card that had been blown into a corner by the wind.He stopped in his tracks. "Where's Hannah?"The receptionist looked up. "She already checked out.""When?""Over an hour ago. She left with the man who came to pick her up. She took all her luggage too."Andy laughed. "She really took off? She canceled t

Third-Person POVA week later, graduation went ahead as planned. Jacob got there early and sat in the third row. He kept checking the entrance every few minutes.Hannah had told him before that graduation was one of the most important milestones in life. No matter what, she'd show up to take graduation photos.So Jacob was dead sure she'd turn up. He even had the apartment key in his pocket.Jacob had already made up his mind. If Hannah apologized first, he'd give her the key back. As for what happened at Crescent Lake, he was willing to let it go a little too.He just wouldn't be so nice to Susie in front of Hannah anymore. At least, he'd make sure she didn't see it.But the ceremony started, and Hannah's seat remained empty. When the faculty member took attendance, he skipped Hannah's name.Jacob couldn't sit still anymore. "Where's Hannah?"The faculty member looked at him, confused. "She didn't tell you? She's not allowed to leave halfway through the project. She already ap

Third-Person POVJacob emailed Hannah almost every day for the next six months. At first, he held onto that laughable pride of his."When does your project end?""We'll talk when you get back.""You're still a part of our team."Hannah never replied to him.A month later, the startup completely collapsed. Equipment and rent costs doubled, two projects fell through, investors pulled out, and the partners wanted to leave.Andy blamed everything on Jacob. The two of them had a huge argument at the studio and ended up getting physical.Before storming out, Andy snapped at Jacob, "Why are you acting so devoted now? You told me not to bother with Hannah even when she had a high fever. You're the one who tricked her when we went to Crescent Lake. You said it didn't matter as long as you kept your promise."Now that she doesn't want you anymore, you're finally panicking?"Jacob stood there in the middle of the mess, unable to say a word in his defense.Susie stayed by his side throu