By The Time They Missed Me I Was Gone Novels & Stories

What if I had missed him? No, no, no, no! I shook my head as my eyes darted from place to place, trying to find him. I ran towards the counter. "Please as the eleven o'clock flight taken off?" I asked the brunette woman. "Yes, they left five minutes ago." She answered and my heart plummeted to my stomach. "Oh no!” I cried as I backed away from the counter, my heart breaking as I did. He was gone… He was fuckin gone… I sank to the ground, my legs giving out on me instantly.

And I'm leaving tomorrow, what do you say When I'm gone When I'm gone You're gonna miss me when I'm gone You're gonna miss me by my hair You're gonna miss me everywhere, oh You're gonna miss me when I'm gone I got my ticket for the long way round The one with the prettiest of views It's got mountains It's got rivers It's got sights to give you shivers But it sure would be prettier with you When I'm gone When I'm gone You're gonna miss me when I'm gone You're gonna miss me by my walk You're gonna miss me by my talk, oh You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.” Just as the song finished, someone flicked the wall lamps on; the sudden bright light caused my eyes to squint at the glare and I turned to

Connor would rot away the rest of his blind life in prison. I knew I had only moments left before I had to leave him, so I whispered in his ear, "I hope that in my next life, I will never meet someone like you again." I watched as a tear slid down his cheek. Perhaps he had heard me or could sense my presence somehow. No matter. None of that mattered anymore. I could finally move on.

I'd gotten stronger since walking away from him. His words didn't shake me—I knew they weren't true. I wasn't scared anymore. But the next day, Mia was gone. Philip had mentioned he'd be tied up and I should grab Mia myself. I left early, waited outside the school. One by one, kids poured out. The gatekeeper started locking up. Still no Mia. Panic hit me like a truck. Just then, her teacher stepped out and I rushed over. "Ms. Turpin, have you seen Mia? She never came out."

"Enough! We're heading to brunch. You're all sweaty and gross, so don't bother tagging along." Mom was already in the car, calling out from a distance. "Hurry up! That place doesn't hold reservations. We're going to be late!" I stood there, watching them drive away without me. They treated me like an outsider, but that was fine. The country still needed me, and my team still believed in me. If they did not want me anymore, I would fulfill their wishes.

I stood there alone, feeling my connection to Hannah fading fast. As I fell and my consciousness blurred, the last thing I saw was his decisive retreating figure.

It felt like a joke. If kindness got crushed and hard work only earned suspicion— Then someone else could deal with this thankless mess from now on. *** My closure notice blew up both group chats. The pickup station chat went completely insane. [What happened? Why'd it close?] [@Annie, what's going on? Why shut it down all of a sudden?] [My package is still in there! Do I seriously have to grab it tonight?] [So where are deliveries supposed to go now? This is ridiculous.]

Like I was torturing myself, I studied every photo, every record, every trace. I looked at the pictures of him holding Hannah, smiling so warmly that his eyes curved. I looked at all the trips he had no time to take with me, but somehow had time to take with her. I cried until there was nothing left in me, then soaked myself in the bathtub. It felt as if all the drive that had held me up for years suddenly collapsed. Then the ringtone I had set only for calls from Hollow Creek began to ring. The community chair's anxious voice came through.

“Wha⁠‍t?” “Your laugh.” My⁠ smile faded sligh‌tly​. ‌ “I‌​ misse⁠d‌ yo‍u to⁠o.” ‌ He looke​d at m‍e.‍ “‍I missed you‌ ev‍er‍y se⁠c⁠⁠ond.”‍ The ro​om beca⁠me peace​ful. Fo‍r the fi​rst t‍ime‌, there was no c​o​m​pan‌y crisi⁠s.‍⁠

Undoubtedly, I still loved him. He lifted his head slowly, his thumb brushing once over my skin before he let go. His gaze lingered on my face, searching, aching. “I miss you, Ariana.” The words hit me harder than any blow. I blinked, my breath hitching. “What?” He exhaled shakily, as if he hadn’t meant to say it out loud. “I do. I’ve missed you every day you were gone.” Gone. I stepped back, forcing distance between us. My chest felt too tight, my thoughts too loud.