If I Stay 2 Novels & Stories

I did not return to headquarters. So, when Nolan gave up going home for the holidays and showed up with bags of ingredients, hoping to spend it with me, he waited until the food spoiled. I never came. All he received was a message. I had left for another city, one no one knew, to join an exchange program. In my second month away, the day before April Fools' Day, I got a call from an unknown number. "Whitney… do you really not want to see me that much? You left without even saying goodbye. Do you know I waited for you for seven days?

Maybe I thought I could hold the word in if I just kept still and counted to three and reminded myself of everything I’d already decided. I got to one. “Stay.” It came out too quiet. I heard how it sounded like something cracking down the middle and so I said it again. “Stay.” He exhaled. I felt it more than heard it. His hand didn’t move from my chin. “Evelyn.” “Don’t.” I opened my eyes. “Don’t say my name like that and don’t explain anything to me right now. I know what I said. I know what I told you two days ago and I know what makes sense and I’m asking you to stay anyway.”

If you stay. - I'll stay. - I replied, unable to let him finish the sentence for fear that it was all a good dream that would escape me in a shock of reality. - What? - He looked at me incredulously. - I'll stay, Damien. - I touched his jaw affectionately. - I only have one condition. - What is it, Darling? - That you be honest with me when you realize that this has to end, as it is now. Let's not be dishonest with each other. Let's not make false promises.

I think I should leave rather than staying and getting tempted . " I'll leave in a minute . " I replied and she kept on watching me intently without saying anything more. I got up eventually and walked towards where she was . If there was one thing I never want to do ,then it would be playing with her feelings . I do agree I want her to want me but not in a way that she gets to feel sad about it because I do not reciprocate . Staying here is going to make her feel worse so I think it's best if I leave . " Goodnight ." I said and leaned down to kiss her temple .

I was done messing up. I closed the book gently and whispered into the empty room… “I’ll stay. Always. No matter what.” Then I added again, voice stronger but simple… “You opened your door to me. So I’ll guard it with my life.” No matter what storms assemble. No matter what wars knock. No matter who undresses in his office again. I wasn’t running anymore. I was staying. And staying doesn’t need complex grammar. It just needs a body that refuses eviction from a heart that already signed the lease in blood.

"Are you sure you want to stay here?" Sally smiled gently and nodded. "I need some time for myself to process everything that's happened. I think staying here might help.” Anxiety gripped me. "But what about us? We need you too." She gave me a reassuring smile. "Lana, you have Cameron, and you’re strong. You’ll manage without me for a while. Besides, it's not like I'm disappearing. I will be back; just a few more days or a week to get over everything and set my head straight."

"Getting away. Getting free. But it's not. The hardest part is learning to stay." Sarah nodded, her gaze on the horizon. "The staying is the practice. The daily choosing. I didn't know that before. I thought the storm was the enemy. But the real enemy is the part of you that says you can't stay, that it won't last, that you don't deserve it." Maya stopped, turning to face the sea. "What do you say to it now?" Sarah was silent for a long time. Then she said, "I say, 'I'm staying anyway.' I say, 'I'll risk it.' I say, 'The roof will leak, but I'll patch it.'"

- she asked as she wiped the corner of her lips. -Yes, I need to stay two more days here. -I said calmly. -Did something go wrong where you went today? -No, but I have to wait for the information, and I can't leave before that. It's just two days, and I was wondering if... -If we could stay. - she interrupted quickly. -Exactly. -If it's really necessary, we'll stay. But we are going to arrive in New York at the same time as Christopher. - she said with a weak smile.

I have to make sure we don’t end up in the same position we found ourselves two years ago. Song I listened to: Stay (Jeff Satur)

“Because you are mine… and I am yours.” Silence. Then it was my turn. I inhaled shakily. Say it. Just say it. “I…” My voice faltered, then steadied. “I don’t have perfect words.” A few soft chuckles echoed in the distance. “But I know this,” I continued, holding his gaze. “I love you.” There it was. It is simple. It is terrifying but it was real. “I’ll stay,” I said quietly. “Not because I have to… but because I want to. In this lifetime… I’ll stay by your side.”