Next Time There Won't Be A Next Time Novels & Stories

he says “No,” I agree My voice is quieter now But stronger Because I understand something I didn’t before This is not a battle I win once This is something that will keep coming back Again And again Until one of us finally breaks And as I look at the place where the darkness disappeared One thought settles deep in my chest Next time It won’t just reach for me It will come for everything And I don’t know if I will be strong enough to stop it But I do know one thing It won’t be waiting long

Not now. Not ever again.

" I couldn't blame Celeste for saying this. Ever since marrying Shane, I had gradually distanced myself from my former social circles. Whenever my friends asked me out, I would always say, "Next time." It's been a long time since I painted. An unfinished painting on my easel has gathered a thick layer of dust, and I haven't visited my favorite bookstore since getting married. I downed my drink in one gulp. "Yes. I can bear it now." Since they were able to leave me behind, I would do the same to them. At three in the morning, I went home, smelling heavily of alcohol.

into the wooden beam inside, underlining it with a single, firm word: Always. “From today on, Elena, this treehouse is our secret base. My heart will be exactly like this place—forever open only to you.” “Really? Then you have to promise there will never be anyone else.” “I promise.” Suddenly, a hand gripped my shoulder from behind. I turned my head. Marco was looking down at me, his eyes carrying that familiar warmth. For a split second, I felt a wave of disorientation. "Why did you just walk off by yourself? We agreed to go to Paris next week. You've lost quite a bit of weight recently; your measurements will definitely need to be retaken."

"You used to do it too." I turn around then, because I need him to see my face when I say the next part. "Don't do that. Don't reach back and pull things out of before. We're not before. We're now. This is now and this is what it is and there is no room in it for nostalgia." He looks at me for a long moment. "Okay," he says. He means it. I can tell he means it and somehow that doesn't help. "Same time tomorrow," I say. "Seven AM."

Not this time. To Be Continued

What on earth is going on,why couldn't he always have his way with her before she disappears again? The last time she disappeared, she went missing for a few years. If she takes that decision again, she might be gone for a decade this time. And she would return with a different gender and identity this time. She disappeared as Isabella Manor and returned as Fiona Johnson. Now that she disappeared as Fiona Johnson, she might return as Williams Stone. The thing that interests her to disappear and reappear, he just don't know. But then, a message popped up on Jeniva's phone. He glanced at it and looked away. But maybe impulse,he took the phone and read the sentence “Almost,but hard to penetrate

This time, I don’t break. This time, they will.

"Want me to give you a call? So that you can, you know, kiss and may be make up as well?" "We are over." "Hard to believe."

"This is Mike’s time. He’s about to finish his journey." Tears welled up in Charlene’s eyes. "Why can’t I just be happy?" Her voice cracked with emotion. "All I want is to spend more time with Mike! Why can’t I have this?" ReNew’s expression softened. "This isn’t real, Charlene. Mike’s time here is short. You have a greater purpose—remember that." Charlene shook her head, unable to comprehend. Her eyes were like pools of black, tears streaming down her face. "You’re trying to stop my happiness. I just want to be with him…"