This chapter is dedicated to one of my favourite authors on wattpad! Guys, I kid you not, check out her paper weight series and you'll DIE with love for Nico and Zoe!! ❤❤❤
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Voicemail of 7th April' 2015

09:27 a.m.

"Good morning, Emma."

He slurped something and then gulped it down.

"Ah, the wonders a finely made black tea can do for you. Fancy some?

"Actually, never mind love. I just remembered you prefer hot chocolate to tea."

I rolled my eyes, and he chuckled.

"A steaming cup of hot chocolate with frosted cream and cinnamon, correct? A rather odd choice, I always used to tell you."

My eyes went wide and my face heated up to about a hundred degree Celsius. 'A very special and beautiful girl I used to know liked her hot chocolate this way. So, I thought you'd like it too.' he had said to me earlier today.

I covered my face, internally screaming at the blush to fade at least a single shade, but the action only lit me up further. That blasted, sneaky arse of a man had been calling me beautiful to my face! To my face!

"And you always scrunched up your nose in disgust and mock horror at me while cradling your cup of cocoa like a baby.

"Hmm... such good old days,"

I smiled sadly then, pitying myself for not remembering one single thing about our assumingly perfect and happy life.

"But more to come of those in the future, I'm sure!"

Silence filled the speaker and I took the time to compose my flustered self. I didn't even know him, and yet such small and subtle actions on his part held the power to curl my toes and burn me up to the darkest shades of red.

"Anyways, you know I wasn't fooling around when I said Richard and Amentia had chosen the perfect place to send you. I mean, I'm standing here and at this time the weather is a bit cloudy. It's not dreary-cloudy though, no it's more like a happy-sappy kind of cloudy day.

"Every now and then the sun peeks through and bathes everything with a few shy rays. Then the wind is blowing lightly and it's not too cold, neither too warm; in fact, this reminds me so much of home, you know? Our home,

"You always used to love these kind of days and you'd force me to go out and walk around the city with you. We'll stroll past parks and shops and eat random stuff from the vendors. Whenever the wind would pick up speed, you'd cuddle into me almost involuntarily and I'd smile down at your oblivious self."

He laughed that warm and melodious laugh again, warming up my insides to a much more pleasurable temperature.

"God you're so cute!

"And you used to call me an 'amazing/adorable dork'. Me. Like, did you even notice your own self? How ridiculously and yet marvellously alluring-"

"Uh excuse me, but where do you want this?"

"Oh uh... just put it up that wall, if you would?

"Yes, yes right there. Thank you."

I bit my lip and knit my brows in confusion. Who was he talking to?

Nonetheless though, I was more than grateful for the intrusion. His words were lighting me up on fire and I was sure that by now I must've been looking like a ripe tomato!

Simultaneously though, his words were also tearing me apart, piece by piece. I couldn't help but envy myself from before the accident - how soddingly perfect everything was for me then, until it wasn't.

"Oh sorry, love. I forgot to tell you."

He cleared his throat and I sat up a little straight - an involuntary action on my part from already having received so many bad news from him.

"I'm moving to Lincoln!

That's right, Ems. I'll permanently now be staying near you."

With a barely distinguishable aura of menace, he breathily laughed a little.

"Quite near you, actually. You see, Ems, I already knew where you lived. So I figured the only sensible thing for me to do would be to live somewhere nearby.

"And so here I am: in my new cosy two-bedroom flat, which so happens to be situated just a block away from your compound!"

He announced cheerily.

Wow, I thought to myself. Only one block away and it had taken me about a year to just notice him. Wow.

"Hence it'll be easy for me to follow you around all the time and to be in your vision one way or the other.

"God that sounded better in my head. I swear I haven't turned into some creepy wanker, Ems; just a little love-sick husband who's going to tail your arse like a homeless person."

I scoffed, yeah like the latter sounds any better.

Still, it both amused and terrified me to think how often Mathew had actually been around. Was I really that oblivious? I must have been for not to have seen him.

Just then another thought occurred to me - Maybe everyday, for about one whole year, he left his house in the mornings, in hopes that maybe that day his wife would notice him and his time in isolation and yearning would end.

And I didn't, I didn't notice him.

I took in a shaky breath, not really wanting to start feeling the immense burden that was on its way to crush my lungs. Suddenly I didn't feel like listening to any more of his voicemails, knowing that now onward they'll only bring forth defeat and despair.

"That being said, I'd better now go and pay the moving men.

You keep on the watch out, love. Because I'll be there, somewhere in the background, but always there, waiting for you.

Love you, Ems."
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Lyrics of song "Vanilla twilight" by Owl City:

The stars lean down to kiss you
And I lie awake and miss you
Pour me a heavy dose of atmosphere
'Cause I'll doze off safe and soundly
But I'll miss your arms around me
I'd send a postcard to you, dear
'Cause I wish you were here

I'll watch the night turn light blue
But it's not the same without you
Because it takes two to whisper quietly
The silence isn't so bad
'Till I look at my hands and feel sad
'Cause the spaces between my fingers
Are right where yours fit perfectly

I'll find repose in new ways
Though I haven't slept in two days
'Cause cold nostalgia chills me to the bone
But drenched in vanilla twilight
I'll sit on the front porch all night
Waist deep in thought because when
I think of you I don't feel so alone

I don't feel so alone
I don't feel so alone

As many times as I blink
I'll think of you tonight
(Tonight, tonight, tonight...)

I'll think of you tonight

When violet eyes get brighter
And heavy wings grow lighter
I'll taste the sky and feel alive again
And I'll forget the world that I knew
But I swear I won't forget you
Oh if my voice could reach back through the past
I'd whisper in your ear:
"Oh darling, I wish you were here"
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GUYS! OH MY GOD! THE STORY REACHED NUMBER 973 IN SHORT STORY LIST AND I CAN'T DESCRIBE HOW ECSTATIC I AM BECAUSE OF THIS!! YOU SEE, I HAVEN'T EVER REACHED ANY NUMBER IN THE LISTS AND SO THIS... THIS IS A BIG DEAL FOR ME! I CAN'T FIND WORDS TO THANK YOU ALL! LIKE... GOD I JUST REALLY REALLY REALLY LOVE EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE YOU AMAZING BEINGS!! ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

VOTE, COMMENT AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, SHARE THIS STORY WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY!! :D

MUCH LOVE FROM THE INFINITE BOTTOM OF MY HEART,
-zainab