Happy Valentine's Day everyone :) here is the last chapter of Forgetting Us

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Stepping back into the airport, I felt a little confined. I had tried to avoid this place by taking couches to and from my university and joining my family holiday flying straight from the airport near my university. But now I am going to New York, there was no way to avoid this airport.

I had managed to convince my mum not to come with me. I needed to do this on my own. To leave my home town behind, and to face my past at a place that had been the scene of the event that had haunt me for years. I couldn't run away forever. I needed a fresh start, a clean slate, and I couldn't do that with Leo's memories still restraining me.

I managed to make it through so far without any incidents. Sitting down on the waiting area in the departure gate I breathed a sigh of relieved. The TV was on and with a start I realised they were interviewing Leo, who had a beautiful blonde next to him.

“So Mr. Hartmann, we heard you are staring as a love struck teenage couple in the next movie, this is quite a change from your usual role as the bad boy, how are you planning on tackling it?” the reporter asked, my chest tightened. Love struck teenage couple. Us.

I could see that Leo's eyes went unfocused at the question. My heart melted at the sight of him. He looked exactly like he did when he left me behind in the airport four years ago. Still as handsome. But he was no longer the boy I fell in love with.

“Actually, I was once a love-struck teenager in love with the most beautiful girl I ever known.” Leo said; surprising the reporter and the blonde beside him, who squirmed away from him uncomfortable as he said that.

“Wow, a secret romance that we didn't know?” the reporter was obviously overjoy at this piece of news. Leo had never mentioned me or our relationship to the public at all since he become famous. No one outside people from our high school knows about us. And none of them talked. I wasn’t sure if it out of mercy for my feelings or an unspoken agreement from Leo himself.

“It was in high school, before I came to Hollywood.” Leo replied, smiling as if remembering something pleasant. I smiled too. I thought he had forgotten.

“What is her name? How long did you two dated for? Are you still seeing her now? How did you two break up? Was it because you became a super star?” the reporter fired questions at Leo excitedly, not wanting to miss a single juicy detail.

“Her name is Ashley. We dated for seven months. And no, I am not seeing her now. I haven't seen her since I left.” Leo said after a while of silence, I thought he wasn't going to answer that. It was sad how my spine still tingles when I hear him say my name.

“How did you two break up? Do you have something to say to her? She might be watching right now?” the reporter said, pushing the microphone right under Leo's chin. My heart skipped a beat, I was watching. And I wondered if Leo actually had something to say to me. I could see he hesitated for a while, but then he let go of the blonde and spoke.

“I was caught up in the glamor of Hollywood.” Leo said, looking straight at the camera with a serious face. “I forgot all about her, I knew she was upset about me leaving and part of me didn't want to deal with the drama of it. And when I came to my senses, it was too late. I just want you to know that I am sorry Ashley. I am sorry that I didn't keep my promise. I am sorry that I didn't come back. I am sorry that you were right about everything. And I wanted you to know that you deserve better.”

For the thousandth times in the past few days, tears burst through my eyes as I watched Leo talking to me on TV. Four years, this apology was four years too late. This break up scene was four years too late. I could feel a weight lifting off my chest. I had been waiting for too long for this closure. Finally, the biggest loose end in my life was tied up.

The interview got quickly cut after Leo's speech. No doubt they wanted to interrogate him for more details and put it up later when more people have seen this and the interest has peaked.

Wiping the tears off my face, I went to the bathroom to quickly wash my face. I laughed when I saw myself in the mirror. I looked like a red puffy panda. The water reduced the redness but it was evident that I had cried.

“You deserve better.” I whispered to my reflection and smiled. What Leo said could just be a publicity stunt designed by his manager to boost his publicity. Imagine the headlines tomorrow – Leo Hartmann, a secret sweetheart confessing to his high school girlfriend.That would make all his girl fans go crazy, and the interest of the movie will go up.

The announcement blasted overhead informing me that it was time to board the plane. I quickly grabbed my hand luggage and walked towards the gate exit.

It was a brilliant sunny day, the ground was wet and I could smell the freshness of pavement after rain as I walked towards the plane, just like the day he left. The sky was a cloudless blue. I smiled at the sky and in my heart I knew that no matter what, he wouldn't come back. He wouldn't change his mind. This wasn't a fairy tale. What we had was real, but what's more real is the world. His interview had brought me the closure that I needed, and now all I had to do is to let go of him. To let go of us.

I needed to put all my memories in a box and put in it the corner of my mind to treasure, like what I did with the things he gave me. And it will be a long time before I can look back at them without pain.

For now. I just needed to forget him like he had with me.

And forget us.

well I wish you all a fantastic Valentine's Day, and if you want a sequeal to this you know what to do ;) comment and vote!