Forever it will be us

Part four

When Distance Arrived

Life, however, had its own plans waiting for them. Adrian received a major job opportunity in London, and although it was everything he had worked toward for years, the excitement in his voice disappeared every time he looked at Serena. Neither of them wanted to say the truth out loud because speaking it made it real: things were about to change. The night before Adrian left, they sat together in silence for hours inside Serena’s apartment while rain tapped softly against the windows. Neither of them wanted the night to end because ending the night meant facing goodbye. At the airport the next morning, Serena tried to smile even though her chest hurt unbearably. Adrian held her face gently in his hands as though he was trying to memorize every detail before leaving. “This distance won’t change how much I love you,” he promised quietly. Serena nodded even though fear sat heavily inside her heart. At first, they tried their best. They called constantly, watched movies together through video chats, and counted the days until they could see each other again. But slowly, exhaustion, time zones, and responsibilities began stealing pieces of them. Some nights Adrian was too tired to call. Some mornings Serena woke up feeling lonely in ways she couldn’t explain. Arguments started appearing where laughter once existed. Misunderstandings grew from small moments neither of them intended. Yet despite everything, Adrian still ended every conversation the same way. “Forever it will be us.” Serena wanted desperately to believe him every single time he said it.