Chapter 3 : The pain of avoiding

Murry's eyes widened in shock as Emily's words hung in the air. "How is it not me?" he replied, his voice laced with confusion. "Don't you know me?" The question seemed simple enough, but it held a deeper meaning. Murry's sense of identity had been shattered when Emily disappeared without a word. He had been left to pick up the pieces, to try and make sense of what had happened.

Emily's expression faltered, and she took a step back, her eyes welling up with tears. "Where have you been?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "I've been searching for you everywhere." The desperation in her voice was palpable, and Murry felt a pang of guilt. He had been searching for her too, but he had given up hope long ago.

As if reading his mind, Emily began to explain. "After high school, my father was transferred to a different military base. I had to leave, and I couldn't tell you. I didn't want to hurt you." The words spilled out of her like a confession, and Murry felt his heart ache. He had been devastated when Emily disappeared, and he had spent years trying to come to terms with what had happened.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Murry's voice was laced with pain. "Why did you leave without saying goodbye? I was desperate to find you, to see you one last time. But you were gone, without a trace." The questions poured out of him like a dam breaking, and Emily's face crumpled under the weight of his words.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, her tears spilling over. "I was trying to protect you, but I ended up hurting you instead." The apology was heartfelt, but Murry couldn't shake off the feeling of betrayal. He had given Emily his heart, and she had broken it into a million pieces.

As the silence between them grew, Murry's gaze dropped, his eyes welling up with tears. He had lost all sense of purpose after Emily left. He had drifted through life, taking on one dead-end job after another. His parents had passed away, leaving him alone in the world.

As the years went by, Murry had become increasingly withdrawn. He stopped seeing friends, stopped leaving his house. Loneliness had consumed him, rotting his soul. But now, as he looked at Emily, he felt a spark of hope. It was a fragile flame, but it was there, flickering in the darkness.

Murry's gaze locked onto Emily's, and he took a step forward, his heart pounding in his chest. "I've missed you," he whispered, his voice barely audible. The words hung in the air, a fragile bridge between them.

Emily's face lit up with a radiant smile, and she took another step forward, her eyes shining with tears. "I've missed you too, Murry," she whispered, her voice filled with emotion. The distance between them seemed to shrink, and Murry felt his heart swell with emotion.

As they stood there, frozen in time, Murry knew that he had a choice to make. He could let the past define him, or he could take a chance on the future. He could let Emily back into his life, or he could push her away. The decision was his, and his alone.

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