Page 4 of Haunt Me

I know that the hope of her won’t stop haunting me until she’s back in my arms. Where she belongs.

I have no idea how I’ll do it, but as I kneel on the wet stage, mid-show, drained of energy, rain seeping into my skin, I know I’ll get her back. Or die trying.

The minute the truth touched my lips, my fate was sealed.I love her.The coal has burned my lips. Anything that comes out of them now will be scorched by that realization.

Is it too late to start believing in God?

Is it too late to start believing in hope?

I hope it’s not. Because right now, at this moment when I have zero reasons to start believing and even less reasons to start hoping—this is when I freaking start.

And this time, I’m all in.

The Heartbreakers Forum

A-non:This man just sang a full concert in the pouring rain in Athens. Is he even human?

FangirlofIssy:I was there! Traveled all the way to Greece from Switzerland just so see him, and I’m going again tomorrow. I can just say that it was out of this world. Then again… other things happened during that show.

A-non:Oooh what other things? Spill!

Heartbroken21: The scrutiny on Issy is going to be off the charts after this. If he was hounded by paps before, I can’t imagine how rabid the fans will be with curiosity about the girl, whoever she is.

IssyWooForLife: WHAT GIRL WHAT HAPPENED? Pls someone help.

SntHopeFan: Did you catch the live?

A-non: It got wonky at the end, so we missed out on a lot of things that happened. Will someone tell us?

IssyWooforLife: We’re dying out here.

SntHopeFan: We were dying outthere, watching it all unfold, believe me. It looked like Issy nearly died too. No joke.

A-non: WHAT

IssyWooforLife: WHAT

Heartbroken21: WHAT

two

All good things must come to an end.

Yes, even crouching in front of thousand people on a wet, empty stage, being slashed by rain and feelings. So, I drag my soaked, aching body to an upright position and signal to Jude that I’m ready to stop wallowing.

“I’m sorry,” I say into the mic. “I want to apologize to all of you amazing people for keeping you waiting. It’s just… There is a person here, and I don’t want her to leave. I wanted to ask her to stay, but she…”

They wait.

“I need her to stay. I want to make sure she hears the next bit. I don’t want her to be anywhere else… I—” I am interrupted by noise.

Noise that’s coming from the fans.

They start chanting ‘stay’.

Thousands of voices yelling STAY STAY STAY in sync. The rhythm gets really going, and Miki picks it up on the drums and starts banging on them until the beat crawls under my feet, into my veins.

The crowds keep shouting “Stay stay stay”.

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