Stories Hidden in Shadows By Julian Blake 14

Stories Hidden in Shadows By Julian Blake 14 Summary

 

For several days, Nicholas was absent from home, only sending a brief text about a business trip. Valentina tracked his movements closely, while Clara silently collected evidence without responding. Meanwhile, Elara focused on completing her bucket list alone. When she reached the task of seeing flowers, she visited Prospect Park on a quiet afternoon.

 

At the park, Elara unexpectedly saw Nicholas and Valentina together, sharing an intimate moment. Nicholas then performed a love song dedicated to Valentina, stirring painful memories for Elara. The song, once written for her, reminded her of their past love, now lost. Overcome with emotion, Elara quietly left the scene.

 

Next, Elara visited her old high school, revisiting places filled with memories of Nicholas and their time together. She stopped at a tree Nicholas had planted and carefully scraped away the bark to reveal a carved message professing his love. Bitterly, she mocked the inscription, feeling betrayed by his broken promises.

 

Afterward, Elara went to the Department of Vital Records to arrange her legal affairs early, presenting documents for assisted death due to her dire circumstances. Though initially hesitant, the clerk agreed to make an exception. As Elara prepared to leave, Nicholas appeared unexpectedly, shocked to see her and demanding to know what she was doing there.

 

Continue Regular Chapter Reading Below

Chapter 4

For several days in a row, Nicholas didn’t return home. The only sign of his presence was a brief text message saying he was away on a business trip.

Of course, Valentina tracked his every move for her own reasons.

Clara remained silent, offering no replies. Instead, she printed out the screenshots as usual and filed them neatly away.

In her solitude, Elara focused on her bucket list, tackling it item by item on her own.

When she reached the tenth task—see the flowers—she found herself scrolling through her phone, reading glowing reviews about the blossoms in Prospect Park. On a quiet weekday afternoon, she decided to visit and see the famed flowers for herself.

The park was peaceful, almost empty, as she slowly wheeled herself along the winding pathways, the soft rustle of leaves and distant chirping birds filling the air.

Around three or four in the afternoon, the plaza began to stir with activity as street musicians set up their instruments. Guitars tuned, soft melodies promising a mellow atmosphere.

Elara glanced up—and stopped cold.

There, no more than thirty feet away, stood Nicholas.

Right beside him was Valentina.

They shared a bowl of something, laughing softly, completely absorbed in one another’s company.

Valentina picked up a bite with her fork and fed it to him, their connection effortless and intimate.

Seeing the gentle, contented expression on Nicholas’s face hit Elara like a sudden blow to the chest.

She hadn’t expected to run into them here, not like this.

Then Nicholas rose, walked over to one of the musicians, whispered something, and took the guitar handed to him.

Adjusting the microphone, he caught the attention of the small crowd that had gathered, their chatter dying down into curious silence.

“This one’s for Valentina,” he announced, voice steady and warm. “The girl I love.”

Then the first notes rang out.

His voice was smooth and inviting, blending perfectly with the soft strumming of the guitar.

It was a love song—intimate, tender, aching with emotion.

Everyone paused to listen.

Two girls standing near Elara exchanged excited whispers.

“Oh my God, he’s so hot. I wish my boyfriend would do something like this.”

“This song is beautiful. Is it an original?”

“Yeah,” Elara replied quietly.

She wasn’t sure if she was answering them or speaking to herself.

She first heard this song when she was sixteen, at the Homecoming Dance.

Nicholas had written it himself—lyrics, melody, everything. He’d gone on stage last, in front of the entire school, and said those exact words.

But back then, the girl he loved was her.

The auditorium had erupted in cheers and whistles, the crowd wild with excitement.

A few days later, Nicholas had joined the school radio station, and all year long, Elara heard that song every day at lunch.

Everything had felt perfect in those moments.

But that was a lifetime ago.

The song no longer belonged to her.

And neither did he.

One of the girls nudged Elara gently, concern flickering across her face. “Oh my God, are you okay? Here—”

She handed her a tissue.

It was then Elara realized tears were streaming down her cheeks.

She took the tissue, wiped her face, shook her head slowly, and wheeled herself away.

The next item on her list was number nineteen: visit the old high school.

Flashing her old student ID at the gate, she rolled onto the familiar campus.

The track where Nicholas used to pull her through runs. The library where they had studied for the SATs. The stairs he had carried her up when she twisted her ankle during gym class…

Every corner held a memory, but now, with her legs gone, all she could do was look.

Eventually, she made her way to the garden and stopped in front of a fringe tree—about as tall as she was now, sitting in her wheelchair.

This tree had been planted during an Arbor Day event in their junior year. Nicholas himself had planted it.

All the other trees had died, but this one remained.

Not because it was stronger, but because Nicholas had come out here every single day to water it, fertilize it, and tend to it.

For years. Without fail.

When she asked him why he cared so much about a simple tree, he pulled her over and brushed away the weeds at its base.

There, carved into the bark near the roots, was a message.

Eight years later, the tree had grown to waist height—level with her wheelchair.

Elara pulled out the small pocketknife she’d brought and began scraping at the bark.

Slowly, carefully, she chipped away every letter until the bark was smooth again.

“Nicholas Sterling will always love Elara Kingston.”

She stared at the raw, exposed wood for a long time.

Then, unexpectedly, she laughed.

Tears streamed down her face as she whispered, “Nicholas, you liar.”

“Nicholas, you couldn’t even manage ‘always.’”

“And you sure as hell don’t love me anymore.”

So why lie about both?

After a while, she left the campus and called an Uber to the Department of Vital Records.

She wanted to settle her legal affairs early.

The clerk frowned. “We only process that for deceased individuals.”

Elara calmly produced her assisted death approval letter along with psychiatric records documenting severe depression.

Her voice was even, almost flat. “My parents are dead. I’m about to be divorced. After I’m gone, there won’t be anyone left to handle this. I figured it’s better to take care of it now—to save everyone the trouble.”

The clerk studied the papers for a long moment, then excused herself to speak with her supervisor.

A few minutes later, she returned. “We’ll make an exception. All you need is for the clinic to send a death certificate once it’s finalized.”

Elara thanked her quietly and left.

Just as she was about to call another Uber, a voice startled her from behind.

“Elara?!”

Nicholas was climbing out of his car, eyes wide with shock as he stared at her.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he demanded.

Conclusion

 

The chapter closes on a poignant note, capturing Elara’s profound sense of loss and the bittersweet remnants of a love that once was. Her journey through familiar places, now tinged with the weight of change and absence, reveals the depth of her heartbreak and the painful acceptance that Nicholas’s affection has shifted beyond her reach. The symbolism of the tree, once nurtured with care and now bearing the scars of broken promises, mirrors Elara’s own emotional wounds, underscoring themes of memory, betrayal, and the passage of time.

 

Yet, amid the sorrow, there is a fragile resilience in Elara’s laughter and quiet resolve. Her steps toward closure—legal and emotional—reflect a yearning for peace and control in a life that feels increasingly uncertain. The unexpected confrontation with Nicholas at the end hints at unresolved tensions and the complexity of their shared history, leaving the reader suspended between past and present, love and loss, hope and despair.

 

What to Expect in Next Chapter?

 

The next chapter promises to delve deeper into the tangled emotions and unresolved tensions between Elara and Nicholas. After their unexpected encounter in the park and the raw vulnerability Elara displayed at their old high school, readers can anticipate a confrontation charged with years of pain, longing, and perhaps regret. Nicholas’s shock at seeing Elara again hints at secrets and feelings that have remained buried, ready to surface and challenge both of them.

 

As Elara stands at a crossroads, grappling with her past and uncertain future, the story is poised to explore the complexities of love lost and the struggle for closure. Will Nicholas’s presence disrupt Elara’s carefully laid plans? How will their shared history influence the decisions they make next? The emotional stakes are high, and the next chapter will likely reveal layers of their relationship that have yet to be uncovered, leaving readers eager to see how these intertwined lives will unfold.