Time Heals All Wounds By Oliver Thomas 27

Time Heals All Wounds By Oliver Thomas 27 Summary

 

Two weeks have passed, and Addie finds herself quietly eating alone in the busy dining hall, feeling the weight of an impending departure after her visa application is approved and her flight is booked. The reality of leaving in three days hits her hard, tightening the knot in her chest. Her solitude is interrupted when Tanner arrives with Ayla, who behaves possessively, teasing Tanner by dropping onions into his fries while he seems indifferent. Tanner’s gaze, however, repeatedly flickers toward Addie, as if waiting for her to reach out.

 

Despite Tanner’s silent provocations, Addie has maintained her distance for two weeks, avoiding any contact or acknowledgment of them in the quad or elsewhere. She continues to ignore them, walking past their table without a glance. That night, a photo of her eating alone circulates on social media, sparking curiosity and comments about her relationship status. Tanner quickly responds, revealing he still follows her and reaches out through direct messages, trying to provoke a reaction.

 

Tanner’s messages are casual yet taunting, referencing past conflicts and trying to lure Addie back into communication with offers to meet without Ayla. Despite the emotional tension, Addie remains calm and detached, no longer affected by his attempts to draw her in. When she finally replies, her tone is firm and unyielding, questioning his intentions and threatening to unfollow him if he has nothing meaningful to say.

 

Tanner brushes off her seriousness with playful dismissiveness, pressing for a dinner meeting during Thanksgiving break, insisting they will see each other soon anyway. His persistence contrasts with Addie’s quiet resolve, highlighting the ongoing emotional conflict between them as the chapter closes.

 

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Chapter 5

Two weeks had passed, and there I was, pushing around a sad, wilted salad on my plate in the bustling dining hall. The noise of chattering students and clinking cutlery faded into the background when my phone buzzed with a sudden notification:

Visa Application Approved.

Almost immediately, my phone chimed again with a message from Mom: Passport’s on its way in the mail. Flight’s booked. You leave in three days.

A tight knot formed in my chest. This was real. It was actually happening.

Just then, the dining hall door swung open, and Tanner strolled in, Ayla draped on his arm like some kind of sparkling accessory.

They slid into a booth uncomfortably close to where I sat. Ayla began picking onions off her burger and dropping them into Tanner’s fries as if she owned the place—and him. And Tanner? He just let her do it.

But his gaze kept flickering toward me, lingering, as if he was waiting for me to break first—to get up and cross the room, begging for his attention.

For two whole weeks, I hadn’t called. I hadn’t sent a single text. I hadn’t even glanced in their direction when I passed them in the quad.

So today, like every other day, I grabbed my tray, walked straight past their table, and dumped my leftovers without so much as a glance.

That night, a photo of me eating alone surfaced on an Instagram confession page. Someone anonymous had posted it with the caption:

Who’s the quiet girl at the corner table? Is she single?

Underneath, a comment appeared:

Yes. Single.

Less than five minutes later, Tanner’s account responded:

?? Since when, Addie?

I almost forgot—I’d never unfollowed him.

Then his DM popped up, as if he still had the right to reach out:

Weeks and you’re still mad about a Gatorade? Damn, you’re dedicated.

You miss me yet, or what?

There was a time when a message like that would have shattered me. My fingers would have trembled as I typed a reply.

But now?

I felt nothing.

Just a hollow, quiet calm.

I typed back:

What do you want, Tanner? If it’s nothing, I’m unfollowing.

His reply came quickly, brushing off my tone like I was being overly dramatic:

Okay, okay, do your thing?

Look. Let’s get dinner tomorrow. Just us. No Ayla.

15:07

Thanksgiving break is next week… we’re going to see each other at home anyway. You can’t avoid me forever, crybaby.

Come on, Addie.

Be good.

15:07

Conclusion

 

The chapter closes on a note of quiet strength and emotional distance, highlighting Addie’s journey from heartache to self-preservation. Her refusal to engage with Tanner’s provocations and the calm detachment she now feels mark a significant shift in her inner world. The once overwhelming pain has softened into a steady resolve, suggesting that while wounds may linger, time has begun to heal them.

 

At the same time, the lingering presence of Tanner’s messages underscores the complexity of their fractured relationship—an unresolved tension that hangs in the air. Yet Addie’s measured response reveals her growing empowerment, a subtle assertion of control over her own story. In this delicate balance of vulnerability and strength, the chapter gently explores themes of moving on, self-respect, and the quiet courage it takes to face the past without being consumed by it.

 

What to Expect in Next Chapter?

 

Next chapter promises to delve deeper into the fragile tension between Addie and Tanner as they inch closer to an inevitable confrontation. The invitation to dinner, carefully framed as a chance for just the two of them to reconnect, hints at unresolved emotions simmering beneath the surface. Will Addie summon the courage to face Tanner and confront the past, or will old wounds reopen, threatening to unravel the tentative calm she’s fought so hard to maintain?

 

As Thanksgiving break approaches, the looming prospect of seeing each other at home adds another layer of complexity to their relationship. The emotional stakes are high, and readers can expect moments charged with vulnerability, lingering resentment, and perhaps unexpected revelations. The next chapter will explore whether time truly heals all wounds, or if some scars run too deep to ever fully fade.