A/N:
here it is everyoneee, though it might feel abrupt I swear there's somewhat of an explanation as to why this book was on hold for so longgg, and it's pinned on my board if you're ever curious !

and yes, yesss this is the last part to disconnected. my heart is happy to say i've officially completed another book after not doing so in awhile omg

- Mia <3

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Natalie confidently sat upright in the wooden desk that sat in the valley of desks surrounding her, gently flicking a lock of hair over her shoulder. With brown eyes wide, she had clicked the pen in her hand anxiously, almost for the sake of passing the time. She put her phone away five minutes before this initial English class, making sure it had been silenced. There had to be no distractions, absolutely none if she wanted to get through college and actually survive the big leagues.

About three months and a quarter of one ago, Natalie had dropped everything including her studies where she was supposed to take it seriously in Los Angeles. She forgot that her mother worked her ass off to the death just to pay off their college debt, and left her utterly disappointed. Natalie's mom was beyond the feeling of disappointment, in fact she was devastated her daughter would've dropped from classes that she paid thousands of dollars for. All Natalie focused on when Harry got out of the hospital, was simply her world that revolved around Harry.

Her heart broke that she let down her family back home, including Alex who silenced her messages after Natalie dropped everything and fled for London. Right to Harry.

But perhaps, what she didn't realize was that her life with him wasn't the only part of her story. Her life outside of him was a life separate from it all, and her heart belonged in Los Angeles. Her very being belonged back in the states, where she would be a future graduate from UCLA, where she would find a high end job and own her own house. And Harry had the freedom to his own story too. 

Finally, the two of them really could live. Boundless, absolutely no limit to where they could take their dreams. 

The time just had to be right for them to be truly happy together without ruining anything else surrounding them. But the thing is, it hadn't been the right time, nor the right place for them to fall for each other, to want to be together. 

The boy and the girl did happen to stay disconnected from everything around them, including reality which was frozen in time. It was in the matter of a phone screen, a phone call, and the sea of video calls that followed. Natalie anxiously traced over her airplane tattoo, the aching memories following her everywhere she went it felt like.

"That's a cool tattoo." A girl in the seat next to her made a comment, as Natalie slightly hinted a smile.

"Airplane rides, one too many." She joked, laughing at the thought as she hid the tug in her heart, and the fact it felt like she could tear up just thinking about the moment. 

"Oh, family travelled a lot?" She chuckled.

"Boy met girl, girl met boy. You know, the gist of it, right?" Natalie bit her lip self-consciously, glancing over at the dark haired girl.

"Oh, got it." She smiled weakly. "Well I'm sure he was pretty fucking amazing if he worked up inked art on you."

"You know, I just might get another one. But I don't know what it'll be yet. I guess I just have to wait for it to hit me."

In that moment, Natalie eased. If she could get more tattoos, it meant she could live her life and make her own memories without having to walk around in a broken shell of a teenage girl, carrying the memory of a boy who lived miles away. 

What else could she do, when the distance just kept getting the best of them, and life kept getting ahead. 

The same moment she'd close her eyes to sleep at night, Harry would wake up from an alarm clock blaring thousands of miles away in his apartment in London. There he'd do the same, and go to school, study, and work the part time job he's worked to pay off where he lived. The price barely cut it at the time, but Harry hoped to make more money one day to be able to travel once he graduated from school. Who knew when it would be, but he felt the same as Natalie did. 

Despite how much he loved her, and how much he knew she cared gravely, it never was going to be enough. As crazy as it got, they just couldn't drop everything to be together. It would be selfish, and it would take so much away from them- their future apart from one another.

Ever since the last she saw of him in London, a day never went by when he didn't cross her mind, and of course vice versa. The thoughts still occurred that, what if one of them just begged the other to stay? What if they did choose to be selfish and drop their lives for each other?

The thing is, that page had been blank. The unknown had been scary as hell, so it was a book closed. Though it was was a story closed, the happiest moments were never forgotten, nor did they ever leave.

Although, just because a story ends doesn't mean an end at all, really. Perhaps just a beginning to what life really means, and the doors they may find. 

Those who love, must lose. But really its the lovers' choice what to do with what remains. Distance might've gotten the best of them, perhaps torn them apart from the inside and out. 

But in both their hearts, they just knew. If what they did feel was right, deep down... They'd run into each other again one day. They didn't know when, where, or even how, but if what they felt for each other was once real, it'd stain their hearts permanently.

And maybe, just maybe, it'd feel just like the first time.