Liam

"Are you alright, man?" Stef asked me.

"Yah, I am pretty damn fine. You are the fine person here." I said.

"It's nothing. I just did what I should have done years back." Stef said smiling.

"No man. You did a great thing that you could have ever done. At least you have someone to call dad and mom which I don't." I said.

"Liam." Stef felt ashamed of what he said.

"No, It's fine. I guess I am just misfortunate to loose everything that I have."

"You have us Liam."

"It is easy for you to say. I stayed back in Grace with what I have left. Which is the memories of my best friends and my parents. I had a goal- A goal to fulfill the dreams of my friends. I wanted you all to get rid of your past and reunite. I think I have succeeded in it."

I have succeeded indeed. But I am left with nothing but lost memories. I have to live my whole life cherishing those memories.

"You have Suceeded Liam. You made my brother and Abid live through you. You made the their incomplete dreams come true." Stef said hugging me. "I miss Sam. I miss him everyday. Thank you for making my brother alive through your memories Liam. I see him in you. You are my brother Liam. Maybe not by blood but by bond from the past. The bond you had with my brother. You are a part of my family Liam, no matter what."

"Stef is right, my child." Mrs. Ryder came holding her husband in her arms. "Thank you for being a good friend to Sam and a good brother to Stef. You are always welcome to my home. You are like a son to us."

"Thank you Mrs.Ryder for your kind words." I said.

"No need for any formilies my son. Thank you for being with Stef when he needed you. He told me how you always was beside him on our absense. I wish Sam was here. He always told us about how much he loved you and Abid. Your friendship was something he always cherished for." Mrs.Ryder said and Mr.Ryder nodded in agreement.

"It is for me too. I may take my leave now. You all can continue your little family reunion. I have few things to take care of." I lied and walked away.

It really bothered me to see family reunions and moreover mentioning of Sam and Abid. No matter what, It constantly infuriates me when I am reminding of the past. The past is something that I have been trying to run of from. I might be a hypocrite when it comes to this. I always try to encourage others to forget the past and move forward but when it comes to me, I don't know how. I did everything in my power to move forward but it still haunts me. I still feel guilty about not doing anything in the past to save my friends. I feel miserable and exhaused by living secluded in this mysterious Grace town.

I walked through the deserted dark corridor hoping to fight the past memories alone. That's when I heard my name called behind me.

"Liam!!" I voice came closer pulling me back to reality. I sometimes get lost in my own thoughts.

"I called your name 4 times. Where have you gone lost?" Hazel asked as she stood in front of me.

"Nowhere. Why where you calling me anyway?" I asked as I faced her.

"I just wanted to talk to you that's all. How are you?" She asked. I looked at her confused by her words.

"I am fine. Why do you ask?" I asked her.

"Nothing. Just wanted to know whether you were fine." She said.

"Are you alright, Hazel?" I asked.

"Yeah. I am good. I am feeling very good, Actually."

"That's good then." I said confused at her words.

"Liam, thank you."

"Thank you?"

"Yeah. Thank for giving me that diary."

"It was written to you." I pointed out.

"I can't believe I failed to see that he loved me. I mean, How can I be so blind? I thought his attention was because he considered me as a good friend, maybe like a sister."

"Will knowing about his feeling make any change?" I asked her.

"Maybe, I don't know. I loved him too but only as a friend. More like a brother. He was a great guy. Any girls would have died to be with him but I-"

"You are in love with Asher."

"Yes, I mean no. I was in love with him. Not anymore." She said.

"Yeah right." I mocked at her.

"It's true. Now I feel nothing for him. I am happy with Will. He will give me happiness that I deserve."

"I don't know Will but I believe in you. But the question is do you love him?"

"Yes, I do. I failed to see that all these years. I have been with him for the last 7 years but it took me 7 days to finally understand that I love him too."

"If you believe so, then I am happy for you."

"So, tell me about you? What are your plans after all this?" She asked.

"Nothing actually. I will stay here in Grace town."

"You have been freelancing as a Finance advisor from Grace town right? How are your works?"

"It's quite good. I get offers from big cities in europe and Asia. I am doing it all staying here itself. But I am thinking of moving out of Grace town. I think I have done my part in here."

"Do you have any plans to move to the US?"

"That's way to far and how would I get my status up there?"

"What if I said you can work for me. Will you come?" She asked. I looked at her confused so she continued. "My CFO is retiring next year. I am looking for a new CFO, but I don't know anyone who is too good at finance except for an old senior of mine."

"You are joking, right?"

"Liam, Since my time in Grace Central, I have always followed your work. You are amazing at what you do Liam. I trust you more than I could ever trust anyone. Will you come with me to New York?" She asked.

"I don't know, Hazel."

"Think about it, please. I really wish you will accept it." She said and started to walk away.

'Maybe, I should just move on. The choice is in front of me. I just need to say a word.' I said to myself.

"Yes. I would love to accept your offer." I finally said as Hazel was 10 feet away from me. She turned and walked back to me.

"That's wonderful." She said and then she shaked my hands. "Welcome to Amstrong Corperation, Liam Jones. Hope you won't disappoint us."

"I would do my very best, Ms.Hazel Amstrong." I said. We smiled at each other.

This is it. This is the time I can finally start a new life. This time I could start a new journey. What was amusing was my junior whom I taught is my boss. How life sometimes gives surprises, we mever know.

Asher

Everything went well. The charity concert raised more money than we expected. The fountation stone for Abid's Dream Project- Grace Paradise Land is placed. This was the first steping stone for suceeding his dream. I know this project will indeed suceed. I will make sure it does.

All these years I have been mourning the death of a brother whom I missed out. I knew Abid very well but not well enough. I just knew about him as my friend but I failed to see him as a brother. I missed my chance to do that because he was taken too soon from me.

Sometime having the name 'Ross' piss me off. My family name was a sham because of my father's fault. That name reminds me of the decietful person my father is. My mother died enduring the pain my father gave her. She loved a man who never loved her back. My father loved his wealth and status more than us. Maybe that's why he left Abid and his mom. Maybe that's why he always considered me and Zara not as his kids but a heir to make him more money and status.

I didn't want to be my father. I didn't want to continue his mistakes so I left behind everything I loved. I wanted to be immune to such feelings, if it was possible. I feel pity for Abid. If I had a power to change his situation, I would have. He lost his mother and he lived his whole life with a man who treated him badly, whom he called his father when he was never his father. But I couldn't do anything to make it all right. I just made everything wrong when I thought I did was right. I destroyed everything 8 years ago and I knew very well there is no way back.

I wonder if I ever had a child somewhere who is living with another man whom he calls his father. I wonder if I had the same situation as Abid, what would I have done. I had pledged for my whole life that I will amend every wrong I hve done.

Alas, I once had a child who was aborted even bofore his birth. The child that I always dreamed of having with the only love of my life. It still hurt to know the truth about my past. How my own sister had hand in ending the life a innocent feotus. I wish I could really change time, go back and did everything right but it was impossible to do that anymore.

I walked in the hallway of Grace Central. This is a walk-in memory lane. I could hear the memories knocking on the wall beside me as I moved. It was telling me about my school days- The days I nurtured my teenage, my love life, my friendships. The memories that belong to be until the end of my life.

"Brother?" I heard a voice behind me. The voice of my blood who stabbed me behind my back.

"I am sorry Shaqiq. Can you forgive your lil sister for the sin she did?" Zara begged.

"Why Zara? You believe in Quran, You kneel everyday facing Mecca yet you knowingly did this Sin, my dearest sister. Your Allah is the one who have to forgive you. You broke my heart into thousand pieces, Lil one."

"I know I did the gretest sin. I ask for forgiveness everyday my brother. Everytime I save someone, your child's face- An unborn feotus, comes in front of me. It hurts everytime brother. But now I feel finally good after a long time. I should have fold you the truth long back. But I can't turn back time and change all of it."

"No, You can't. I can't. No one can't change the time. What happened did happen. I don't have the energy to forgive you or myself. I don't really know what is to be done to make all of the wrongs right. All I know is, I hurted a lot of people by my mistakes. I took not only two but three life in a day. I am the greatest sinner here." I said.

"Don't say that Shaqiq. Never say that." Zara whimpered.

"The truth hurts, Zara. I know that better than anyone else. I lost everything and everyone. Even you through truth. But I learned to accept it all. I will live with the hurful truth until my last breath. As long as... As long as Hazel is Happy. I can live peacefully." I said even through as the words left me, it felt like piercing my heart open.

"Shaqiq..." She cried.

"I am leaving tonight. I might not able to say goodbye to all. You can come slowly in the sheduled flight tomorrow." I said. "And If you can tell them all that I am sorry for everything."

I left Grace Central thought even looking back. Everyone has found something in Grace, I did too. But I am leaving all of it behind me for everyone's betterment. It hurts to core to leave all of the hopes behind. But I could now live with the hope that no one will hurt because of me again.

This might be a new start for me. A new journey leaving behind my past.