Please read the author's note at the end. Thanks.

Chapter 31: One Last Chance

****Caroline's POV****

The tall bloke whose back of the jersey said 'Clay' continued dribbling the ball in full vigour while dodging all the incoming players. My eyes kept shifting from one player to the next and Clay's team mates who were shouting out to him while he was leading ahead with full confidence. I looked around me and saw a few other students watching the game in anticipation. Sighing, I turned my attention back to the game just in time to see Clay swoop his way to the hoop and dunk the ball in. Whoops were heard from all around but all I could do was reminisce.

This was how I even started crushing on Kevin in the first place.

All I would do back in high school was eagerly anticipate seeing Kevin walk through our school doors for a match and cheer him on like there was no tomorrow.

Little did I ever imagine that I would get the opportunity to talk to him...to love him...to be loved in return...and to ruin everything in the end.

It had almost been a little more than a month since Kevin broke it off with me. My eyes clouded at the thought and at our last conversation.

I couldn't ever accept it that we were over. I couldn't give up so easily. I knew I was given the opportunity I had been dying for ever since I saw Kevin on my final day in the US for a reason. Even though we were muddled over a misunderstanding and unexplained situations, I wasn't ready to give up yet. I just didn't feel it right to explain myself over the phone.

However ridiculous it sounded owing to the distance between us, I wanted to talk to Kevin face to face and clear things out. But I knew that couldn't happen anytime soon. So I was ready to wait for however long it took to make sure I gave him an explanation he truly deserved. I wanted to see his reaction right in front of my eyes after I was done explaining. If he felt that I was still not worth it and that it was better we both parted ways, even though hearing that from him would be absolutely hard for me to digest, I would do as he said. Because to be honest, if I were him, I would do the same. Kevin deserved the world and he should be with someone who deserved him.

I always had the urge to call Kevin and let him know that I wasn't done with him and that I wanted to explain things to him properly. I wanted to ask him if he could give me some time but I realised that was selfish. I had already hurt him enough by leaving him in the dark for quite some time and requesting him to wait for my explanation while he could actually be spending time with someone much better than me was asking way too much. Thus I didn't have the will or the guts to even text him.

Internally, I hoped he wasn't rushing himself to completely let go of me but the total silence from his side was dreadful. I could only hope. There was nothing else I could do. I felt so guilty and so messed up that every decision I was making was a huge deal and I wanted to sort things out the right way.

I had asked Abigail if she knew anything about what Kevin was up to these days and she told me she had no clue because they weren't frequently contacting each other. She had also said that ever since she shifted to London, there had been no contact at all. It worried me that he wasn't contacting Abigail as much as he used to before and that she being his best friend was unaware. Did he stop contacting her because of me? Maybe I was just over thinking.

She was really anxious regarding what was going on between us and I told her everything. Her expression was torn as I narrated all that had happened and we were both crying at the end with her whispering sweet nothings to me; telling me it would all be okay.

We could only hope.

The ringing of my phone brought me back to the present.

My eyes grew wide and a frown formed on my face reading the name of the person calling me.

This guy didn't like me for real. Why was he calling me then? I was slowly starting to get nervous to answer the call but I knew it had to be something important and about Kevin for him to even think about calling me up.

Rubbing my already sweaty palms, I grabbed the phone and swiped to answer.

I was ready to deal with this conversation. Taking a deep breath, I readied myself.

"Hello?"

"It's me. We need to talk." Riley paused for a second; the gravity of what he wanted to talk about starting to bother me.

I scrunched my eyebrows when I heard him sigh deeply.

"And also, this could be your last chance." He stated with finality.

Last chance? What was he on about?!

"I'm sorry, Riley, but what're you trying to say?" I asked, politely.

"Look, Carol. I haven't met you. I haven't been a witness to your relationship with Kevin but what I do know is that back when you guys were going strong, and by that I'm even including the time when you first went to London, Kevin was the brightest and strongest and happiest guy out there. He was literally a ball of sunshine and I can't even explain how much it made me happy to see him like that! And guess what? All of that was because of you. You were and I'm pretty sure still are someone absolutely special and precious to him and I don't even understand how fate brought you two together but since that's what has happened, the both of you are supposed to be each other's halves making one complete and perfect whole. I'm normally not this cheesy, so please excuse me, but I mean all that I'm saying.

I know I was too quick to judge you because I'm always harsh towards people who even dare to make Kevin spill one drop of tear; yeah I'm overprotective like that, and I'm sorry. You definitely have an explanation for all that has happened because I trust Kevin's choice. He said you're different from the rest of the girls and I believe so too. I know it must've been really hard for you to explain yourself to Kevin over the phone and maybe you thought it wasn't the best way to sort things out, even though I would've ranted my heart out if I were you to save me from all this mess, but, I'm assuming you want to meet him and do it personally and if that is exactly what you've in mind, then I know that Kevin does have the right girl who I don't want him to ever let go."

"Ril..." My voice broke as his words were hitting me hard and overwhelming me so much.

"Nah-ah, I'm not done yet. I need you to hear me out. I told you I like doing things over the phone!" He joked. I cracked a smile, my eyes teary.

"So as I was saying, as his best friend, it hurts to see him hurting. You think he has been doing fine? He's feeling anything but. But to show his indifference, the idiot is indulging himself in all activities which don't even need his damn contribution and he says he wants to make use of every opportunity! What a hell lot of rubbish. This is just his way of moving on and I don't want him to. Not now that I know that there's a way we can fix this mess. He doesn't need moving on. He needs you."

My breath halted at his words; the emotions building inside me making me shiver in excitement and nervousness.

Riley exhaled a long breath after his rant.

"What's going on with Kevin, Riley?" I asked, concerned. Something just felt off.

"I didn't even know this day would come. That a day would come to knock me to my senses to make me realise what kind of a shitty best friend I'm..." He sighed.

What was going on?! My grip on the phone tightened in anticipation.

"Kevin...he just told me...he told me that his senses which are usually very alert and is the only thing that has helped him through basketball all these years seems weak now...He has been experiencing some shortcomings quite recently...He can't seem to rely on them anymore and he's losing his grip and confidence in himself because without this special ability of his, everything seems like a waste to him and his entire purpose will be defeated...He's afraid to become ordinary..." He trailed, sadly.

My breath hitched at his words and I shifted on my seat uncomfortably. What the hell?! I couldn't even relate to how Kevin was feeling but it pained me to know that he was feeling so devoid of something so crucial to him dwindling like the last flicker of light on a melting candle. This was way too messed up and I desperately wanted to reach out to him to tell him it would all be okay and that he would be no less extraordinary in our eyes. Acceptance was the promise.

"What is Kevin planning on doing about it?" I asked. I wanted to be by his side through this. As his girlfriend or just as a person who cared for him. I wanted to help him; however I could, irrespective of how he saw me.

"That's the point of the call." He stated.

"What is?" I asked, confusedly. The depth of all this had me going crazy and anxious!

"Okay...this is going to shock you...but Kevin is going to have an eye surgery done."

My eyes grew as wide as saucers. An eye surgery!! He had always loved and accepted himself the way he was born and coming to a decision as sudden as that must've taken a huge toll on him. It was the need of the hour and he didn't see a way out from this sudden chasm that wanted him to fall off of the edge. To nothingness.

Exactly something Kevin didn't want.

"When did he even decide this?!" I shrieked.

"A few days back, I guess. He was actually debating on the idea and only after our conversation a few minutes back did he finally decide." He answered.

Too much was happening too soon.

Kevin was getting his sight!! A guy like him who I knew appreciated the beauty of the world and the people around him even amidst the darkness would be a Picasso once he got his sight! Looking at all that we saw but which we found boring and just daily life, he would want to capture every moment of it and notice bits which we could easily miss.

"This is amazing...Wow...I mean...I don't even have the words..." I stuttered out of happiness and slight nervousness. This literally would be a new phase of life for Kevin. A fresh phase. He could start it out by avoiding any drama in his life which did include me.

For a minute I wondered if the right choice would be to not see Kevin at all after he got his sight back. I felt I was not worth someone he should see. The thought was torturing but Riley's excited voice beat me to further dwelling and self-blame.

"True, you've no clue how excited I'm for him to see me!!!! To see his best friend Riley!!!! But the reason why I called you is because the first person I want him to see...is you." He confessed, honestly.

That was unexpected.

Here I was mulling over how I shouldn't even see him at the start of this fresh beginning for him and Riley now wanted me to be the first person he saw. Why?! Did I even deserve it?!

"Please don't think you don't deserve to be the first person he sees. I know what he wants to see or desires to see when he first opens his eyes. I know specifically what will make having sight worth it for him. So listen to me, Carol. You must come here. I'm pretty sure he'll be doing this before Christmas. When were you even planning on coming here?"

So much was happening and I couldn't think straight.

All that my heart was voicing out was to listen to Riley and that this could be the actual chance I was desperately waiting for.

"I was planning for then only." I answered, meekly.

"That's good. Then come here. Prove it to Kevin that you aren't going anywhere and that you've always been there. Prove it to him that the first person he'll set his eyes on will be the person who's meant to be with him. You coming here and doing this for him will be enough explanation. So come here, Caroline, this could be your last chance."

Hey, there's only one more chapter left for Part 1 to get over. Finally!! I hope I've done enough justice with the final chapters till now that you've been reading because I always doubted if they were good enough. I want to end Part 1 the way I've it all planned out and I hope I'm doing a satisfactory job at doing so.

With that being said, I don't want to rush myself to finish Part 1 because the ending chapter is going to be hard to write and I want to write the chapter the best way I can. The entire plot for the last chapter is ready in my head (ready ever since lmao) and I want to put it to words with me being satisfied at the output. So just know that I won't be updating this book anytime soon.

I'm in my last year of college and I've my finals beginning from March 1st so there's no way I can actually spare time writing the chapter. Please expect the update for the last chapter anytime after March 17th (that's when my finals end). I want to make you guys experience a hell lot of emotions as you read the last chapter and I also want to post a final author's note to officially conclude Part 1.

I'll then begin with Part 2 some time after that to give you guys some time to digest Part 1. There was a lot of drama and angst in Part 1, wasn't there? Haha.

Until the next update, I'll be busy editing Part 1. This book won't be on hold since I'll be editing the chapters and if you guys like, you can read through the edited chapters again. I'll be done editing until the next update.

I hope you guys can patiently wait for me to end Part 1 the way I like it and I'll see you then!

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And also, please comment!! I would love to know what you guys think cuz it seems dull otherwise. 

Bye!