“Where are you taking me?”, Abigail laughed as Ian put his hand over her eyes the minute she stepped out of the car and guided her with his other hand as they walked. The ground was soft, she guessed they were now walking on grass. She couldn't walk fast because she was still very full from the huge dinner they just had a few hours prior before they drove around the city.

“You'll see”, he chuckled and felt her heave a sigh. She felt him hold her still, telling her they had arrived. He stood behind her, and removed his hand so that she could see where they were.

The moment she opened her eyes, she grasped at the beautiful sight before her eyes. He had set up for them at an open park, near the lake. The beautiful night sky reflected on the water, the starts shining brighter than she had ever seen them in her life before. The sky was calm, clear and still.

“This is so beautiful”, she exclaimed as he circled his arms around her waist, hugging her from behind, kissing her on the shoulder

“I thought we could end the night with a bit of star gazing, pretty amazing huh?”, she felt him chuckle before she turned and threw her arms around him

“It's really amazing”, they broke from the hug, and she cupped his face in her hands. “You are amazing”, his heart melted at her words. Her compliments always made him feel like he was good enough for almost anything. She uplifted him, built him. She made him want to be a better person.

“You make me a good person Abbie”, he said quietly before she kissed him fully on the lips, it lasted for about a minute before he smiled in between the kiss and withdrew from her, groaning playfully

“You're distracting me from the real reason we're here”, they laughed before he pulled her down with him to kneel on the blanket laid on the grass. That's when she noticed there were three lanterns, some paint, paint brushes and some snacks besides them.

“What are these for?”, she questioned curiously as he handed her one lantern

“We're going to do our own lantern tradition”, he smiled at her, firing up her curiosity

“How are we going to do that?”

“On that lantern, write down anything or anyone you feel is the only reason that's standing between us and make us work. Tonight, we're learning to let go”, he instructed as they sat opposite each other. With his paintbrush, he wrote down a name that bought him great pain on the material of the lantern.

Bianca

He underlined the name and sighed as he stared down on the word as he rested his hands on his lap. This was one name he found hard to forget, but he was willing finally to let go of her.

“Do we have to show each other what we wrote?”, Abigail asked as she too painted a name on the material of the lantern

Austin

“Do you want to?”, his voice asked, and they locked eyes for a second, and she nodded her head

“Okay”, he said as they held their lanterns across each other, reading out the words each one of them wrote on their lanterns

“This is the name of the first man I've ever loved. Tonight, I'm finally letting go of our memories together”, Abigail was the first to speak. Ian's eyes softened before he took a deep breath before opening his mouth to speak.

“This is the name of the woman my heart once belonged to. Tonight, I'm finally letting go of her”, he breathed before the pair locked eyes again, and smiled at each other. They both stood up simultaneously.

“I'll go first”, he announced as he gently swung his lantern back and forth, filling it with air. Abigail light up the fuel source as Ian held on the sides and waited before he felt an upward tug.

“Are you ready?”, she asked before he turned to look at her and gave a short nod

“Ready”, he slowly let go of the lantern, and they watched it as it floated in the sky, his hurt, pain and suffering floating along with it. For the first time in his life...he felt really relieved of finally letting go.

“It's my turn”, Abigail gently swung her lantern back and forth, filling it with air. Ian helped her by lighting the fuel source for her.

“Whenever you're ready”, Ian stood beside her, and she heaved a sigh as she closed her eyes for a second. Today was the day, she was finally letting go of him. She felt that upward tug and slowly let go of her lantern. Even though Austin will always be a part of her life. She was letting go of the idea of them ever being together again.

“How do you feel?”, she felt him kiss her cheek

“I feel...relieved”, she smiled as she couldn't shake of this feeling buried deep inside her, she was finally free of the idea of him

“Okay, next item”, Ian put on an auction voice, and she laughed loudly at his tone. They both knelt on the blanket again, besides each other this time.

“Here, we write our wishes regarding our relationship”, he turned to look at her as she spoke

“I wish we be loyal to each other, commit to one another, stand by each other and love each other unconditionally”, Abigail dipped her paint brush in the paint and wrote both their initials on the lantern material

♡AH & IP♡

“Noted Ms Haines”, he smiled as he dipped his paintbrush in the paint. “I wish we never break each other's hearts”, he drew a heart over their combined initials.

“Do you think we can do that?”, he looked at her, locking eyes for a minute and nodded her head

“We certainly can”

They both stood up, repeating the same procedure as they had done before with the previous lanterns. They both held on the sides, the moment they felt the upward tug, they smiled at each other.

“On the count of three”, they said in union before they counted down simultaneously

“Three”

“Two”

“One”

The minute they both let go, Ian circled his arms around her waist from behind as they watched their lantern launch up in the beautiful night sky, as it gave a warm glow

“Prefect”, he kissed her shoulder. “Now we can start our new lives together”

“I like the sound of that”

Abigail woke up one day and decided to bleach her hair to another color. She felt like she needed a new change, one that would symbolize a new beginning for her. She was starting afresh with her life with Ian, and she thought a hairdo would show she was a new person.

“Whoa Abbie!”, Stephanie exclaimed as she absolutely loved her friends new haircolour, it definitely looked good on her, bringing out her beautiful features. “You're beautiful”, she touched a few strands of her hair with her fingers.

“Thank you”, Abigail beamed with satisfaction as she looked at herself in the mirror once more. Starting over looked good on her.

“Ian”, Emily ran into his arms the moment she saw him, and he had opened his arms wide for her and picked her up

“Hey princess”, he kissed her cheek. “Are you good?”

“I'm good. Are you good?”, she said sweetly as she has always been, and it bought a smile on his face. She had grown on him, so much that he spent most weekends with her and Abigail. He adored them.

“I'm good”, he said, and she traced her tiny fingers on the bandage on his cheek

“What happened here?” , she asked worriedly and Ian suddenly remember he had a cut, it didn't sting anymore

“Oh here?”, he touched his cheek. Emily gave a short nod. “I cut myself this morning when I was shaving. It's nothing serious, okay?” , he reassured and she nodded

“Okay”

“Where is your mommy?”, he asked as he strapped her on the car seat

“She's coming”

Abigail walked out of their building just when Ian was just closed the door for Emily. He froze for a second when he saw her. She looked so different, and yet so beautiful. Her hair was dyed in a goldish brown blond, tied into a high messy bun, bringing out the colour of her chocolate eyes. He cupped her face when she reached him, she was already looking up to him as she rested her hand on his forearm.

“What do you think?”, she questioned as she rose a brow. He was lost for words for a second as he just shook his head and looked at her admirably.

“You're beautiful”, he breathed before he leaned to kiss her on the lips, he forehead and her hair. “You're so freaking beautiful”, he kissed her again. She laughed before he opened the car door for her, and she got inside.

“So where are we going, Ian?”, Emily asked, and he let out a stifled chuckle. The answer to that question was very simple.

“Let me guess, it's a surprise?”, Abigail quizzed, and he winked at her

“You guessed right”