Kael took a step closer, his hand reaching for mine. “You’re my girlfriend. No matter what’s wrong, I’ll take care of it. Just tell me.”
My nose tingled, and I fought back the tears threatening to spill. I wanted answers, needed them.
What was he hiding? What was Kaia to him?
Before I could gather the courage to ask, his phone rang, shattering the fragile moment. The ringtone was different, unmistakably special.
My eyes flickered to the screen, catching sight of the contact. No name, just a simple “heart” emoji. It said more than words ever could.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Kael answered. A trembling, tearful voice poured through the speaker.
“Kael, I’m so scared… I didn’t want to bother you, but I fell while getting out of bed at the hospital. I… I don’t know what to do…”
His expression changed instantly, concern clouding his features.
Without a word, he rushed to the bedroom. Moments later, he emerged, dressed and ready to leave, his coat slung over his arm.
“Skylar, Kaia fell at the hospital. She’s all alone. I need to check on her!”
The words I wanted to say crumbled in my throat. I mustered a smile, brittle but convincing.
“Go ahead.”
When Kael’s figure finally disappeared from my sight, it felt as if the weight of the world had settled on my shoulders. All the strength drained from my body, leaving me hollow. I sank onto the bed, exhaustion and grief weighing me down.
Packing up the remnants of our life together. Over the course of six years, I had accumulated countless trinkets, each one a token of affection, mostly couple-themed.
Whenever Kael saw one, he’d chuckle but never once stopped me from buying them. Yet, he never used a single one.
The items had piled up over time, gathering dust as if they were silently mocking the hollow shell of myself I had become. Most of them were still in pristine condition. I tossed some straight into the trash, while others I sold or gave away, no longer willing to hold onto the memories they represented.
I glanced at the calendar on the wall. Only three days left.
Holding a cup of water, I turned my gaze toward the window. The clouds above drifted in an endless dance, gathering and scattering, only to regroup and start again, just like my heart.
I decided to spend my last three days saying a proper goodbye. I wasn’t going to let this end without some form of closure.