FROZEN IN BETWEEN

GONE TOO SOON

TOBY'S P.O.V

"Excuse meeee? Mom?" I rang the bell at the very straight time. I wasn't late. Oh.

"Hey!" She opened the door for me.

"How you doing?" I excitedly hugged this beautiful woman that I've considered as my mother too. "Is she upstairs?"

"I'm doing great, baby boy. Come, take a seat." She walked to the kitchen. "You want something?"

"No I'm fine. Can I...uhm, go upstairs?" I said unsure. This house was too quiet.

She smiled bitterly and took a deep breath. "Go ahead."

"Thank you." I nodded.

I approached the stairs very quickly to get to her room. It was half-opened. The first thing I recognized was the curtain. The white curtain she always loved, it wasn't there. Second, there wasn't 'Justine' name on the door as the sign of her room. Weird. I burst out came inside.

Empty.

Wait.

"Moooom?" I screamed the top of my lungs.

"She gave me this."

"Where...did...she...?"

"I'll be outside if you need me." Her tears were about to burst out but she held it the best she could.

I was all alone in this huge room. I realized. It's too huge for myself. Too cold in here. I opened the sealed envelope. My heart's pounding too hard. Do I have to lose her too?

Hey Tobes,

So it's finally here. Finally talk to you. By the time you read this thing, I'd be already gone. Not too far. You know where I am. But one thing you don't know yet is it's not a family reunion. It's me trying to find my own piece of happiness. I know things have been gone wrong by far. I want to fix it. And to be away from you is one of the ways.
It's not that I'm not happy for you and Sheryl. In fact, personally, since the very day one she caught your eyes at school, I know she's the one for you. Our conversation back in my room was just a side-effect. Because you're confused and torn. So I eliminate myself. You have now only one choice. Her. Cherish it.
And I also want to ask for forgiveness that I stole one of your best photos from the yearbook. Well, not one. Pretty much half of it. The one in the class, the one when you played the guitar, the one...we were hugging each other.
To say I love you is an understatement. My feeling grows better than some words. And I don't ask for a payback. Because actually you don't want me. I just...please, love her back.
Because she loves you, too.

Your best pal,
Justine.

My legs couldn't hold my weight any longer. I was broken to smallest pieces, kneeling on the floor. My best friend has gone. My love has gone. Justine left just right when I realized Sheryl was nothing compared to her. I want her back. But what could bring me to Pittsburgh when all my life is here, and half more on the road?

I speeded my car faster to the beach. I need some time. She's out there somewhere out of the town that I don't know where she exactly is. Her letter is like a punch in my face. She's gone too soon. I let my love gone too soon.