Through the eyes of a Stranger

Chapter 5

          The door opened Julian entering through the living room locking the main door behind him. He had not been here in the last few days. Julian took a deep breath everything still strongly smelled like her leaving longing ache in his chest. Pictures filled the one-bedroom apartment from one hall to the other even to the kitchen there whole life their family, their friends littered her walls. He realized he was in so many smiling to himself. Julian turned to notice one in the hall of Tessa and Addie. Than of him hugging Tessa in his lap smiling at Jared who was sitting with Addie in his lap all laughing living in the moment and happy just graduating out of the academy about to take their places in society as new leaders.

He'll never forget how excited Tess was to be in charge of her own life. So ready for the next step. Now look at where we are. The door was opening Julian ducked down in the closet. It shut and locked someone was walking to the kitchen. He heard glass clattering around and a pop, than pouring. He crept around the hall corner and saw the back of the intruder. "I'm not surprised you're here. You're not the only one who misses her you know?" Kylie said handing Julian the second the second drink while sipping her own. He took it happily thankful not to be alone here in her place wrapped in his thoughts and their memories.

"I'm going to be straight with you Julian. She kept me in the loop the whole time with everything. I believe she found out something dangerous information and it got her in trouble. I believe she left us answers right here. So we need to find it quickly. The beauty of the way Tessa's mind is quite remarkable she broke each of us up and gave each of us information bit by bit to each one of us got a different piece. I'm sure if we take whatever we find here and pull the rest of us together we will know all she did. So let's get started we will not be the only ones trying to get in here. " I agree. I'd like to start in her room." "After you."

Walking in the room Julian's heart feeling so much pain he wasn't use to being this long without her. "She's been... before." He was struggling with his words. "Days before the... I started to feel like she was having doubts. Did she ever say anything to Kylie?" Julian was struggling to get the questions or his thought out. He was realizing he was scared to hear the answers now that he's bringing his fears out in the open. "No. Tessa didn't have any doubts. She was nervous though. Even with her title she still didn't feel as if she was good enough for you. Always thinking you could do better. I told her she was nuts there's no way in hell you can do better than Tess." Kylie laughed at him being honest, kneeling under the bed searching for any type of clue. Julian opened the closet. Kylie jumped quick.

"Julian wait! Don't open that!" Too late, as he slid the door all the way over starring him straight in his face was a beautiful white wedding gown it seemed to be glowing it was so glittery and elegant. "She altered her mother's dress." Julian asked happily excited next to the night stand inside the closet he opened it there were three pictures. One of her and her parents, the second one was of Tessa her parents and Julian with his dad the day they were told that he and Tess were arranged to be married. Looking deeper at how young they were. The third picture was of Tess and himself with some blood on their faces smiling at each other. Next to the pictures was a small present with a note.

"Looking forward to the future old and grey still hot heavy. Love Tess. He laughed opening the box reading the note. "What is it?" Kylie asked. "It's her grandparents wedding rings. Well also her parents. See it was their family tradition to pass your wedding rings to your children who were getting married only in her family though. Remember when they used to joke around and always tell us they maybe old grey but at least they still hot and heavy. So gross at the time but man it felt like that was a life goal to be." He laughed hard with Kylie letting the memory fill the room.

"I was starting to think she wanted back out but she was just getting ready to pull forward with me. I've loved her since the first time I laid eyes on her as kids. I was so over the moon when our parents sat us down and told us of the match they have made. Tess was not happy at first. She took me aside the next day. She said she always to marry for love and how stupid she felt believing in something so silly in a place like this. She apologized for how she treated me the night before. I mean she wouldn't even look at me or said a single word that night. Tess told me we were always friends so at least she wouldn't be with a stranger and she was grateful for that. I as so crushed. I told her things didn't need to change between us. That I would never hurt her or force her to do something she did not want." He took a deep breath.