Unraveling Hearts

Prologue.

I slam the brakes and park the car in the only vacant spot, right in front of the bustling diner. I stare at the neon sign, blinking in disbelief. How did I end up here? How long have I been driving aimlessly? How lost was I? 

A wave of panic and dread engulfs me, causing my stomach to twist. I clutch the steering wheel, feeling the cold sweat on my palms. I catch a glimpse of myself in the rearview mirror and notice I'm still wearing the blue bridesmaid dress before I turn my head to the side, my blank eyes falling on a piece of paper lying haphazardly next to a gorgeous bouquet and my purse. 

The letter that broke my heart. Its piercing gaze is fixed upon me, almost like a curse, mocking me as I feel my nails digging into the leather and the bile rising in my throat. I am forced to swallow it down before letting out a shaky sigh. 

I snatch the letter with a furious glare, crumpling it in my fist, and step out of the car. 

The chilly air hits my face, making me shiver. I smooth my flowy dress and the loose strands of hair behind my ears before I walk toward the entrance. I bump into Vera, the waitress who warmly welcomes me with one of her kindest smiles. It only makes me force a smile back at her, then quietly slip away to the rooftop. 

I stand on the edge and gaze at the view before me - a sea of twinkling lights that stretch out as far as the eye can see. It's like the stars have fallen on earth, yet I feel nothing. I mean, I should feel something, anything. It's so breathtakingly beautiful out here, but ... nothing. Nada. Zilch. My heart is too broken, shattered beyond repair, and the beauty before me cannot pierce the numbness that has taken hold of me. 

It's like I'm watching the world from behind a thick glass wall, unable to experience it fully.

I breathe in deeply as I look around, remembering the day he was here with me, when we danced in the rain, when we gave in to the tension between us and kissed for the first time. Tears cloud my vision as I force myself to blink them away and smile at the memory of us, laughing and spinning together. The flashbacks of us, just being us, flood my mind ... picture by picture, story by story ... memory by memory.

They were the best I had. I guess I'll only have them and not him. And with the thoughts of how little I knew him, despite spending three months together because he never told me anything more than the basics, and I never asked. I was afraid to ruin what we had. My smile fades as I touch the rough surface of the wall, wishing it was his hand ... but no, it's not. Tears finally spill over, rolling down my cheeks. And I don't stop them. I let them fall. I let them burn my skin and sting my lips as I sink to the ground ... and I. FALL. APART.

I cry for him, for his absence.

I cry for myself, for my brokenness and the pieces he left behind, for how clueless I was, how blind I was to the guy who left me in pieces. 

How come I'm still here, and he's gone? How could he leave me with just a letter? 

Where did it all go? Where are we lost... now?