Tinkering Hearts

Chapter Thirty

Zaelia

My hands tremble and my fingers quiver. My heart beats a thousand miles per hour while I read the letter in my hand. The piece of paper below wettens as tears from my eyes drop on it, my teeth chattering. 

This cannot be it. This cannot be the end of us. 

"What's today?!" I scream from my bed, as Naureen and Amer rush back towards me from behind the curtain. "What fucking day is today?!"

"Uh, Saturday?" Amer hesitates. 

I quickly go through my side drawers, finding nothing. I get out of bed, stumbling a little due to soreness, and search through my belongings from under the bed. Finally locating my watch, I glance at the time.

6:32 pm.

I tear my pleading eyes to Amer and Naureen.

"Yeah, no. No, Zee." Amer slumps down on the sofa beside the window. "We're not."

"Please, Amer. Please. I have to see him." I want to tell him none of it is his fault. I want to tell him not to blame himself. I want to tell him how I feel about him. I want to tell him I love him. I want to tell him to not leave. "Please..." I cry, clutching at my heart shattering into a million glass pieces. 

"He left, Zee!"

"NO! He left because of me! I have to stop him. His heart lies here. With us!"

Amer goes quiet. He looks at Naureen to back him up. But she just stares at him, her arms folded. When he doesn't get the validation he's looking for, he gets up, frustrated, and starts pacing the room. 

"Please, Amer. Please let me go. I want to try. Please..."

"He probably boarded the plane!" Amer shouts in defeat.

"Check then!" Naureen scolds.

"Oh my God. Kids go crazy in love," he mutters and fetches out his phone to check out the flight timings.

"What does it say?" I ask, hope after hope building up. "Did he leave yet?"

"Uhm, Zee?" He puts his phone back into his pocket. "Don't get too overwhelmed with emotions but..."

"Lord! Tell me already." Tears sting my eyes as all the possibilities run through my head.

"It's your lucky day." My heart stops midway through a beat. "His flight was delayed for half an hour about fifteen minutes ago. We wouldn't reach the airport in time—"

"Take me. Take me there."

"But—"

Naureen pulls out Amer's car keys from his back pocket, dangling it in front of him. "For everyone's sake, let's go!" And she sprints out of the room. 

"YOU ARE NOT FUCKING DRIVING MY CAR!" Amer yells after her, heading toward the door. He turns to me and smirks, "C'mon. Let's catch that dimwit."

I feel a rush of adrenaline. My emotions are all over the place. What if we miss him? What if he doesn't stay even after we get to him? No. He must stay. I will find him. He found me before. The world's not that big. I'll find him this time.

I quickly grab a black sweatshirt from my backpack and pull it over my hospital gown. I turn a corner in the hallway, bumping into my parents. Dad had a bouquet full of my favorite flowers in his arms: tulips, daffodils, roses, and many more. 

"You're supposed to be resting young lady!" Mom scolds me. "I almost got a fucking heart attack when we heard—"

I pull my parents into a bone-crushing hug. "Thanks, mom and dad. I love you both and I'm alright." They hug me back and I let go. "I really need to run. I'll explain once I'm back."