Until my last breath

8

May 2022
Mykonos, Greece

Arthur
It's our last day in Greece, and everyone has gathered for brunch. With our flight scheduled for 3 in the morning, it feels surreal to think our getaway is already coming to an end. The others are already downstairs, lounging in their swimsuits, soaking up the last rays of sunshine before we head back to reality.

Everyone, that is, except for Rita.

"Who's going to wake her up today?" I hear Kika ask, breaking the light atmosphere.

"I will," I reply, feeling a rush of determination. "I need to talk to her and apologize for yesterday anyway. I think doing this in the morning will save the rest of the day from getting ruined." I push myself to stand up and walk up the stairs, my heart heavy with regret.

"Good for you, mate," Pierre smiles, but his words do little to ease my anxiety.

As I stand in front of Rita's door, I try to gather my thoughts. What I did yesterday was beyond wrong and arrogant. It was disrespectful for me to jump in with my drunken assumptions. I care about her so much, yet I didn't take her feelings into consideration . The weight of that realization sits heavily on my chest.

I take a deep breath and knock on the door.

Nothing.

Feeling the panic rising, I grab the doorknob and walk inside. The room is empty, the bed untidy, clothes strewn about, and the bathroom in disarray. My eyes scan the room until they land on Rita's bag—it's missing.

Did I drive her away?

I dash downstairs, the knot in my stomach tightening as I reach for my phone.

Charles notices my mood immediately. "Hey, hey, what happened?" he asks, concern etched on his face.

I don't reply; instead, I dial her number, my fingers shaking as I wait for her to pick up.

Call failed... What the hell?

I try again, my anxiety spiking.

"WHAT IS WRONG, ARTHUR?" Charles yells, urgency in his voice.

Call failed again.

"Rita... she left," I whisper, already dialing for the third time.

"What do you mean she left?" Alex follows closely, his brows furrowing in confusion. I can see Pierre and Kika making their way upstairs, their expressions mirroring my growing fear.

"She's not here, Alex. All her stuff are gone," I say, my heart racing as I struggle to process what's happening.

"Where did she go?" I hear Pierre and Kika murmur upstairs.

"She's not picking up, either. I'm so worried. Is it my fault? Did I drive her away with what I did yesterday? God, if anything happens, I'll never forgive myself." I sit down, feeling my balance waver as panic grips me.

"No, Arthur, I'm sure there's an explanation for why she left without telling us," Alex tries to calm me.

I look at Charles, who is sitting at the counter with his head in his hands. He's worried—much more than I am.

"Did you talk to her after we came back yesterday, Arthur? Did you say something that might have upset her?" he asks, anger creeping into his tone.

"No, I didn't. I mean, I know she was upset with me because of yesterday, but I also know it wasn't that deep. She wouldn't leave like this, no matter what happened. We both know that, Charles." I try to defend myself, but doubt lingers in the air.