Her Bodyguard

Chapter Forty-Two

3 Months Later

"What do you mean by you can't find her?" Izar yelled over the phone at her father, anger filing every inch of her being.

"I mean what I said. Calida has disappeared off the surface of the Earth, okay? She's not in the United States of America, and she hasn't been seen in months. I'm unable to assist you this time. My money can't buy Calida." Mr. Sterling said in response, sounding pretty irritated and annoyed.

It had been months since this whole thing started. Izar had gone back to school. Alyssa was out of coma and had recovered fully. Han was safe and back in school as well, and they had been allowed to take the tests and exams they had missed after everything had been explained to the school.

But Calida Arell hadn't returned, and Izar had kept hoping. Hoping that Calida would show up, looking like the hot demi-god Izar thought of her as. The professor had asked about Calida very often, and while it annoyed Izar to no end, she replied politely every time, trying her best not to sound like an annoyed girlfriend although that's how she felt. It was hard telling someone else that Calida had gone back to work and that she was fine, when Izar herself was refusing to believe that.

Months ago, waking up to an empty bed, with only Calida's scent hanging in the air, had been heartbreaking for Izar. She didn't sleep anywhere else after that, and she made sure to warn everyone not to enter the room again. She had sobbed for the first five minutes, her heart broken. She felt empty, lost. Calida had left without a goodbye, without a note. And Izar knew she would never find someone who could replace her bodyguard. Not for her heart or her safety.

Her father had tried his best, though. He couldn't understand why his daughter requested Calida Arell every time he offered to get her a new bodyguard; he couldn't understand why it had to be just Calida. But he couldn't find Calida either. Even with all his connections. To him, she had truly disappeared. She didn't want to be found and it was best if they respected that.

"It's been three months already since she left. You need to forget her and her existence. She's gone!" Mr. Sterling said in a final tone, knowing Izar won't push him anymore.

Izar shut her eyes tightly, holding back the tears that threatened to spill before ending the call with her father. She sank into her couch, frustrated. All she wanted to do was see Calida. Some of Calida's belongings were still in her house: a half-used bottle of perfume that Izar seemed to douse herself in, and a washed-out hoodie that Izar refused to take off whenever she was home. She even slept in Calida's room. Nothing felt the same with Calida gone, and Izar broke down every day at the thought of never seeing Calida again. It felt like a thousand needles poking her heart at once.

She wasn't sure how long she'd been lying in silence when the loud ringing of her phone dragged her out of her thoughts. She stared at the blinking screen. Han was calling. Izar sighed and picked up the phone. 

"Hi Han," She said into the phone.

"Izarrrrr!" Han yelled into her ear. "You've disappeared on us. No calls, no texts. What's happening?" Han asked, sounding annoyed over the phone.

Izar sighed, it seemed like everyone was annoyed with her these days. "I just needed space, okay? I'm good. I'm still alive."

"Great! It's Alyssa's last day at physiotherapy. She's got an official clean bill of health," Han said. 

Izar frowned, disappointed in herself. She'd been acting like a stranger for a while, neglecting her friends in her search for Calida. And it had gotten so bad that she forgot to check on Alyssa.

"Hello? Izar? Are you there?" Han asked.

"Yeah! I am. Sorry, I got distracted for a bit. I'm happy for Alyssa. I mean, that's great news. I'm so happy," Izar said. "Are there any plans to celebrate?"

"Of course! We're going on a vacation!" Han announced excitedly.

"Oh, that's nice. I bet you're both going to have fun!" Izar stated, grinning.

Han sighed dramatically and Izar was certain she could hear her eye roll from a mile away, Han was the most dramatic of the three of them.

"Look here Izar, I'm tired of your bullshit, to be honest. Calida is gone. You need to stop moping around and move on the same way she did. Your dad's jet will be picking us up. Better get your things ready when I come pick you up by 12 noon tomorrow. No excuses! See ya!"

The call disconnected before Izar could say anything to Han. She groaned as she climbed off her couch, ignoring the cup of coffee that was now cold on her table and dragged herself to her room. They were right after all. She'd been moping around, waiting for Calida to come back. It had been three months already. And while she didn't want to give up on the idea of Calida coming back to her, she needed to get her shit together and do things for herself. She had a life before Calida, so she would definitely have a life after her grumpy bodyguard. So, why in God's name was she acting like this?

If she was going to be ready to leave tomorrow, then she had to start packing up now. She headed straight for her walk-in closet and grabbed a suitcase that was big enough to fit anything she was going to pack. Nothing like an unplanned trip to make her forget her hot bodyguard that she was still clearly in love with. She sighed, pushing the thought out of her mind as she grabbed clothes from her closet. She wasn't even sure where they were going to. But it was too late and she didn't want to call and ask anyway.

The next day, Han was already at her house at exactly 12 noon, honking furiously from her car.

"Can you stop?" Izar yelled out from her porch. "I have neighbours, you silly oaf."

Han giggled like a school girl before getting out of the car and wrapping Izar in a tight hug. Izar returned the hug.

"Can we go now? And where are we going exactly?" She asked.

"Tuscany. Your father's beach house is calling. He thinks we deserve a break after all we've been through," Han said as she assisted Izar with loading her suitcases into the trunk of the car.

Izar bit her lower lip, pushing back the memories of the last few months before Calida left. She was safe now and no one could come after her.

"Are you okay? Is Tuscany a bad idea?" Han asked her.

Izar shook her head. "No. Come on, let's go."

Alyssa was already at the airport waiting for them. She looked better now, much better than the person who had been lying in a hospital bed months ago. Izar hugged her tight.

"You look good. I'm so sorry I kind of pushed you guys away," Izar said to Alyssa and Han.

"It's okay. I understand. Besides if I'd been in your shoes, I'd feel the same way. Plus I wanted to meet your bodyguard too after everything, so I could say thank you to her. She saved our lives," Alyssa said, brushing Izar's hair behind her ears.

"I'm just glad we're all here. Come on you guys, a private jet and a private beach house is calling our names," Han stated excitedly.

If this was the only way she could get Calida out of her mind for a while, she would do it. She would have fun no matter what. Nothing was going to stop her, not the images of her very hot bodyguard in her head.