Perfect Strangers [[A Short Story]]

III-B

Midnight of the 1st of January 2000, Jade's House, Manhattan, N.Y.

JADE LAVENBROOKE

Jade had no time to celebrate the millennium. Even if Frank left four years ago, she never stopped searching for him but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't find him.

She was reading a book, sitting in her couch, when her best friend, Kate, suddenly called. She went to answer the phone and she heard the loud voice of Kate booming.

"Jade! Frank's back in town! He's at the house of your mom for who-knows -why. Hurry before he leaves!" she said, sounding a bit rushed.
"She couldn't control her emotions; she stopped the call and hurried towards her mom's house.

MS. LAVENBROOKE'S HOUSE, AGLOE, N.Y.

Jade ran as fast as her feet could do. She needed to get to him fast. As soon as she reached the blue and white motif house of her mother, she opened the door without hesitation and saw Frank, Amanda and her mom sitting in the dining room.

"Frank! I need to talk to you! I remember you now and I wanted you to know that... I love you a lot, I loved you since the day we became friends. Can we start over again?" She told as she tried to catch her breath, releasing all emotions that were pent up for four long years.

Frank looked at her disbelievingly; he looked like he saw a dead person come to life. He told her something that Jade would remember for as long as she lived.

"Jade, I loved you too; I thought that you won't return it so I kept it inside, not wanting to destroy our friendship. I moved away so that I could start over again but I'm afraid that when I made those new memories in my life, I needed to let go of the things in the past, one of them was my love for you." He said slowly. As if to show how much he meant those words, he showed a beautiful ring is his finger, made of the finest silver and the purest diamond she had seen, a wedding ring... a wedding ring that matched the one on Amanda's finger.

Jade felt as if someone just stabbed her heart, the heart that she thought would be repaired once she saw Frank again, but he only served to shatter it even more, never to fully heal again.

"My, my, how the tables have turned... I guess we won't stay here any longer. Goodbye, Jade Lavenbrooke, it was nice to see you again." Frank told this as he embraced her for the last time. Unlike before, it signified the end of the bonds they shared with one another.

As soon as they let go of each other, Frank and Amanda held hands and together, went out the door.

Jade let out all the tears she tried to suppress. She only told four words before she cried, smiling.

"Destiny sure is cruel"

The End

Stay tuned for the epilogue!