Lost Without You

5

Jenya woke up smiling the next morning. She stretched and pulled the warm blankets closer to her chest.

A warm hand ran up her back and cupped her face. Lukas bent down to kiss her.

"Morning" she hummed, smiling and cuddling into his warm body. He wrapped his large, muscular arms around her.

Jenya watched his Adam's apple bob up and down as he said, "Good morning, beautiful. Did you sleep well?" His hand curled into her hair as she replied, "The best I have in awhile now let me enjoy these last few minutes"

She cuddled back into his arms and felt herself dozing off again. Jenya couldn't help it. He was warm and soft but hard and welcoming. He smelt so nice too.

She never wanted to leave his arms again.

She woke up, just a few short minutes later, to a cold, empty bed. Lukas's side was neatly made.

Jenya wrapped herself in a blanket and stood, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

The shower wasn't running, so maybe he went for a run?

The roar of an engine brought her over to the window. She peeked through the curtains and watched an all to familiar car drive off.

Her heart stopped. She had remembered him whispering in here ear before she had fallen asleep about how much he loved her and how he was sorry.

Jenya, not carrying that she was only dressed in a bed sheet, flew down the hall and down the main staircase.

"Please tell me it's not true." She choked out through her tears, grasping Lukas's mother's arm.

The older woman simply purses her lips and shook her head, "It is not your fault, darling. He had a duty to fulfill. It was not you but him."

~~~

Lukas straightened his tie one more time in the mirror before turning to face the front door.

Jade had promised they wouldn't be late. And yet, Lukas found himself still waiting for them to arrive.

Jade had never been known to be in time. Nearly every event she attended, she was always late to.

It didn't help that Lukas did not want to do this. He regretted his decision to force another woman to be his date just to piss off his ex.

He did have morals. Or at least he did before he was deployed.

The army turned him into a selfish, arrogant monster who had no heart. He was no longer the man from last summer.

He heard the door unlock and the giggling of two girls.

"I'm sorry we are late! Traffic was horrendous and so we just had to stop and walk for a bit." Jade rushed out, placing her bags of clothes on the floor.

Lukas crossed his arms over her chest and narrowed his eyes at his sister's best friend.

She was tall and dark. Her dark hair was pulled into a crisp bun.

"Are you sure? No offense, you are very pretty but you look very young." Lukas protested.

Jade glared at him, "She's old enough."

The girl stepped forward, giving him a gentle smile,"My name is Anastasia Nagar. Most people call me Ana, though. I can assure you I am fifteen. I think that's a legal age here, no?"

Lukas studied her, "Where are you from?"

Ana laughed, "My accent is hard to distinguish, no? My papa is from Jordan. My mother was German. I was born in Russia but I reside in Austria."