Love Unfortunately

Finale

As the sun set low behind the flourishing wilderness of clouds swimming in the depth of the darkening sky, the shore was calm; the steady beat of the waves flowing through the sand had no tremble in them. Shadows stretched far and the liveliness of the beach faded preparing for the fall of night. An algid breeze swept across the hilly arc beside the sea, brushing past the figures standing on the vivid colors of the pebbles in the sand.

Tom and Joel paced the bridge with an unusually calm notion for their situation. There was an uneasiness between them, but another stronger bond kept them from drifting apart.

"You know, I really thought it was you." Joel muffled under his blunt expression. He felt tension spark.

"I'm sorry about your father." Also having been attacked that day, Tom knew it was not even close to what had really happened; wanting to avoid the subject of those events he pressed on. "How's your arm?"

"What's left of it you mean?" He tried to joke but felt nothing. A fake smile also failed, and looking at Tom's seriousness he could feel a dense depression swelling in his eyes. "It is fine, thanks."

"I am leaving." Tom blurted out, completely changing the subject. He noticed the light surprise Joel suppressed from his eyebrows. He stared at him in an unmeant intense way waiting for a reply. But his lips did not move, as he kept his stare into the ocean stretching out before him. "I got an offer at the Toronto Law School."

"Canada huh? Weren't you always so sensitive to the cold?" The instant he said it Joel regretted it. It was no time for jokes, and that was proven for Tom's lips did not even move. A light vibration in Tom's pocket turned him away, and after excusing himself he walked towards the car. For a second Joel felt more alone than he had in a long time. The beach was so quiet and cold. Normally he had Tom on his side. His jokes and smart discussions were enough to turn the coldest season into summer, his eyes were Joel's own winter crystal sky which he could stare into for hours while lying on the softness of the sand, and his lips could remove every inch of frost from his own. But now he was left alone to face the cold, and every touch of algid air to his cheeks reminded him of how much he had taken away from himself.

His ears pricked as he heard a hasty shuffle, as a figure of short stature moved to his side. Joel could recognize Antonia just by her height, for he remembered how a staring contest between them two years ago stuck a pain to his spine for days.

"I wanna ask you something." She wouldn't even look at him. "What did she have that he did not?"

It took a second for Joel to comprehend the question, and when he did it stung his mind. The answer was nothing. Kate was not his happiness, not his romance, not someone that gave him life. She was more like a leech feeding off his fears and insecurities.

"Nothing." He replied. "Nothing." Saying it out loud made him realize how true it was.

"Well I am glad he is leaving." Her words turned cold and bitter matching the atmosphere around them. Tilting her head, she finally looked at him, and her eyes pierced his with a menacing look much to be avoided. "He needs to get as far away from you as possible. Since what you did all that has been happening is alike a series of unfortunate events. One after the other tearing him down from the low position you already kicked him to. You are to disappear from his life. Not a call not a text no matter what selfish need comes to your twisted ugly mind." He was stunned. Not even Tom had talked to him like that, but he knew the fire in her words were not to be challenged. "I might be short Joel and you always teased me for it, but I am the one looking down at you right now. An engagement means you are becoming as one. If one falls the other does too. But you were never one with him Joel, because you fell so much lower." With a light kick, she washed sand all over Joel's shoes, before taking a strict stride away.

After a few minutes of standing in the shore alone, he saw Tom close his phone and walk back towards him. His hand was busy in his pocket fiddling with papers and coins. As he stopped in front of Joel, his brought out a blanc envelope. There were a few pieces of tape sealing in tight but there was no inscription or stamp.

"I have to leave." He stated. "The reason I called you here was to give you this." Tom handed won the envelope into Joel's hand, and for some reason it felt heavy even though it was tiny. "The next time you give this to someone, make sure they are the one and only. Goodbye Joel." Without waiting for a reply Tom moved off once again.

Joel tore the top of the envelope to reveal the gem stone ring he gave to Tom for their engagement. At the time it was the most beautiful thing, but not it was ugly. The envelope was not where it belonged to, and he knew it would never be beautiful again.

"You were the one Tom!" He shouted. Tom was already near his car, but stopped on his tracks. Turning he stared at Joel and replied, "Then prove it".

A nauseous wave of confusion weaved through his mind as Tom disappeared into the car.

~~~~~

The ascending to his apartment seemed like the longest he ever took. His surroundings seemed to move in random patterns he could not comprehend for his mind was working at its full efficiency in a matter of despair. He turned on the lights of the hallway and moved to his door. It took him a few tries before he successfully inserted the key to the door, and as he opened it he heard a harsh noise at his feet like crumbling paper. The lights went out again after their countdown, so Joel turned on his phone and pointed the screen at the empty space between the door and the floor. There he saw a small piece of paper pressed tightly between the wood and the stone. Picking it up, he swung the door open and entered his apartment. He manually turned on the entrance lights for the clappers in his apartment were now something he could not use. Before doing anything he unfolded the paper. It read:

John F. Kennedy airport – Toronto Pearson International airport

Flight: WS6339

October 4th at 17:20

If you chose to take this flight, it will be a one-way trip. Make your choice.