I've Found You

Chapter 17

*Jai’s POV*

I was jarred awake from a terrible dream by the sound of my twin brother slamming the door as he entered the bedroom we shared. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I rolled over and watched him sit on the edge of the bed.

“Oi man, you ought to get out of bed soon, it’s noon,” he said as he turned to face me.

“Fuck, are you serious? I didn’t think I’d slept that late,” I replied, sitting up and reaching for a pair of sweat pants. “I’ve been sleeping terribly for the past few nights.”

“Yeah I’ve noticed, I can hear you talking in your sleep.”

“I just can’t stop thinking about her, and I feel so bad for walking out on her the other day but I didn’t know how else to react. What the fuck am I supposed to do when she’s gone, Luke?”

“Don’t let her go. Maybe you should go and talk to her today?”

“That’s a brilliant idea! I’ll be back this afternoon, bro, tell mum where I’ve gone!” I said to my brother as I grabbed a t-shirt and bolted out the door.

“But you haven’t even brushed your teeth yet!” I heard him shout at me on my way out.

But I didn’t care. I couldn’t just allow her to leave the country without at least telling her how much I loved her. I would do everything in my power to convince her to stay, and if she wouldn’t stay I would find a way to ensure she stayed mine forever; even when she went back home. I wouldn’t give her up without a fight.

When I got to her apartment, I unlocked the door with the keys she’d given me a few weeks ago. The place looked different, but I couldn’t figure out what was off.

“Valerie!” I called as I walked through the kitchen. “Valerie!”

Perhaps she was still in bed? I wouldn’t put it past her, sleeping was something she adored. She hated getting out of bed unless she had to. I walked through the living room and up the stairs to where her bedroom was located. Pushing the door open, I was stopped dead in my tracks by what I saw. The room was completely bare except for the furniture. All of her clothes were gone, her make-up and jewellery as well, along with her book collection and every other personal item she’d brought with her. It was as if she’d never existed here. I realized then that she had left without even saying goodbye.

Just as I was turning to leave, the tears already gathering in my eyes, a shiny object and a folded piece of paper sitting on her pillow caught my eye. I approached it and picked it up with cautious fingers.

Dear Jai,

If you’ve found this, you’ve probably realized by now that I’m gone. I’m sorry, but I had to go. I have a life back home, Jai, and I can’t just abandon it. Please don’t think it was an easy decision for me, though. Every cell in my body wanted to stay here in Melbourne with you, but I can’t, I just can’t. I don’t know why you walked out on me yesterday. It hurt me to see you go, it still hurts.

 I’m not sure if now is the best time to tell you this, especially because I don’t know if you feel the same way, but I love you. I have from the start, I just didn’t realize it until now. I wish I’d had the chance to tell you in person just how much I care about you, but better late than never, right? You mean the world to me, Jai, and I’ll always remember the memories we’ve shared together as the best of my life. Thank you for that. Thank you for everything.

I'll miss you more than I’ve ever missed anyone else in my life, and I already know I’m going to think about you every day, probably until the day I die. I’m sure, now, that you were my soul mate, and I’m so lucky to have had an amazing person like you play such a huge role in my life, even if it was for such a short amount of time. It’s time for me to move on now, though. I love you, but I have to let you go. I’m sorry.

I’ll be expecting big things from you in the future, Jai. You and the boys are going to go far, I know it. You’re going to be successful, and eventually you’ll find a beautiful girl to be your wife, and I’ll probably get to watch your wedding on TV. It’s going to hurt knowing that I could have been that girl; knowing that I could have been the one to walk down the aisle in a white dress, finding you waiting for me at the altar. But at the same time I want you to be happy.

The only thing I ask of you is that you never forget me, and the time we shared together. You’ll be on my mind for eternity, Jai, and you’ll always hold a special place in my heart. I can only hope I hold one in yours, too.

I’ll love you forever, my missing puzzle piece.

-Valerie

I dropped to my knees in front of the bed and clutched the note to my chest, my body being overtaken by heaving, heart wrenching sobs. There was a huge, empty hole in my chest; I was quite sure it was the piece of my soul she’d taken with her when she’d gone home. I couldn’t think straight. I couldn’t see straight. I couldn’t even breathe. I’d let her go. I’d let the love of my life just slip through my fingertips and now there was nothing I could do to get her back.

Or maybe there was.

Clasping the locket that was sitting beside the note around my neck, I picked myself up off of the floor, still crying silently to myself, and gave my brain to my feet. I was down the stairs and out of her apartment in minutes. I ran for miles. I had no idea where I was going until reality hit me again, and I found myself standing in the middle of the airport. I knew what I had to do. I was going to get her back.