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Cʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 37
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2.2k words

(Y/n)'s POV
As I pushed the shop door open to leave, I remarked, "Nothing really caught my eye." The bell above chimed softly, announcing our departure, while Josie, offered a courteous farewell to the shopkeeper before stepping out beside me.

We strolled down the sidewalk, heading toward the ice cream parlor at the end of the block. "I didn't see anything either. We'll have to come back when she has her next collection," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

This was only our second outing since our breakups, and we were still navigating the unfamiliar terrain of life post-relationship. Adjusting to the world without them was difficult; our hearts were still tender, but we were determined to take it one day at a time.

I tried my hardest to push Anakin from my mind, yet my stomach would twist at the sound of a motorcycle revving, and I'd find myself breathless at the sight of a leather jacket passing by. There were moments when I could swear I heard his voice in the crowd, prompting me to glance back, half-hoping it was really him.

Despite our promise to focus on healing and to steer clear of thoughts about them, I felt like I was failing. Anakin occupied my mind every second of every hour, every day. No matter the hurt he caused, my love for him was still them, and I missed him more than I care to admit. I was at a loss for how to stop missing him or to cease being in love with him.

I should despise him for what happened, yet I found myself incapable of that.

I nodded in agreement, forcing down the lump that had formed in my throat as I pushed open the door to the ice cream shop. A bell jingled overhead, and I couldn't help but sigh—did every establishment really need a bell? I understood the necessity in larger places, where the staff needed to be alerted to incoming customers, but in a cozy little shop that could barely accommodate a dozen people, it felt rather excessive.

As we stepped inside, I noticed a small cluster of teenage boys ahead of us—thankfully, they were jocks—causing the anxious tension within me to disappear. I took a deep breath and turned my attention to the chalkboard displaying the array of ice cream flavors.

I looked over  the options, weighing my choices for the day. Just as I was about to settle on one, a voice called my name from the group in front. I glanced down to find myself staring into a pair of familiar eyes—Clovis.

It had been a while since my dad had taken me to his house to confront him, and the encounter felt a bit awkward. To make matters worse, he began to approach me. "Hey Clovis, I'm sorry to hear about you and Celeste," I managed, scratching the back of my neck as I searched for Josie with a sidelong glance, only to realize she had vanished.

Where on earth had she gone?

Clovis halted a foot away, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his head bowed in a manner that suggested shame. "I'm not," he scoffed, rolling his eyes slightly. "I ended things," he confessed.

I had heard that Celeste was the one who had called it off, so one of them was clearly not telling the truth, and I was betting on Celeste. Someone with her pristine reputation wouldn't want the label of 'dumpee' hanging over her.

"I'm sorry to hear about you and Anakin," he said, his gaze sympathetic.

I rolled my eyes, exhaling sharply. "As if you care. You probably celebrated when you heard." Tears threatened to spill at the mention of his name, but I fought to keep them at bay.

Clovis shook his head, his expression earnest. "I swear I didn't celebrate. But I thought you deserved better than him. That guy was never good enough for you."

"And you were?" I scoffed, a strange urge to shield Anakin from those who would tarnish his name bubbling within me, despite the fact that he had done nothing to earn my protection.

He shuffled his feet, casting furtive glances at his friends who beckoned him toward a small table after placing their orders. "No, I messed up my chances, and I get that. But I wanted to come here and tell you once more how truly sorry I am for everything I did. You didn't deserve any of it; I acted like a child. I know we can't go back to what we had, but I hope that someday we can at least be friends. We started as friends, after all, and you were a good one." His words felt rehearsed, making me wonder just how long he had been preparing to say this to me.

"Next," the woman at the counter called, her voice cutting through the tension.

I paused, glancing between her and my ex, whose eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Maybe one day, Clovis. I'll see you around," I replied, forcing a smile as I moved past him toward the counter.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught him inhaling deeply, as if trying to capture the essence of the moment. The heartache etched on his face was painfully evident to anyone who cared to look. But he was right; he had squandered our chances at a relationship, and the thought of rekindling anything was far from my mind. Perhaps, in the future, friendship could be a possibility, especially since he seemed genuine in his apology. Just not now—everything was still too fresh.

I approached the counter, a wave of anxiety crashing over me as I realized I was still at a loss for what to order. The employee's gaze felt piercing, as if she were peering into the depths of my indecision, amplifying my unease.

"Why not try the peanut butter and chocolate one?" Clovis suggested, his voice cutting through the tension and drawing both the girl's and my attention. "I had it the other day, and I thought it was something you'd really enjoy," he added with a nervous chuckle before awkwardly retreating to his friends.

With a newfound confidence, I turned to the girl behind the counter and said, "I'll go with the peanut butter and chocolate."

"Me too, that sounds delicious," Josie chimed in from beside me.

I whipped my head around to face her, narrowing my eyes in disbelief. "Where have you been?"

She frowned slightly, gesturing toward a door behind us with her thumb. "I told you I was heading to the bathroom. Did I miss something?"

"Oh," I replied, puzzled at how I had overlooked that. "And actually—" I glanced past her, catching Clovis's eye for a fleeting moment before he quickly averted his gaze. I hesitated, the urge to share what had just happened fading away. I knew Josie would make a scene if she approached him, and this time, Clovis had meant no harm. It felt like a small step toward maturity on his part, and I wanted to let it go. "No," I concluded, "You didn't miss anything."

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After confirming that my car was securely locked, I climbed the steps to my front door, my attention caught by a lone white lily resting on the wooden planks just above the last step. A frown formed on my face as I picked it up, scanning my yard for any sign of the person who might have left it. The silence was unsettling; not even the crickets were chirping their usual evening song.

I shifted my focus back to the flower in my hand, my fingers brushing against the delicate black ribbon tied around its stem. This lily looked strikingly similar to the one that had appeared weeks ago, the very day Ahsoka had panicked, claiming she had seen someone looking through the window.

That incident had faded from my memory, mostly because nothing had come of it, but now this? It felt odd, almost like a prank. Was it a secret admirer aware of my recent breakup with Anakin? Could it be Clovis?

Clovis. The thought settled in my mind, more believable than any other theory I had imagined. It seemed I was about to find myself in an awkward conversation about personal boundaries—if it really was him behind this gesture.

With a roll of my eyes, I scanned the area once more before stepping inside and locking the door behind me.

I trudged up the stairs to my bedroom, letting out a weary sigh as I dropped my bag onto the floor beside the bed. Lately, going out felt like an exhausting task, leaving me drained by the end of the day. That was one of the cruelest aspects of depression: finding the strength to get out of bed only to have my energy vanish far more quickly than that of anyone else.

As I prepared to sink into the comforting embrace of my bed, ready to surrender to the long-awaited nap that promised to carry me into the next day, something caught my eye. An envelope lay on the covers, its brown surface adorned with a delicate white ribbon, my name elegantly inscribed in flowing cursive.

"That was left in the mailbox," my Aunt Satine's voice broke the stillness, causing me to jump and let the envelope slip from my fingers, landing with a soft thud on the floor.

"Goodness, Satine!" I exclaimed, my hand instinctively flying to my chest as the rapid thump of my heart echoed beneath my palm. "I thought I was alone." Her car had been absent from the driveway, leading me to believe she was out, and I knew my dad was at work.

A playful smile danced on her lips as she stepped into the room, retrieving the envelope from the floor. "My car is in the shop," she explained, a hint of exasperation in her tone. "I need to get all new tires."

"What happened?" I asked, concern lacing my voice.

"All of them were slashed," she replied, placing the envelope beside me on the bed. I glanced at the elegant writing once more, a familiar swirl catching my attention. "Most likely a gift from my wonderful ex," she added, her words dripping with sarcasm.

"He knows where you are?" I furrowed my brow, surprised. I had thought she was trying to keep her whereabouts hidden from him.

"It wasn't too difficult for him to figure out, but it's fine. I live with a cop now." Her smile was bittersweet, and I could see the weight of worry etched in her eyes. "But now he suddenly wants to be part of Cal's life, and when I told him that would only happen if he got his act together, he took it out on my tires."

"Report him to the authorities," I urged her, my voice steady with conviction. It was the course I would take without hesitation.

"With nothing but my gut feeling? That won't go over too well," she scoffed, her eyes narrowing in frustration. "I wasn't even there when it happened; I just know it was him."

I felt sorry for her, her of all people didn't deserve this, "Well, if you ever need assistance with... i don't know, burying his body, I'm here for you," I said, attempting to lighten the mood.

To my relief, a laugh escaped her lips. "I'll remember that," she said, turning to leave the room. "By the way, I'm making pasta for dinner. It should be ready in an hour."

"I'll be there," I replied as she stepped out. I picked up the envelope, anticipating yet another apology from Anakin, the sender I knew all too well. With a sigh, I muttered, "What more can you say that you haven't already, Anakin?" as I pulled out the thick paper.

But instead of a lengthy message, I found only four delicate words in cursive, positioned above a freshly drawn portrait of us. The image captured a moment by the fireplace, where we sat on the floor, gazing at each other with joyful smiles.

The words above the drawing read: The moment I knew.

I studied the portrait, the memory flooding back as vividly as if it had just happened. It was the first time I had visited his home, and we had drifted off to sleep in front of that very fireplace. I flipped the paper over, hoping for more, and my heart tightened at what I found.

That you were everything I was searching for...

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