"I love you so much," Jason breathed, his hazel and grey irises an inch away from mine.

"I love you," I sighed, the words sounding beautiful and honest as they rolled off my lips.

Jason pressed his fingers against my lips in a feathery touch.

"Say it again," he whispered.

"I love you," I repeated, my smile widening as I chanted the truth.

The sparsely crowded café blurred into the background, all the colours and sounds fading. At that moment, only Jason mattered.

Suddenly, I heard my name being called, loud and urgent. I strained to make out the familiar voice, feminine and distant. I felt a set of slender hands shaking my shoulders.

Claire?

Her voice sounded clearer when she said, "Darling, wake up."

My eyelids fluttered open. Disappointment flooded my sleep-addled brain when I realised that I had only been dreaming.

"Good morning," Claire greeted me, her green eyes especially bright against her fresh, make-up free complexion.

"Good morning," I muttered groggily, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. "What time is it?"

"It's around nine," she replied. "We should get ready to go now. You need to be at the airport three hours before your flight. There's going to be heavy traffic, and it's a long drive."

"Okay," I said, guilt and regret niggling at me.

If only I'd realised the truth sooner.

Reading my mind, Claire smiled encouragingly. 

"It's better late than never, darling," she said. 

"Right," I agreed, mustering a small smile.

Running my hands through my messy, knotted hair, I climbed out of bed.

"I'll see you downstairs in half an hour, okay?" Claire smiled as she walked towards the bedroom door.

"Okay," I nodded, hurrying into the closet to fetch my outfit for the day.

I took a quick shower, forgoing the luxury of one last soak in the porcelain bathtub. I shrugged into a pastel pink tunic and printed white leggings before scrambling to straighten my hair in under fifteen minutes. To hide my hastily styled locks, I tucked them into a low bun.

With my backpack strapped to my shoulder and suitcase in hand, I looked around the compact bedroom that held beautiful memories. I ran my fingers across the wooden desk, the soft sheets on the queen-sized bed, the simple cream walls. 

Sighing, I walked to the balcony to savour the view one last time. Unlike the sweltering weekend, the sun cast its rays across the mountain in soft, friendly shafts. I took a big gulp of air, enjoying the saline caress of the ocean breeze.

"Lee?" Claire's voice floated from downstairs.

"Coming," I called in response, casting the towering peak a final glance.

I shuffled out of the bedroom. My throat constricted as I shut the door behind me firmly. 

Downstairs, Claire was sitting at the kitchen counter, looking gorgeous in a sophisticated grey dress. 

"Here you go," she smiled, handing me a blue bowl of salad. 

We ate the light salad of greens in silence, my eyes set on the patio outside. I wanted to thank Claire again and tell her how much I would miss her. But I decided to save my goodbyes until we reached the airport. 

A few minutes later, Claire and I were comfortably installed in her lush BMW. Pushing my Ray-Bans up the bridge of my nose, I watched the neighbourhood roll by as we drove down the street. On the way to Java Lava, I imagined a hundred different ways that Jason could react to my confession. 

Would he be angered by my belated admission? Did he believe that we were better off separated?

Stop thinking like that. You're going to be fine. 

My heart brimmed with hope as I stared out the window, picturing Jason emerge from behind the billing counter to kiss me, unperturbed by the crowded café.

Would it feel just as good as it had in my dream? Or would it be even better?

***

"Darling, we don't have much time," Claire reminded me as I climbed out of her car. "Fifteen minutes, okay?"

"Okay," I agreed reluctantly, stepping out on the sunny pavement. "I'll be back soon."

The moment I entered the café, my eyes fell on the glass counter in the back. Only Emily's distinct, jet black ponytail appeared in my vision. I approached the counter and turned around. My pulse pounded with anticipation as I searched the length and breadth of the café for Jason.

He was nowhere in sight. My hopes withered into a slight panic as I turned back to Emily.

"Hey," I called to her, tapping on the heated glass display to grab her attention.

Thankfully, she looked up right away. 

"Welcome to Java Lava," she said in a bored voice. "What can I get you today?"

"I don't want anything, thanks," I declined her offer. Cutting straight to the chase, I asked, "Where's Jason?"

A look of confusion overcame Emily's rounded features. "Uh, I don't know."

"Was he here today?" I demanded, my palms growing clammy as I searched the café once again.

"Yeah," she replied, still confused. "He left, though."

"Left?"

"Yeah, he was upset about something. He just ran out a while ago."

My fingers shook as I raised them to my face. 

"Did he say anything to you?" I asked, my voice high with desperation. "Anything at all?"

"Uh, I don't think so," Emily shrugged vaguely.

"Th-thanks anyway," I muttered, stepping away from the billing counter.

Where are you, Jason?

Panic rose in my stomach. Collapsing onto the nearest chair, I rummaged through my backpack in search of my phone. A cry of frustration escaped my lips when I failed to find it.

Think, think, where is your phone?

I cursed aloud when I remembered shoving my iPhone into the desk in my bedroom several days ago. I'd wasted precious minutes trying to find a phone that I'd left behind at Claire's house.

"Emily, can I please call Jason from your phone?" I asked, rushing back to the billing counter.

"Yeah, okay," she agreed, tapping her screen a few times. "Here."

"Thank you," I breathed, accepting her phone.

Holding the phone against my ear, I waited for the call to go through.

Pick up, pick up, please.

Seconds later, a loud ring emanated from a space near the billing computer.

"Oops," Emily shrugged, grabbing Jason's phone. "Guess he left it here."

"No, no, no," I whispered, running my hands up and down the strap of my backpack. "This can't be happening."

"Maybe he'll come back in a while or something," Emily suggested casually. "Why don't you take a seat and wait?"

"No, I can't," I cried. "I'm leaving to the airport in a few minutes!"

"Oh," she shrugged, unsure how to react to my outburst.

One of the customers — a young man who appeared to be in his late twenties — walked up to the shiny glass display. He cast a sidelong glance at me before turning to Emily.

My stomach churned as I stepped away from the counter, my legs weak and unsteady.

Why did Jason leave? 

Where did he go? 

Was he afraid that I'd come to see him? 

Does he not want to see me? Does he not love me anymore?

It's all my fault.

I'd so foolishly and selfishly broken his heart. And with his absence that day, Jason broke mine. Disappointment and hurt were no strangers to me, but the pain that crept into my heart was worse than anything I'd ever known.

A series of three faint car honks echoed through the café. I, along with several other customers, looked up questioningly.

Is that Claire? Are my fifteen minutes up already?

"Emily," I called tearfully, returning to the counter. "Emily!"

The distracted barista regarded me with undisguised exasperation. "Yeah?"

Jason needs to know. He deserves to know.

"Can I have a chocolate muffin, please?" I asked, wiping at my incessant tears before reaching for my wallet. "And a napkin and pen?"

With trembling, panic-stricken hands, I paid and split the giant muffin in half. I failed to register the taste of the warm, fluffy cake as I struggled to swallow my portion. I set the napkin against the warm glass. Uncapping the pen, I poured my words onto the page, groaning when my tears smudged a few words.

The car honks sounded again. I hastened to finish my note, handing the napkin and remaining half of the muffin to a confused Emily.

"Please, please promise me you'll give this to Jason when you see him," I said, capturing her short-lived attention with my tearful gaze.

"Uh, yeah," she said apprehensively.

"Promise me," I demanded, my heart and voice cracking.

"Okay, okay," Emily conceded, holding her hands up in surrender. "I promise."

"Thank you," I whispered before turning around.

I glanced around the café for a final time before walking out, leaving half a muffin and the fragments of my broken heart behind.