Were you mine?

Chapter 26 If only

Jake's POV

I was headed towards my car when I stepped over something.

I don't know why but I bent down to pick it up.

I don't know whether it was good or bad luck. I don't know whether I should have picked it or not.

It was a ear ring.

Not anyother ear rings. It was Lea's ear ring. I knew because I had made it with my own hands when I worked at the silverware factory.

Her intitials were hand graved inside. The shape was tattered and ugly, yet she wore it everywhere... even to weddings.

And I found one piece under my foot after thinking that I saw her not once but twice in a the same day.

There was only so much of a coincidence in the world.

This was confirmation that Lea was there.

My mind wasn't playing tricks anymore.

She was there watching me sing the song once more.

Why?

Why didn't see come to see me?

Why did she watch from far?

One of the body guards literally shoved me in the car as the crowd surged even more.

My car drove past the university towards my hotel, our flight was scheduled early in the morning.

But I didn't want to leave.

I had finally found Lea.Of all places on earth, I found her in that remote location. Did she settle there? Or did she come to just watch my show?

I sunk deeper and deeper down in my seat looking at the ear ring, sniffing it , not wanting to let go.

Suddenly my phone rang and I pulled it out of my pocket.

" Jake, that was super cool. We all watched the live stream together, Rosa, Betty and Josh. By the way, we heard about the diagnosis.How are you handling the pain? Are you alright?”

It was Caleb, another costar who had turned to a friend.

We often hanged out with the group that he mentioned.

" No! " I answered.

" What do you mean? Aren't the sedatives working? You need to call the doctor if... " He was passionately yelling at the other end when I cut him short.

" It's not that Caleb... I saw Lea! "

I had shared everything about Lea with him, he knew all about her.

" What? Wow? Finally! Did you talk? Did she tell you why she left? "

I could hear his voice cheering up because he knew that was the one single thing that I had been praying for.

" No! I saw her from a distance- once at the hospital and then once at the concert. But then she disappeared. And then I found her ear ring under my foot. Gosh! Caleb! I don't know what to make of this... I think I will go crazy. ”

I said.

" Don't lose heart, big boy! It's sign from the heavens, don't you see? Things aren't over between you. The universe is conspiring to bring you close. I am sure soon you will get your answers... "

" Who is conspiring with whom Caleb? "

I could hear Rosa's voice in the background as Caleb spoke.

" I am talking with Jake. " I heard Caleb tell Rosa.

" Don't tell Rosa about... ” I hurriedly tried to warn Caleb. I didn't want her drama. I didn't care about disappointing her but I knew if I mentioned what happened she would rule it out as overthinking and hallucination and ask me to move on.

I didn't need that.

" Not tell me what Jake? ” Rosa had already taken the phone from Caleb.

" Nothing! Just that my sedatives aren't working. ” I blatantly lied.

" Oh my goodness! Jake how could you let that happen? How can you be so irresponsible about your own health... ”

And she started.

I knew she meant it in a good way but I couldn't be a good sport at the moment.

I hung up on her.

And then I switched my phone off, leaning back on the car, closing my eyes, trying to take a nap.

But sleep wasn't something that was easily attainable.

All I could see was Lea, memories from the past, flooding my senses as the street outside turned into a blur. The trees outside took me back to when we were children and I had taught Lea how to climb a tree.

( start of flashback)

"That's right, one more step. Grab the top, make a grip with your toe, curl them up... "

I instructed her from the bottom,ready to catch her if she fell.

She followed my orders diligently.

" Jake, I can see something on top. You should see it as well. I think it's a nest. There are little birdies in there. "

" Lea, focus! Keep your eyes on the branch. You will slip!" She was forever so disoriented and her mind was all over the place and I loved her messiness.

However my words weren't enough to force her to focus. She got distracted by the chirping of the baby birds, reaching out to try and see them.

As expected, she slipped, but I caught her before she fell but then we both fell on the puddle and the mud got into both our mouth, nose and hair.

( end of flashback)

I burst out laughing as the memories came flooding and I saw her whimper with her dirty face.

She was the most adorable little thing when she cried with the mud still on her teeth.

She cried harder when I laughed at her and left me there in anger, vowing never to talk with me ever again.

I sat there like an idiot, laughing my a*s off as I watched her run back home.

A heavy sigh left my chest.

If only I knew what it would feel like when she really stopped talking to me, I knew I would have never laughed. I would have pulled her back in my arms and hugged her till she began to laugh.

If only I knew how heavy her absence would weigh down on my soul... If only...