Mikayla turned to look out the window and said softly, "I met him once."
Memories resurfaced, and that encounter many years ago was far from pleasant.
Summer rain never cared for timing. Just moments ago, the sky was clear, but now dark clouds rolled in, and raindrops began to fall.
The upscale neighborhood was quiet. A pair of white sneakers splashed in the puddles, occasionally passing by pedestrians with umbrellas. Mikayla looked anxious and hurried.
"That bastard Cassius dumped you, didn't he? You need to see him dead or alive. If your relationship should end, you should be the one dumping that jerk first. When you see him, slap him hard!" Linda's rant echoed in her ear, and Mikayla moved her phone away slightly, frowning.
"I know. Should I wait for you to come back?" Mikayla hesitated.
"I wish I could, but I'm back home. Can you wait a few days? What's with him now anyway? Not answering calls, not replying to messages, ghosting you like this. What kind of man does that?"
Mikayla walked to the gate of a detached villa with her umbrella. "Never mind, I'm already at his house."
Since that day when Cassius called to tell her he was preparing to go abroad, it was like a thunderbolt on a sunny day for Mikayla.
"Didn't we agree to go to A University together?" Mikayla clutched her notebook tightly, accidentally tearing off a corner of a page.
"I… I wanted to! But my parents are forcing me to study in the US. Mikayla, please wait for me a few years, okay?"
"I told you I don't want a relation to be so far away form me…"
"Mikayla, please," Cassius pleaded, almost begging her.
"Then what about me?" Mikayla's eyes blurred with tears.
"Mikayla, don't you trust me at all? If you've made your choice, then let's end it here. You never believed in me!"
Cassius angrily hung up the phone. Later, when Mikayla tried to discuss it, he seemed to have disappeared from her world.
Mikayla stood at his gate and rang the doorbell. She waited patiently for a few minutes, but no one answered. Reluctantly, she rang again.
"Who is it?" A tall man came out, dressed in black pajamas, casually grabbing an umbrella from the entrance as he slowly walked to the iron gate.
If Cassius was like a blazing sun, then Marcus was like a distant moon, cold and unreachable. His demeanor was icy and mysterious, making him seem unapproachable.
Marcus looked down at Mikayla. Her initial determination faltered at the sight of him. "Is Cassius home?"
His brows furrowed in disdain, and he squinted at her. "Are you that little girlfriend of his?"
"Is he home?" Mikayla repeated, nervously clutching her coat.
Marcus glanced at the sky, the rain weaving a silver curtain. "If you hurry to the airport, you might still catch him."
"He's leaving today?!" Mikayla's face went blank. The two stood in silence, the only sound the rain splashing on the cobblestones.
"If it weren't for you, he would've left days ago."
Marcus's gaze was mocking. "Why don't you rush to the airport? Maybe you can say a proper goodbye."
Mikayla took a deep breath. "Whether he goes or not is his decision. I didn't interfere. We're already over." She turned to leave, not looking back, as if saying goodbye to the past.
Meanwhile, at the airport, Cassius was restless. An announcement came over the loudspeaker: "Attention passengers of flight NA079 to London, we regret to inform you that your flight has been delayed due to weather conditions. The new departure time is expected to be 6:30 PM. Please wait in the lounge. We will notify you when boarding. Thank you!"
He glanced at his phone, then anxiously scanned the busy entrance. He regretted his harsh words that day.
When his brother called to tell him Mikayla had come looking for him, Cassius's heart couldn't help but hope. Maybe there was still a chance? Maybe she came for him?
But when he messaged Mikayla to reconcile, he found himself blocked. It was like a bucket of cold water extinguishing the hope in his heart.
After the heavy downpour, puddles dotted the ground. Fresh air accompanied the sunlight. Cassius looked at the sky, realizing he might have lost Mikayla for good.
Life is full of crossroads, where you may part ways with those you walk with, sometimes without even saying goodbye. Some people, once missed, are missed forever…
