He took the puzzle and disassembled it violently. The beautifully painted image broke and scattered onto the table. A few stray pieces fell to the floor which made me widen my eyes in panic.
"Hey! That's my face!" I gasped.
He took handfuls of the puzzle and stashed them in his pockets. "If you're going to be like that, I'll hide my art and you'll have to find it."
"What? Why?" I reached for a puzzle piece and he pulled it away from my reach.
"It'll be like a scavenger hunt. I know you'll be able to find every piece." His smile has widened in a devious and mischievous way. I could tell he wanted to just get under my skin.
"What do I get out of this?" I took a step forward while playfully taunting him.
He took my hands in his. His thumb gently rubbed the back of my hand before he lifted my hands to meet his lips. "I'll take you out to that diner you like so much. It'll be my treat."
"Sounds like a deal."
I had remembered that there were more words exchanged before he left that morning. My mind didn't let me relive the last moments I saw him. I didn't want to remember him leaving me. I just wish I had one more day with him. If I had known he was going to leave me forever at that moment, I would've said a better goodbye. Made sure he felt loved. Maybe hugged him tighter than usual so he wouldn't leave me.
The bed felt even emptier than it had before, and it was more uncomfortable than I had remembered it.
I felt a sharp pain beneath my back. It felt like a small object and I could definitely tell it was something with an edge. I shifted around and grabbed for the object. I pulled it out before holding it up, trying to identify what I was laying on. After a few minutes of straining my eyes, I instantly recognized what it was.
It was another puzzle piece.
I sighed and sat up in my bed before shoving it into my nightstand with the second puzzle piece. It didn't matter at this point anymore. The deal was meaningless if he's not here. I didn't think I could even visit that diner anymore. It held too many memories of... him.
My mind drifted to Kyle. Thinking about it, Caleb wasn't really gone. He was in the room next to mine. He was just a child again. Who even said he would stay in child form forever? Maybe... just maybe he'll come back.
I shook my head to myself. This might be permanent. It was best not to get any hopes up.
But he did have that puzzle piece and the same scar.
I felt my body sink into the bed further and my eyelids closed despite the tears that escaped from them.
That was enough thinking for tonight. Tomorrow was another day.
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