"Hey, why are you crying?" Leo's voice reached me through the chilly breeze, warming my insides.
I looked around but didn't see anything. I turned back and started to shed more tears, so that I'd hear him again. Suddenly, a warm hand patted my shoulder. It was Leo, standing next to me like nothing had happened. He looked fine as ever, smiling his spectacular smile and looking straight into my sullen eyes. "Leo, you are alive!," I exclaimed.
Hearing this, Leo looked puzzled but sat down next to me. We sat there for hours, just like we did near the lake back in LA. "Hawaii is just as beautiful as I had expected," Leo stated. I smiled. Before I could say something, he got up. My heart started to beat faster, it felt like I was going to lose him all over again. I held his hand, but most surprisingly I couldn't. My hand just seemed far away, though I was standing right next to him. We again stood silently, but I was desperately trying to grab his hand, while Leo was heedless, just standing there looking far away into open space. The bright atmosphere started to disappear, exchanged by a dark bluish light.
"Lady, are you okay? Hey! wake up," a voice came shooting in my ear, causing me to stop trying to grab Leo's hand and open my eyes. I was lying in the plane, alone. There was no Leo, no light. "The plane will be landing in thirty minutes, are you okay?" an old lady sitting beside me asked. I nodded and looked away, terrified of facing the reality of my life. I wish I stayed in the dream, but I was so greedy. An avaricious monster, just like the ones I was surrounded by. At least I could glance at Leo, but I was so eager to hold him. I hate this!
I groaned and tried to close my eyes, but all I saw was what I didn't want to see. The plane finally arrived at the destination. Tears brimming in my eyes, I sat in the taxi and drove to a nearby apartment neighbourhood. I did have quite a lot of stuff with me. With all the energy I had, I set the luggage inside the apartment. It was big enough, and dream-like. Something I always wanted to share with Leo. I looked down, trying to throw off these thoughts. I didn't touch a single bag, I just left them to unpack for tomorrow. I walked to the nearby store and bought food which could easily last me this week. When at night I tried to sleep, I couldn't drown away thoughts of Leo. If I would fall asleep, I'd wake up screaming and crying. My heart was aching more and more every minute. My mind was numb.
I stepped into the kitchen and grabbed some beer from the fridge. I might have been sleepy and bought this much. I didn't care, I wanted to numb away the pain and not think about Leo. I turned on the TV, but there was no cable as I had just moved in. I gulped down a whole glass in one breath, then another. and another, another till I started hiccupping and had no left in the fridge. The room was messing around with me, I felt dizzy on a whole new level. I just drooped around the apartment looking for something, my phone. The rest of the night was just a blur in my mind. I woke up the next morning with a swear headache; I had collapsed on the living room floor near the sofa. The room was a bit stable now but my head was vibrating. My phone was lying on the sofa, I unlocked it and my call log was filled with failed calls to Leo. Nobody had picked up. I wailed in agony. Where has life led me? All way here in Hawaii, alone and in pain.
Days turned into weeks, there was still no update from Leo. The tiny bit hope in my heart was vanishing, leaving nothing but memories. I had unpacked almost everything, clearing the mess and the apartment was set. One night I finally decided to go out. After walking around for a long time, I found a place to sit. It was a small park. There were a few benches on the rim with palm trees veering in the wind. It felt like it would turn into a storm. I sat there for hours. The wind soon died down to little more than a gentle zephyr. I tried thinking of what I planed to do here. I had to get a different job, something that will completely discrete me from the mafia world. I didn't want to belong in there for sometime. But for how long?
I also realized I didn't want to forget Leo, I just wanted to be able to move on and breathe even with all these bittersweet reminiscences. I didn't discern how long I was sitting there until the sun started to peek through the translucent clouds. My eyelids were heavy, I dozed off when a presence next to me woke me up.
"Lia...?" I shot open my eyes. The sun was now brightly shining above my head, blinding me. An outline of a manly figure stood before me, with wide shoulders and messy hair. Light breeze was playing around, my stiffened body unable to move. I squeezed my eyes to see better.
"Who.. are you?" I mumbled.
"How sad, you don't even recognize me. Do you see better now?"
I just nodded feebly. The man continued to talk, "I was utterly surprised to see you like this. Is everything okay? What are you doing here? All alone? Looks like that Jay showed his real sinister side. He can't stay w-"
Hearing Jay's name I jolted up, but my body gave up on me. "Hey, careful. Sorry I shouldn't have bombarding you with so many questions. Looks like you haven't eaten much."
As he moved closer examining my face, I slowly started to recognize him. The blonde hair, plump lips and thick Aussie accent. "Jake?"
"Oh, you remember my name? Oh well, yes," Jake sounded jolly after being recognized. "Come on, let's grab some breakfast. I'll treat you, looks like you are alone. Wouldn't mind a companion, right?" His voice was concerned but at the same time curious. I politely refused and went back home. Jake did seem nice, but I didn't want any companion to interact with.