When Eddie wakes up, the first thing he does is reach out for you. He’s hoping to pull you into his arms, hold you to him and breathe you in to start his day.
Instead, all he finds is cold bedsheets.
His eyes crack open, find his suspicions confirmed.
You’re nowhere to be seen.
He gets out of bed, looks through each room in his apartment, only to come up empty.
The only sign of you he finds is a note on the kitchen counter.
Eddie,
I can’t do this anymore.
I love you.
Please don’t hate me.
X
He calls Anne as soon as he reads it.
“Why'd she leave, Anne?” Eddie sighs, collapses on the couch.
“I don’t know, Eddie. You know her–how she is.” There’s sympathy dripping from Anne’s voice. “She probably got scared. The two of you have been getting so close.”
Eddie knows she’s probably right, but he can’t help but wish you’d talked to him about it instead of running away.
“Annie.” He sighs. “Annie, c’mon. I know the two of you are friends.” He runs a hand through his hair, shuts his eyes. “She didn’t tell you…she didn’t mention…”
“She talked about going east...just in passing.” Anne sighs. “She mentioned wanting to see another ocean. That might be where she’s heading.”
Her voice snaps him from his reverie, has his grabbing his keys and slamming the door behind him.
x
The road passes under Eddie’s bike like nothing at all. He knows he’s speeding, knows he should slow down, but he can’t bring himself to.
All he wants is to find you.
It’s the kind of fall day a couple should spend together, making memories, not on opposite sides of the country.
He knows he has nothing to go on, knows you could be anywhere, but that won’t stop him.
He can’t lose you. Not like this.