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Chapter One

Clara

The splatter of raindrops hit the window pane as I peered through it, gazing at my late aunt’s duplex, which appeared different from my last visit nearly half a decade ago.

After quickly calculating how I’d navigate the rain, I paid the cab driver and hurriedly opened the door, eager to reach the house without getting soaked.

Clutching my miniature travel bag in my left hand, I reached for the door handle with my right, swinging it open before stepping out into the brisk air and promptly shutting it behind me.

As I got ready to move forward, someone accidentally bumped into me. The sudden force jolted me to the side, almost making me lose my balance.

Immediately irritated, I realized plenty of things I hadn’t been briefed on.

Despite my aversion to rain, I was drenched under its relentless downpour.

“I’m sorry–” His deep and smooth voice resonated with familiarity before trailing into a hesitant pause.

Why was he offering me only half an apology? I mused, stooping to retrieve my fallen travel bag from the slick pavement, its corners dampened by the unceasing rain.

Resigning to my fate, I abandoned any notion of fleeing the scene, the cold droplets seeping through layers of clothing, chilling me to the bone.

Raising my gaze from the ground, I couldn’t help but notice the definition in his well-toned legs, outlined even beneath his sporty attire. Yet, as my eyes traveled upward, they abruptly stopped at his face. In a split second, I blinked rapidly, my mouth suddenly dry as I beheld the face before me.

I felt a piercing feeling in my chest as my eyes met Jacob Bradley’s; he was my first in so many things, but had walked away from me years ago, saying one of his father’s businesses in California or was it in Texas needed attention.

It was evident he was speechless, caught off guard by a day he probably never imagined would arrive.

Numerous thoughts raced through my mind, but amidst them all, my foremost concern was my curiosity about why he was there. He cleared his throat, preparing to speak, but I tightened my grip on the handle of my travel bag and walked away without a word.

Reaching the porch, I retrieved the key from where the attorney had indicated, then inserted it into the keyhole, all the while watching Jacob disappear into the neighboring house.

As if running into him wasn’t tormenting enough, now we were neighbors. It felt like an undeserved punishment.

Pushing the door open, I flicked on the light, revealing the sight of scattered boxes strewn across the dusty floor. Closing the door behind me, I began to peel off my clothes, only to let out a loud sneeze resulting from the chilly air and the swirling dust.

I made my way around the boxes, pulling my miniature travel bag behind me until I got to the wooden staircase.

Sitting on the stairs hugging my feet, I shivered, partly from the cold and partly from the memory of bumping into him. I can remember the look on his face; it was utter shock. He wouldn’t have dared imagine, I thought to myself, that we would cross paths in Sunnyvale, of all places. I wanted to let my thoughts rush over and segue to other things, but I was unsuccessful.

The case worsened when the hurtful memory of our breakup came gallivanting in my head. For so long, I had tried to repress those awful memories, but I guess I was too traumatized to lose them if that made any sense at all.

Rainy days weren’t my favorite days, but I have pretty delightful memories of them. However, on this day, I could not compose such memories.

“We have to break up.”

Those words were sharper than a two-edged sword. He had brutally stabbed me with them, not caring how I would feel. He had been selfish, and it hurt to know.

I thought I had moved on without him. Here in Sunnyvale, I thought I would start anew after three years of our breakup. I sniffled. Perhaps I had begun crying; maybe it was the cold. I didn’t know.

Looking around me, I saw that I had a lot more than I had imagined to do. The house was a beautiful mess, with dust bunnies stationed like sentries in different corners, elaborately spun webs on the ceiling and between things, and the covered clothes thickened by masses of dirt.

I sneezed.

Perhaps I needed something warm first.

The kitchen was just right in the next room. I would have coffee, I had brought some along with me, and I would begin the house cleaning.

“Ah, neighbors!” I said out loud, still curious about Jacob Bradley’s sudden reappearance in my life. He couldn’t have followed me here.

“Enough thinking about him,” I said to myself. “You have a lot to do”. I dropped my cup of coffee, resolved.

I grabbed the vacuum cleaner and a dust cloth. Hastily, I rolled my hair into a rough bun and started cleaning.

Initially, I thought it wasn’t a big deal, and that I was perfectly fine. Nothing could stop me from taking care of the house. Still, when my eyes kept looking out the window, and the sound of the rain on the rooftop collided with my thumping heart, I was sure I would sit down to rest soon.

A wave of sadness devoured me, and it was heavier than ever before. I was consumed. I couldn’t think straight; it was as if I was back again to when he had walked away.

“What do you mean by that? Why do we need a break?”

“It’s not you, Clara, it’s me. It’s all me. I cannot shirk duty, Clara. I have to be responsible for the company in California, or it will be shut down.”

“I still can’t see how that affects our relationship.”

“Look, Clara,” his voice broke as I stared right into his eyes as if searching his soul.

What had come over him? I had begun to break inside. How could he do that to us?

“I’m sorry,” was what followed.

“Hmm! What are you sorry for? I’m hating this right now. We were fine, Jacob, and we are fine. We have been the best couple so far, and I -I- “

I was whimpering.

The determination was in his eyes; he had already made his decision. He was sorry, my ice cream was melting away, and I was breathing heavily alongside the gust of wind, causing strands of my hair to wisp about. I wanted to shove the ice cream into his face.

I didn’t, luckily, before he walked away.

And that night had been miserable. It was a bright night, illuminated by a round, full moon, but it had been miserable. And so was the following morning, and the one to come after, and the ones to come after.

My best friend, Daisy, had called, but I had not answered. There were peculiar circumstances that called for a certain embankment of solitude, and the situation was one.

Tears were fast gathering in my eyes, and I gripped my head as I felt dizzy.

Curse Jacob Bradley!