Can heaven be so envious?

William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet

Chapter 21 – Meena's Mistake

March 26, 2026 – March 27, 2026

Meena's POV

Though it seemed like I was watching everything in slow motion, it happened in seconds. I didn't even have time to call out for help.

Then it was over.

And the only noise left in the room was the sound of my terrified scream as Nate lay lifeless in front of me.

"Nate," I cried, running to him to shake his still warm chest. To my relief, I could feel the faint beat of his heart. The door to the attic burst open and my parents came flying in the room.

"What happened?" my mom asked as she rushed to Nate, my dad right behind her.

"W-We were kissing and he jerked and I-I bit his l-lip," I said in between sobs.

"I'll call Embry," my dad stated, before rushing back out of the room. My mom bent over Nate and sniffed his face and neck, before moving to his chest.

"The venom hasn't reached his heart yet," she said, looking at me worriedly. "You need to suck it out."

I shook my head instantly. I could still taste his blood in my mouth, the venom on my lips. I couldn't help Nate right now even if I wanted to.

"I—" I didn't even finish speaking before my mom reached for Nate's mouth which had swollen to the size of an egg. She turned his lip over, and I almost threw up at what I saw. The area around the puncture wound was pitch black and rotten looking.

Without hesitating, my mom took Nate's lip in her mouth and began to suck the venom back. I clutched the edge of the mattress as I waited for a sign—any sign—that would show me that I hadn't killed him.

My dad entered the room and paused. From an outsider's perspective, it would have looked strange—as though my mother were kissing my boyfriend. But my dad came toward the bed, grim understanding on his face.

I could see the black venom retracting in Nate's system, as though it were a tape being played on rewind. His veins slowly returned to their normal bluish color though they still stood out against his ghostly white face.

My mom let go of Nate and turned to the side of the bed. She spit his blood out on the floor, grimacing as she reached up to wipe her mouth.

"Embry's on his way," my dad said as he picked up Nate's wrist and felt the heartbeat.

"Is he going to be okay?" I whispered. My parents exchanged looks and I felt my panic spike.

"We won't know until Embry gets here," my mom answered gently.

"Let's get him out of the attic," my dad said. As carefully as if he were picking up a newborn baby, he put one arm around Nate's shoulder and the other underneath his legs and picked him up. We made our way to my room where my dad placed him gently on my bed.

My parents left us alone and stepped into the hallway outside my door. I wanted to lie down next to Nate on the mattress…I wanted to shake his body until he opened his eyes and gave me one of his ridiculously handsome grins. But all I could do was stand there and stare at him, memorizing every detail on his face. I could hear my parents talking quietly. They had moved downstairs, probably assuming I was in too much shock to hear their conversation.

"Jake," my mom said. "We're going to have to call Sam and Emily and let them know what happened."

My father sighed heavily. "What do I tell them, Ness? How do I tell Sam that another one of my kids might have potentially killed another one of his?"

I curled up my trembling hand and brought it to my mouth, biting down hard on the fist to prevent myself from crying out. Blood seeped from the wound, hitting my clothes and splashing on the carpet beneath my feet, forming a pattern that reminded my dazed mind of an abstract painting.

"It was an accident," my mother implored to my dad.

"I hope Sam will believe that," my father responded. I heard him step outdoors to make his phone call. My mom came back in my room.

"Any change?" she asked.

I shook my head. After a minute of tense silence, I said, "Mom, I-I'm so sorry."

She instantly wrapped her arms around me, hugging me close. "Oh Meena, you didn't hurt him on purpose."

"But I was too d-dangerous to be with a wolf," I sobbed. "I-I told Nate that a hundred times."

"And he didn't care," my mom returned. "He wanted to take the risk because he loves you."

"And this is the result," I said, waving my hand at Nate's still form. "If…If he dies, I w-won't be able to liv—"

"Don't talk like that," my mom ordered. "We both know how strong Nate is. We have to have faith."

The door to my room opened and Embry hurried in, carrying his medical bag.

"Embry," my mom muttered gratefully. "You got here quick."

"I was on my way to the hospital in Forks when Jake called," Embry explained, pulling out his stethoscope. He listened to Nate's heart, a frown of concentration on his face. I held my breath as I waited for the diagnosis.

"His heartbeat is pretty weak, but it's steady," he finally said. He pulled out a small flashlight from his bag and opened up one of Nate's lids. A cry escaped me as I saw that the redness was still there, completely hiding the white of his eye making him look inhuman.

"Renesmee," Embry said as he continued with his examination. "Take Meena out of here. She's in shock. Why don't you give her some tea if you have it? Rosemary would work best."

My mom grabbed my hand. "Come on baby."

I stood stubbornly still. "I d-don't want to l-leave him," I said through teeth that had begun to chatter.

"Meena, I can't concentrate on helping Nate if I'm worrying about you too," Embry said, giving me a stern look.

I had the feeling he was lying. Embry was an emergency room doctor used to chaotic situations. But as I didn't want to distract him in any way, I gave in. With one last glance at Nate, I allowed my mom to drag me from the room. My dad was pacing around downstairs. As soon as he saw me, he hugged me while my mom went into the kitchen to make some tea.

"You okay?" he asked.

"No," I whispered against his chest as my body shook.

A short time later, I was sitting on the couch with my parents on either side of me, sipping my tea. Tires screeched outside our house and seconds later the Uleys entered. Emily's eyes were puffy from crying, her expression devastated. Sam…I couldn't even look at him; his expression was too tormented. Not even an hour ago, they were co-signing on a lease for their son. And now this.

I was barely able to breathe under the weight of my sorrow, though I knew my pain was nothing compared to theirs. I had done this to them. If it weren't for me, Nate would be at home right now, planning his bright future.

"Where…" Sam started to say, but his voice became choked. He had to swallow before continuing. "Where is he?"

"We moved him to Meena's bedroom," my father explained, standing up and moving protectively in front of me. Emily immediately went up the stairs. Sam was slower in his movement, as though he couldn't quite bring himself to join his wife. My dad took a step toward him. "Sam, I'm so sorr—"

"Don't," Sam interrupted, lifting a shaking hand to stop my dad from speaking. "Just…don't."

My father nodded, his face remorseful. Sam's eyes skimmed over me briefly before he turned to follow his wife. Looking like a man about to pass through the gates of hell, he made his way slowly up the stairs. I could hear Emily crying upstairs.

I gripped my cup a little too tight and it exploded, spilling scolding tea on my lap. My mom jumped up and ran to the kitchen as my dad hurried to my side asking if I'd hurt myself. I couldn't answer him. I felt too numb to even open my mouth. I heard water being turned on in the other room, but I just sat there limply, welcoming the physical pain I felt. My mother was back in seconds, pushing a cold wet rag against my knees.

"Jake," Embry called out. "Can you come here?"

My dad gave my shoulder a brief squeeze before he ran up the stairs. I used my extra sensory hearing to eavesdrop.

"How is he?" my dad asked.

"I'm not sure yet. I want to get him to the hospital and do a full body scan. I need to see how much damage the venom did to his internal organs. And his breathing is really shallow so I want to get him hooked up on a breathing tube. Can you drive us there? Sam and Emily are too upset, and I don't want to call an ambulance. Paramedics wouldn't know how to treat a wolf, and they'd ask too many questions."

"Sure," my father replied. He came down the stairs and cupped the side of my cheek briefly. "I'm going with Embry. As soon as I hear anything, I'll call you."

I nodded and he kissed my forehead before hurrying out to the car. I stood up as Embry and Sam came down the stairs, walking on either side of Nate as they carefully carried him. Emily rushed ahead of them and opened the front door. I tried to speak—to tell Nate I loved him or to beg for the Uleys' forgiveness—but by the time I could move, they were gone.

For the next two hours I paced around my house like a caged animal. My mom offered to drive me to the hospital more than once, but I refused. I wanted to be there for Nate more than anything. I felt like I would go out of my mind not knowing what was going on. But I also remembered what happened after Gabe attacked Gracie. I didn't want the families fighting again. And I didn't want my presence to upset Sam and Emily.

I also couldn't help but think that I had lost my right to be concerned over Nate. It was my fault he was hurt in the first place. When the phone finally rang, I fumbled with it, barely able to pick it up.

"Meena," my dad said as soon as he heard me. "I've got some news. Embry took a scan of Nate's internal organs. It's…it's the damndest thing. He could see the path that the venom took, because every area it affected looked singed. But the venom stopped right outside his heart and vital organs. Embry doesn't understand why. Considering the amount of damage it did, it should have gone straight into his heart and eaten away at it by the time your mom got the venom out."

"Will he…" I had to swallow before I could go on. "Will he recover?"

"Yeah, he will," my father assured me. "We just got the results back from a second scan and Nate's body is already showing signs that it's healing. He's going to be fine though he's currently unconscious, but Embry's not worried. Bodies will sometimes do that if they experience trauma. It's all part of the healing process."

My knees weakened and I fell to the floor. "That's…that's good news," I said shakily. "Thanks for letting me know, Dad."

"Sure," my father replied. "Hey listen, I called Ryan. He's going to stop by the house in a little bit to pick up Sam's car and then he's coming to the hospital. Why don't you get a ride with him?"

"I…I don't think that's a good idea. I don't want to upset Emily or Sam," I said, though my heart ached to see Nate again.

"Meena," my father replied, hearing the hesitation in my voice. "Are you going to let this effect you? I know how you get. You're always worried about hurting Nate—"

"For good reason!" I cried.

My father didn't say anything for so long that I thought he might have hung up. Finally, he said softly, "Okay. I'll be home in a little while."

I hung up the phone and went over to the couch, lying down on it weakly. My mom lifted me up slightly so that she could sit next to me, maneuvering my head so it rested on her lap. She began to run her hand soothingly over my hair. A few minutes later, I heard the pounding feet of a wolf approaching the house. I sat up and peered out the back window. Ryan Spencer came out of the woods and walked toward the patio. My mom got up and let him in.

"Ryan, hey," she said uncomfortably.

Ever since the Gracie/Gabe incident, neither my parents nor Ryan had had a lot to say to each other. My parents weren't mad at Ryan because he was the biggest reason why their son couldn't come back to the area. And Ryan didn't seem to hold it against my family that we were related to the guy who almost destroyed his imprint's life. But whenever we had to be around each other, the atmosphere was strained.

So it meant a lot when he went over to my mom and gave her a brief hug before he came over to me. Resting a hand on my shoulder, he asked, "Are you all right?"

"Don't worry about me. Just worry about Nate," I whispered.

"Jake said he was going to be okay." Ryan reminded me. When I didn't say anything, Ryan examined my face closely. "Hey…don't forget, Nate was made for you. I was there when he phased for the first time. Even then, he was the most powerful wolf any of us had ever come across. He was created to withstand a lot. He'll recover, Meena. And when he does, he's going to want to know you weren't upset by this."

I nodded, but didn't say anything. He gave my mom a worried glance before he walked out the front door. Seconds later, I heard the Uleys' car rev up and then he was gone.

"I hope you heard what Ryan said," my mom remarked, coming over to me and wrapping her arm around my waist.

"I heard him," I answered. "But Mom…I didn't hurt Nate this time. What about the next? Maybe we won't be so lucky. I can't…I can't risk his life anymore."

"Oh Meena," my mom said. "I heard what your father said to you on the phone. The venom didn't touch his heart. He's already on the road to recovery. What happened today should have killed Nate, but it didn't."

My mom moved so that she was standing in front of me. Looking into my eyes, she cupped my cheeks and I felt her thoughts in my head. Hear what Ryan said. Nate was made for you. He was created to imprint on someone who was venomous. What would have killed other wolves didn't kill him because you're his mate. Remember that, Meena. Trust in the imprint.

I began to tear up and backed away from my mom just as I heard my father's car pull into the driveway. He came in, took one look at me, and announced, "Pack your bags. We're leaving."

"What?" my mom and I said at the same time.

"I've had enough of this," my father replied. "I won't stand by and see my children hurting anymore. We're moving and we're not coming back."

"Jacob, what are you talking about?" my mother asked as she hurried over to my dad. "We can't leave! Especially not now!"

"Ness, remember we talked about leaving after Gabe hurt Gracie Uley."

"Yes, but that was completely different circumstances," my mom argued.

"Not really," my dad replied before glancing at me. "Hurry up, Meena. I want to be on the road as soon as possible."

"Did something bad happen at the hospital?" my mother asked hesitantly. "Have…have there been any kind of threats?"

"Not at all," my father answered. "Things haven't exactly been ideal since we've moved back here, Ness. I think our entire family needs a fresh start somewhere else."

I stood there in shock. Granted I was just thinking that it would be for the best to let Nate go, but now that the option was being made for me, I didn't know what to think.

"Jacob!" my mom exclaimed. She reached up and touched his cheek. My mind was so confused, I couldn't even begin to decipher what she might have said to him.

He grabbed her hand and kissed the palm, before saying "Renesmee, trust me."

My dad gave my mom a look I didn't understand. Shrugging slightly, she turned to me and said, "Okay. Do as your father said."

On autopilot, my feet moved of their own volition. I had my bag packed and we were in the car driving for about an hour, before I snapped out of my self-induced mini-coma.

"Wait!" I said. "Where are we going?"

"To Vancouver to stay with your mom's family," my dad replied. "I've already called them. After that, we'll figure out where we're going to live."

"But…I didn't even have a chance to say goodbye to Nate," I whispered.

"It's best to have a clean break," my dad said. Something in his argument didn't make sense. I couldn't believe my dad was being so caviler about the end of an imprint relationship.

And that's when it hit me. Nate and I were through. Tears began to seep past my eyelids, and before I knew it, I was crying so hard that my entire body shook. My dad stopped the car so that my mom could get in the back seat with me. She held me as I continued to cry, making shhing noises as she held me. I finally fell into a deep, exhausted sleep. When I came to, the car had come to a halt, and I could hear my parents talking.

"I just hope you know what you're doing," my mom said lowly.

"Me too," my father answered solemnly. He glanced in the rearview mirror and saw that I was awake. "Meena, we're here."

The door opened and I was pulled out of the car, instantly wrapped in my Grandma Bella's embrace. My Grandfather Edward came out to help my dad with the bags.

"We were surprised to get your call," he said, inspecting my father through narrowed eyes.

"We needed to leave Forks behind us," my dad declared almost overdramatically. My grandfather continued to stare at him.

He finally gave a little half smile and shook his head, muttering something that sounded like an exasperated "wolves."

"So…" Uncle Emmett said from the couch as we walked in the house. "We heard Nate was 'mostly dead' all day, huh?"

He emphasized "mostly dead" with air quotes. I stared blankly back at him. He raised an eyebrow in disappointment. "Mostly dead…get it? Princess Bride? Hello?"

"Uncle Emmett," my mom said in annoyance. "Now's really not the time."

We made our way upstairs and I went into my room. Depression and tiredness overwhelmed me. I felt like my soul had been ripped in half. The part that resided inside me was dead. The other part was lying in a hospital bed somewhere in Forks. The pain from being away from Nate was so much worse than the time we were separated right after he imprinted. I lay down on my bed, not even bothering to change my blood splattered clothes, and fell into a deep slumber.

I didn't know how long I slept before there was a knock on my bedroom door, jarring me awake. Jerking into a sitting position, I cleared my voice and called out, "Come in."

I sucked in a shocked breath as Gabe entered the room, looking nervous and unsure. I hadn't laid eyes on my twin since the disaster on New Year's. Even though we talked a few times on the phone since then, I hadn't realized how much I missed and needed my brother until he was standing in front of me.

"Meena, I—" He started to say, but I jumped off the bed and ran to him, hugging him so tight I cut off his sentence.

"Oh Gabe," I cried wobbly. He cradled me to him, running his hand in soothing circles on my back and murmuring soft comforting words.

"Meena, Dad talked to Uncle Embry before I came up here," he finally said when I calmed down enough. "Nate's doing so well that they've already taken him off oxygen. He hasn't woken up yet, but I'm sure he'll want to see you when he does."

"Are you showing sympathy for your enemy?" I asked in surprise.

"More like worry for my lil' sis," he replied, giving me a gentle smile. His expression turned into a frown as he looked at the area surrounding me. "I don't like your aura. It's very black. As much as Nate bugs the ever living shit out of me, you need your imprint."

"I can't, Gabe. I can't see him again." And to my shame, another sob broke out and I lost it again, crying so hard my head hurt.

Gabe grabbed my hand and led me to the edge of my bed. We sat down and he wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

"Whatever you decide, I'm here for you."

That only made me feel worse. I covered my face in my hands. "I don't deserve it. I was terrible to you."

"Well, I almost killed Gracie," Gabe replied dryly. "I can see why you'd be upset about that."

"Stop being so nice to me," I demanded as I looked at him. "I don't deserve it."

Gabe shook his head. "You deserve so much more, Meens."

"Why aren't you mad at me? I treated you like shit."

My brother's lips quirked in amusement at my unaccustomed swear word. He shrugged though as he said, "You're my sister. We've been through a lot together. I'm sure we'll continue to go through more in the future. But we'll always end up like this. Together, just as we've been since before we were born."

He grabbed my hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. I gave him a watery smile in return.

"I think Tanya's had a good influence on you," I said.

He grinned widely back. "Yeah, she has."

"Did she come with you?"

"She's outside with Great-Grandma Esme."

I wiped the moisture away from my cheeks with my hand. "And you're happy?"

"There are no words," Gabe replied contentedly. "I love her. I've loved her for years. Things are the way they're supposed to be."

"I'm glad it worked out for one of us."

Gabe let out a slight laugh. "I have the feeling that, contrary to what you've said, things aren't over for you and Nate. Not by a long shot."

He got up from the bed and kissed me on top of my head. "Now come and get something to eat before you make yourself even sicker than you already have."

That made me think of something. I reluctantly got to my feet and made my way downstairs. My Aunt Alice greeted me as Gabe walked by and headed into the kitchen.

"I didn't get the memo that blood splattered jeans were in," she said, looking down at my clothes in disgust. She reached up and gently wiped the remaining tears from my face. "While you're here, we'll have to get some shopping done."

I internally groaned, but I said, "Have you seen Great-Grandfather?"

"He's in his study."

I nodded and went to speak with my Grandfather Carlisle. I knocked on the door before letting myself in.

"Meena!" he said, coming over and giving me a hug. "You've been asleep for ten hours. We were beginning to get worried."

I glanced out the window and saw that it was indeed day out. I hadn't even realized.

"I have a question for you," I said.

"Sure," he replied, waving for me to sit in the chair opposite his desk.

"When we went on the t-tour yesterday, I got really thirsty, even though I fed just two days before. Why do you think that was?"

He frowned as he folded his fingers together before placing them against his mouth. "Hmm. It could have been a couple of different factors. One, you were surrounded by new humans. Perhaps you just needed to adjust to their scents. Or maybe…"

"What?" I asked anxiously.

"Perhaps one of them was your singer—someone who is hard for you to resist. Bella was Edward's before she was changed. Her scent used to drive him to the point of insanity. If he wasn't so fascinated by her, he probably would have eventually given in and killed her."

I shuddered at the thought of my grandfather killing my grandma. But I said, "I don't think that was it. There wasn't a particular scent that stood out."

"Well," Great-Grandfather said, lost in thought. "It could be physical."

"What do you mean?" I questioned in confusion.

"Perhaps you're on the brink of another phase in your life. Your vampire gene has always been prominent, even more so than Renesmee's is in her. Maybe—and this is just a theory—but maybe you're on the brink of becoming immortal. Your vampire genes could be strengthening and becoming dominant now."

"So in other words, the human side is fading and I'm becoming more of a vampire?"

"Possibly, but it's just a theory. It didn't happen with your mom. Then again, your molecular structure is different than hers."

"Will I be a danger to humans?" I asked, trying to remain calm even as I pictured myself going off on a killing spree.

My great-grandfather's face changed from thoughtful to horrified. "Honey, don't read too much into what I've said. I could be wrong. You and your brother are the only ones of your kind. All I can give you are theories, not scientific proof. Even if what I said is true, all it means is that you'll want to hunt a little more until you reach the final stage of immortality. Nothing else will change. And no matter what, you're still a quarter human and half wolf."

I stood up and muttered a quick thanks before I bolted from the room. I ran back to my bedroom and flung myself across my bed, squeezing my eyes shut to block out the thoughts that were now taunting me.

What would happen if what my great-grandfather said was true? Would wolves smell terrible to me as vampires reeked to them? Would my eyes go golden like my family members, or red if I lost control and killed a human? Would I become a monster? Worse…would Nate still want me?

There was a knock on my door and my Grandma Bella stuck her head in. "Can I come in?"

I didn't get up from the bed, merely nodded. She came over and lay behind me, wrapping her arm around my waist. I breathed in her familiar scent, relaxing slightly in her protective embrace.

"Meena, I love you with all my heart," she said softly. "But sometimes you are way too much like your grandfather."

I heard my Grandpa Edward cough somewhere below and my dad snicker. I ignored them both and said, "What do you mean?"

"He used to worry all the time too. He was constantly afraid when I was human that I'd hurt myself because I used to be a klutz. And that wasn't all. He was afraid of letting me hang out with the wolf pack. He was afraid of physically hurting me himself. He used to drive us both crazy with all his worrying. If he were human, he would have died from having too many ulcers."

"True dat," Emmett murmured somewhere in the distance followed by Aunt Rosaile saying, "Shh."

"It's so hard to have a private conversation in this house." My grandma sighed. "Edward, please."

A few seconds later I heard feet shuffling and then the house was quiet. My grandmother continued, "The point I'm trying to make is that you can't be afraid all the time. You'll ruin your entire existence being constantly worried. Life will happen whether you want it to or not, and you can either deal with it kicking or screaming, or you can accept it."

"I just can't, Grandma," I whispered. "I can't risk hurting him again."

"So that's it? You've left him," she said.

I nodded, my throat filled with too much pain to respond. She got off the bed and went over to the window, looking out of it with a frown on her forever youthful face.

"You know," she remarked. "When Jacob imprinted on your mom, I was furious. I didn't want to share my baby with him, you see?"

She gave a little half laugh as she said, "I even attacked him when I found out. Your mother, who was only a few days old at the time, had been so upset because she thought I might have hurt him. She didn't want anything to happen to her Jacob. Even at such a young age, the bond between them was unbreakable."

My grandmother turned so that she was facing me. "After awhile, I was glad that he imprinted. Renesmee was always so serious. She was born old, but Jacob was the one who made things fun and lighthearted for her. He gave her a life. I remember during her first Christmas, he made her sit in front of the TV and watch Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer because he was determined that she have a childhood. He was there for her when she went through the pains of puberty. He was the one she went to when she developed a crush on Brady. And he held her after Brady rejected her and she experienced her first heartache. Life is never easy, especially for an imprinted pair. Your parents definitely have had their ups and downs. But they've made each other so happy. That's what love is. You may go through some bad times, but the good makes everything so worth it."

"Grandma, I can't—" I tried to say, but I broke out into another sob. She came over and hugged me to her.

"Oh Meena," she said, running her cool hand through my hair. "You're so much like your mother as well. So serious…taking things too close to heart. And Nathaniel is a lot like his father. Stubborn and overly responsible. To be honest, I was worried when he imprinted on you."

"Why?" I wondered with a sniff, feeling defensive of Nate.

My grandma laughed. "I wanted you to find someone like Jacob. Jake was my rock when I needed him, just like he became your mom's. He certainly keeps us entertained even now. But you know what I realized when you and Nate were here on your last trip? You did find the right person. All my fears disappeared, because you were the happiest I'd ever seen you. Honey, you have a long life ahead of you. Do you want to spend it without Nate?"

I grimaced but didn't say anything, which earned another quiet laugh from my grandmother.

"Did you know that when I was human, your grandfather did the same thing to me that you're doing to Nate? He left me to protect me. Did you ever hear that story?"

"Sort of," I replied.

"It's one of the few times I remember clearly from my human days," she said with a frown. "It had been my birthday. I'd been opening a present and cut my finger on the paper. Your Uncle Jasper lost control and almost attacked me. It scared your grandfather and he decided it was best that he leave me."

"But you worked things out."

"Eventually," Grandma replied. "But it wasn't without consequence. I grew close to your father during the time Edward was gone. If your grandfather hadn't come back into my life when he did…well, who knows what would have happened."

I felt my face wrinkle in disgust. I knew what would have happened. I knew that my dad had had a crush on my grandmother when he was a teen…which was so gross. I couldn't imagine my dad with anyone but my mom. They were crazy for each other. That my dad had any interest before her—and that it was my grandma no less—was all kinds of disturbing.

My grandma grinned as if she could read my mind. She leaned over and patted my cheek. "Meena, you need to think this through. You left Nate while your emotions were extremely mixed up. Do you really want this? Do you want him to give up on you and move onto someone else? Because imprint or no imprint, if you keep pushing Nate away, he might eventually believe it when you act like you don't want him. Eternity is a long time to go without your soul mate by your side. Think about it."

She leaned in and gave me a kiss on the cheek before leaving me to my thoughts. I went over to the window and pressed my forehead against the cool glass. I wanted to think about what my grandmother had said, but all I could think about was the idea of Nate moving on with someone else. The idea of him kissing and loving anyone but me was like having acid poured on my skin.

"What should I do, Nate?" I whispered, my heart and soul aching for his reassuring presence.

But of course, there was no answer.

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