Chapter 2 Jared: Always Been You
I have known Michaela for more than half my life. We met the summer I turned ten. My family and I had just moved from California and I was new to the neighborhood and hadn't many kids my age. In just a few days I would be starting at my new school and was convinced I wouldn't make any new friends. I was bored and complaining to my mother. Well begging her to let me go to a public school not private school, not the private had enrolled me into. All she had to do was give me that look. This move had been sensible for my family. My father got a job transfer and a significant raise along with it. She told me to go check out the park near our house.
When I walked in, I saw this bright eyed girl about my age just sitting on a swing looking at a teen couple in disgust. "Gag alert." I said to her nudging to them. She informed me that was her brother and his girlfriend. We talked for awhile, I learned her name was Michaela and she and I were not only in the same grade but the same school. A bit later, few other kids from the neighborhood showed up. We all ended up playing tag and had races from one end of the park to the next. It was a great afternoon and she always managed to win. Before she left I told her one day I would beat her, and she laughed and said she looked forward to it.
The first day of school arrived, and I was nervous as I stood outside the gates. I saw her walk by and called out to her. She had turned and smiled and told me to hurry up. I followed her in and for the next five years I watched as she tried to prove herself to be just as good as her brother, often feeling as if she failed. In those years she started to become this raging storm in my life. Our first kiss wasn't this storybook romantic scene, we were out jogging, a thing she loved to do when things got too much for her, she had pulled ahead of me and I raced to catch up to her. She suddenly stopped and I ran right into her. I managed to hold onto her so we both wouldn't fall. "Sorry". She looked at me with her gorgeous eyes and gave her killer smiles. I swept a stray hair from her head and couldn't help myself, and I kissed her.
We both joined the police academy together and every day I watched as she tried proving herself. Sometimes I just stood back and watched her. She always managed to take my breath away.
Every day I fell more and more in love with her. I never knew you could love someone that fierce. When I got the call about the accident, I thought she was gravely hurt or dead. I watched as her best friend was placed in a body bag and in that moment I saw a light fade from Michaela's eyes. I held her hand through the inquest and trial. I held her in my arms as she cried herself to sleep. The darkness was gradually taken over her, but yet she still made the world disappear around us.
Through all that my love for her was still stronger than ever. The night before she was to leave for her family vacation, I proposed. I guess the shock was too much for her, because instead of saying yes or no she merely replied, "Why". Maybe it was too after everything that happened with Evie. Maybe it was too soon in general, but she left without giving me an answer.
The night Michaels was supposed to return I was a nervous wreck. I was certain she was going to come back and hand me back the ring. Grace called and was clearly upset, and I was confused, all I could make out was the words airport and plane missing. I raced to the airport and was hurt when I found out Mic wanted to stay longer and not come home to me, to us. Michaela Belle, my love, my soulmate was gone. It was if a part of my heart was ripped out.
I was waiting for Lourdes to come home from work when I phone buzzed. I figured it was just work so I answered without looking at who was calling. The voice on the other end was broken, but I recognized it, and it was a blast from the past.
"Jared, I just got the call?" It took a few seconds for me to remember who the voice belonged to.
"Grace? Is everything okay with Olive?"
"Did they call you? It's back. They're back." The words swirled in my head. I tried to piece together what she meant. "Jared, Michaela's alive."
I heard Lourdes walk in. She was saying something to me, but I didn't here the words. Sure I was now married to her, but she could never replace Michaela. Mic was on a different level. Just when I thought things in my life were calm, that raging storm blew back into my life, and to tell you the truth it felt like part of me was awakening.