Chapter 1: The Ghost of You

Simon looked at Rosa's face. She looked so peaceful when she slept. He brushed a strand of brown hair away from her face. The time according to his watch was 4am. His thoughts drifted back to a few hours.

He was lying on her lap and she was stroking his head, humming a soft melody to help him sleep. She tried so hard to stop, but a few rogue tears escaped from eyes. Rosa wiped them away quickly lest he saw them, but he did, he always knew.

He knew she didn't deserve him. Or rather, he didn't deserve her. He never did. She was an angel, who deserved a happy life free of worries and he… he was a monster.

He kissed her on the forehead and got up from the bed. He knew he had to do it. No matter what. He gave her a glance and then walked towards the door. He placed a paper on the table next to the door and walked out, leaving drops on the ground where he was standing.

"Simon!" gasped Rosa as she woke up. She knew something was wrong. Her hands searched the empty spot on the bed. Her heart skipped a beat. She glanced at the watch. It was 7am.

"It's okay. It's okay, he's probably gone for a walk." she said to calm herself. She got up and changed into a pair of tight blue denims and a racerback top.

She had a bad feeling. Simon should've been back by now. He would've called atleast. He knew she got worried when she didn't know where he was. Rosa decided that pacing would not help. Instead some breakfast might. As she went towards the door, her eyes went towards the sheet of paper. That wasn't there last night. She was sure of it. She took the paper and gave a loud gasp. Dropping it Rosa ran out of the door.

Rosa was out on the streets, frantically running from person to person, asking the same question.

"Excuse me, have you seen Simon? Michelle? Did Simon come by? Please, can you tell me where Simon might be?"

All the answers to her questions were negative. No one had seen him. No one knew where he was.

Suddenly her phone rang.

"Simon?" she almost screamed.

"No, it's me, Martina. Is everything alright? Sis?"

"He's gone," said Rosa, realization finally sinking in.

"What? I can't hear you."

"Simon's gone. He left Martina. He's gone."

It was no longer clear whether she was talking to her cousin or telling herself. She disconnected the phone and walked back to their… no, her apartment. Her face was empty, like something in her had died.

Rosa entered the bedroom again and looked at the bed. The sheets were crumpled up. She read the letter again. It was brief. Simon had never been a man of many words.

"Dearest Rosa,

I'll love you forever.

Forgive me,

Simon."

She went to bed and got into a fetal position wrapping the sheet around her. It still smelled of him. The thoughts of their passionate love making drifted into her mind. She couldn't hold it in her any longer.

"SIMON!" she screamed, her voice reflecting her broken heart.

"WHY DID YOU GO AWAY? WHY SIMON?"

And then came her tears like a tempest.

It was evening. The cold wind was blowing through her hair. She was standing on the bridge, glancing down below. She closed her eyes, and could almost feel their laughter when she remembered them walking together on this same bridge. Tears rolled down. How could he do it? To her? They had spent five years together. She was seventeen when she had met the twenty year old Simon Riley.

His very thoughts were like knife wounds for her. She couldn't take it anymore.

"SIMON!" she screamed. "I WON'T LIVE WITH THE GHOST OF YOU. I WON'T"

And then she leaned towards the water…