I woke up later than usual after last night, only to find several missed calls from Sarah. It was Saturday, and she wanted me to pick her up early for practice. The concert was approaching fast. It had been two weeks since we began training together, but now her dance partner, Jack Hugh, had recovered and was ready to return. Sarah wanted me to dance with her one last time so Jack could see the new routine.
I couldn't deny a flicker of disappointment. I had grown used to dancing with her, holding her close during rehearsals. Still, I knew it was for the best, Jack was the one she'd be performing with on stage.
I rushed through a shower and threw on black jeans with a blue hoodie. With no other appointments that day, I planned to wait while Sarah practiced with Jack, then take both of them out to lunch. I wanted to be on good terms with him.
Just as I stepped out of the bathroom, my phone buzzed again. Another missed call. I quickly rang Sarah back, assuring her I was on my way. She sounded excited, so excited that I wondered uneasily if it was because I was picking her up or because Jack was back. Ever since we started training together, she had grown short-tempered: nagging, whining, getting angry over small things. More than once, I had thought of quitting. But I stayed, because she was my girlfriend. I knew how anxious she had been about the concert, and about Jack's illness.
I shook the thought from my head and hurried downstairs. John was setting breakfast on the table.
"Oh, you're right on time, Caleb. Breakfast is ready," he said.
I dashed past him, calling over my shoulder, "I'll grab something later, John. I'm already late, Sarah's waiting."
When I arrived at her house, her mother greeted me warmly before calling Sarah out. She stepped outside without so much as a hello, slid into the car, and slammed the door. I swallowed the sting of her coldness, followed, and drove us to the studio.
Jack was already there, tall and athletic, his diamond-shaped face set with dark brown eyes. Jealousy prickled when Sarah hugged him tightly, whispering how glad she was to have him back. I forced myself to shrug it off and showed him the routine. He picked it up effortlessly, as though he'd been practicing all along.
Their practice stretched on longer than expected, but when they finally finished, the three of us went out for a late lunch. Jack was surprisingly easy to talk to, witty, interesting. For a while, I almost forgot my unease.
After lunch, I offered to drive Sarah home, but she shook her head. She had a final fitting scheduled with Jack at their fashion designer's studio. I nodded, wished her luck, and drove off alone.
At home, I found Mom and John sitting together in the living room. It felt good to see them after two long weeks. We chatted for a while until Mom, glancing at me gently, tried to bring up Sarah. But John shot her a warning look, and she let it go. I appreciated their respect for my privacy. After snacking on the treats John handed me, I went upstairs to rest and drifted quickly into sleep.
Two days before the concert, Sarah's irritation worsened. She snapped at everything I did or said. Still, I drove her home every evening, trying to stay patient.
That night, I texted her: "I have a surprise for you. Meet me on the rooftop, I want to meditate with you."
I had bought her a diamond necklace with a rare Steinmetz Pink stone, one of the most exquisite gifts I'd ever given. I wrapped it carefully and waited on the rooftop, dressed neatly, feeling like a character out of a fairytale.
When Sarah arrived, I hugged her and led her to sit beside me. Smiling, I handed her the small, wrapped box. She accepted it reluctantly, muttered a quick thanks, and unwrapped it.
"Why a necklace?" she asked with a pout. "I don't even like pink."
Caught off guard, I stammered, "I thought all girls liked pink... my mistake."
Before I could say more, her phone rang. It was Jack. She told him we were on the rooftop. A few minutes later, he joined us, right in the middle of our argument.
Sarah sighed and set the necklace down. "Why don't you give this to your mom, Caleb? Get me something simple instead."
Her words should have hurt, but strangely, they didn't. A few days earlier, I had overheard Mom and John talking about Sarah, saying she only cared about my money. But watching her reject such an expensive gift made me think otherwise. My heart softened. I even giggled quietly to myself, relieved.
Jack, however, leaned toward me with a suggestion. "Why don't you just give her your credit card, Caleb? That way she can pick something herself, something that matches her outfit for the concert."
I blinked. Why hadn't I thought of that? Without hesitation, I handed Sarah my card. She promised to return it the next day.
Jack stretched and said, "Why don't we meditate a little before heading home?"
The three of us climbed onto the wall. Sarah sat on my right, Jack on my left. We closed our eyes as the night breeze brushed against our skin.
Then I noticed Jack lean close, whispering into Sarah's ear. She giggled softly, then nodded. Slowly, she stood, turning to face me.
Her eyes... they weren't warm. They weren't loving. They burned with something else, cold, sharp, almost hateful. My chest tightened.
Jack reached up and took her hand. "He needs to know," she whispered.
Fear churned inside me. My voice shook. "Have I... have I done something wrong? Did I hurt you?" Tears blurred my vision. Was she going to break up with me? Was this the end?
Sarah's phone rang, and she quickly excused herself. "I'll be back," she said before walking away.
"What's the problem, Jack? Did I do something?" I asked.
"I don't know. I'll talk to her," he replied, then followed after her.
I rose to my feet, my heart racing. The sound of hurried footsteps echoed, and before I could understand what was happening, the world tilted beneath me. My body plunged from the rooftop, the wind roaring in my ears.
Is this how I'm going to die? The thought flickered in my mind, just before the concrete rushed up to meet me.
And then, everything went black.