I had it all planned.
After a couple of weeks where I searched up pretty much every single person in Mia's family, I finally found her. She was living in Sacramento with her aunt. But there were things about her relatives I didn't quite understand, and the way people reacted when they heard her name was surprising. Shocking, even. But I had to find out more about that later. As for now I was just so incredibly relieved that my private investigator William Phillips had found out where she lived. And the first thing I did was to order a large bouquet of long-stemmed roses, just like the once I'd bought on what was supposed to be our first date. And I had a tiny hope that she would call me after I'd left my phone number on the card.
Private investigator, yes. I was officially a stalker. I was Billie Jean. Who'd ever believe that? Definitely not me.
Mia was doing well living with her aunt, and working hard on her education. At least I didn't ruin that, despite what Gabby said about Mia leaving school because of what happened between us. There was just one thing that bothered the heck out of me; I couldn't get her phone number. William searched through every database he knew, but it was probably registered under a different name. And it didn't look like she had a lot of friends yet, because the few people he'd asked from her class didn't have it. But at least I knew her address.
So here I was, sitting in a parked car on the sidewalk, just far enough away not to look suspicious.
I didn't know if Mia was home or not, but after placing my letter under the doormat and ringing the bell, I hoped she'd come out and read the letter so she could understand how I felt. Then, when or if she started to look around, I would step out from the shadows and we'd have the happy ending you see in all romantic movies. The ones where the prince always got his princess. Instead it was her aunt that came out, and she didn't even see the letter. She just closed the door.
It was wrong of me to assume everything would work out fine. A plan like this was probably doomed to fail anyway, so I walked back to the car in disappointment and sat down without really knowing what to do. But just as I was about to drive off into the darkness, I saw her. She came walking toward my car, obviously heading home, and she was holding hands with a boy.
Who the hell was he? William never told me there was a new man in her life. Yet there he was. A tall and muscular idiot with what looked like blonde hair, and his hands were all over her. And when they stood at their porch and said goodbye, he even kissed her! He kissed my girl!
Except, she wasn't my girl, and I was just a creep sitting in a car, spying on her, consumed by a jealousy stronger than anything I'd felt before. And as things were now, there wasn't much I could do about it that wouldn't drive Mia further away from me than she already was. What I wanted to do though, was to run right up to them and punch the guy's nose. I was the one who was supposed to hold her hands and hug her. I was the one who should be kissing her like he did at this very moment. She was supposed to be mine.
Mia had told me to leave her alone. Not with words, since I never got a chance to talk to her after that night. By actions. I'd heard people say actions speak louder than words, but I'd never felt the true meaning of that until now. She cut me out of her life, yet I couldn't stay away. I tried to forget her and what we had, but I failed. And I tried not to miss her, but I couldn't. Instead I found myself staring at my phone every night, hoping that she'd suddenly text me, but she never did. Now I knew why. She'd moved on. Without me.
There was only one thing I could do...
<><><>
"MIA? ANOTHER LETTER FOR YOU!"
Auntie Dorothy was shouting from downstairs, and I yelled back and told her to throw it away. There had been several letters lately and all were from him, so eventually I had to tell my aunt about him.
I didn't tell her everything, though. I left some things out, such as who he was and... Well, come to think about it, I didn't really tell her anything other than that he was a guy who stalked me, and that that was the reason why I moved to her in the first place. Of course, she wanted to go to the police and file a restraining order, but I talked her out of it, convincing her that he wasn't dangerous in any kind of way. He was just annoying. Although annoying wasn't the right word.
He made me sad.
Every time he sent me flowers or letters, or even tiny teddy bears, I wanted to break down and cry. I missed him and I shouldn't. I had Benjamin now, and he was the sweetest guy a girl could dream of. He literally did everything he could to keep me happy. It just didn't work.
I kept asking myself if I should break up with him, but I didn't have the heart to hurt such a wonderful person. Benjamin was a safe card. He was husband material. He liked me, and I liked him. It's just that love is a much stronger word than like, and my stupid heart was set on a man who already was married.
To his career.
"Have you packed everything?"
I raised my eyebrows at auntie Dorothy and looked down at my bags. I couldn't possibly fit any more of my belongings without calling it moving back to my parent's house. I was going home to visit my family for the holiday, but auntie Dorothy had decided to celebrate Christmas here in Sacramento, just like she always did. She had a tradition of visiting uncle Tony and lit lots of candles on his grave, singing and talking to him. Then she did the same thing for their cats, Patsy and Colmar. Afterwards, she used to spend Christmas eve with her best friend, Brittany, where she'd spend the night.
"Hey, Mia? I think you should read one of them."
"No," I said already before she'd finished her sentence. She held up the letter.
"Why?"
Why? I didn't know why. I was just scared. I was trying so hard to erase everything that happened and just go back to be a regular fan of Michael Jackson. Instead I found myself avoiding every single thing that reminded me of him. If his songs came on on the radio, I turned it off or left the room. If I spotted his face on the cover of a magazine or the newspaper, I looked the other way. Anything to keep myself from falling into a depression. And I was scared of opening those letters, because it would bring me straight back to that night and everything I lost.
"Just... I can't. Throw it away."
"Can I read it, then?"
"No!" I exclaimed, and jumped forward to snatch it out of her hand, causing her to back up with her hands defensive in front of her.
"Okay. But I still think you should open it. At least then you know what you have to deal with. If he's threatening you, we have to go to..."
"No police!"
"Alright, alright. But you should go now. Your dad is waiting in the car."
"And he's not helping me with my bags?" I asked grumpily.
"Obviously not. Maybe he didn't think it was that much."
She looked at my luggage and stifled a giggle.
"Barely six months, and he's forgotten all about his beloved daughter and her shoes," I muttered, causing my aunt to giggle for real.
"Here. Let me help you," she said with a smile, but I stopped her.
"Wait. I have something for you."
Auntie Dorothy looked at me with surprise and watched me disappear up the stairs. And when I came down, I held a middle sized cardboard box with a huge ribbon on top of it.
"For you. Merry Christmas, auntie."
I gave her the present and then a hug, and stepped back to see her reaction. Hopefully she'd get happy and not sentimental or sad. But when she put the box down on the coffee table and prepared to open, there was a sound that kinda spoiled the surprise, and her eyes flew wide open.
"Is it...?"
"Go on. Open it," I encouraged, and I saw her pursing her lips. Oh yes, definitely emotional already.
"Oh, my. Mia! Look at that little baby!" she cried out, and lifted a fluffy, white fur ball up into her arms.
"A little kitten! Oh, my gosh. You're so cute, I can't... Oh, Mia. A cat? I never thought I would have that again. I was so scared that it would remind me of Patsy and Colmar, that... Oh, my heart. Look how beautiful it is! Is it a boy or a girl?"
"A boy."
"We're gonna have to give you a suitable name then, little mister."
Then she zoned out a bit, and I almost expected her to cry because her bottom lip was shaking.
"Tony."
"You're gonna name him Tony?"
She nodded and sniffled before she dug her nose into her new friend's soft fur. Such a cute little being, and she named it after the person she missed more than anything on earth? Wouldn't that rip up her wounds and drag her down each time she called his name? Wouldn't that be the same as to rip open that envelope and read what Michael had to say? I couldn't handle that, yet she did.
"Tony junior."
Even sadder. Named after the child they never got.
"I... I need to go," I mumbled and gave her another hug. Then I patted her new friend on the head, grabbed my bags and said goodbye. And on my way to the car and dad's open arms, my mind was once again completely consumed by one person.
The man who'd sent me the letter that was in my pocket.