"She is gone." Was the next thing the heaving Celine said to him.
Rey held his hand back just in time to avoid striking her. She said it with so much contempt and scorn that he had almost found himself pouncing on her.
"Fuck you!" Rey hissed at her before turning to go back outside but something restricted him.
Looking down at his left leg, he saw red when his eyes met Celine's hands wrapped tightly around his ankle.
"Let go." He formed a trembling fist.
"Where…where are you going to?" She asked and let go of him before jumping to her feet like she wasn't heaving for air a few minutes ago.
Rey glared at her as she stood in front of him, hands spread wide as if that alone could stop Rey from running outside.
"What do you think you are doing?" Rey's eyes were intense.
"Stopping you from heading out and leaving…" Rey pushed her aside before she finished, not bothering to care if she got injured by the push or not.
Trembling hands wrapped themselves around his waist just as he was about to pull his car door open.
Rey froze.
"Stay." Her voice trembled with emotions Rey could identify.
"Please." Celine pleaded, the left side of her wet face pressed against Rey's back. This time she was crying.
"I can't." Rey's determined gaze went past the handle of his car's door.
"Do you love her that much?" Celine asked hesitantly like she didn't want to hear the answer.
"Yes." Rey replied without a second thought.
"I know about the contract." Celine declared, her hands tightened around Rey's stiff waist.
Rey's jaws worked and the rain hit harder on his skin but he didn't flinch.
"Go inside, you'll catch a cold." Was his response.
"STOP!" Celine yelled at his back after unwrapping her hands from him, her voice rose above the rain.
Rey's back hunched a little when her fist striked down on the right side of his back.
"Stop caring about me if you won't return my feelings!" She yelled at him before hitting him again but Rey stood still, accepting her painful hits.
When she had had her fill, Celine ran back into the house. Rey looked up at the sky with his eyes closed and his hair stuck to his face before opening the car's door.
***
"FEW DAYS AFTER THEIR ENGAGEMENT, THE FIANCÉE TO REY REYNALDO GOES MISSING. COULD THIS BE A KIDNAP?"
The internet went wild and the rainy night street shone with the light from police cars and search parties. Speculations flew everywhere in the city.
"Tone it down Rey! You are overreacting!" His mum yelled at him through the phone but he only looked ahead with unseeing eyes, his teeth clenched tightly.
"Rey?" She called again but met with silence one more time, she needed the call.
Numerous messages made his phone beeped continuously till he felt the urge to snap it in halves.
He was boiling, his heart felt full like he was about to combust into tiny specks if he didn't find Mia soon enough.
Just when he was about to let out a yell, a rap sounded at his window. Whining down the window, he looked ahead, his mouth set into a thin line but his ears twitching to hear something different.
"We found her, Sir." His head snapped towards the face of the policeman so fast that the poor man had to jerk a bit.
"Where?"
"The railway station at…" Rey sped off without waiting to hear the rest of his words.
He suddenly had no time left to waste, he would never allow her slip away from his grasp, not after uncovering a hidden part of him, not after making him fall helplessly in love with her.
***
With careful steps, Rey got directed to the now empty part of the station. Among the long row of empty seats, he saw a bent head, her dark brown wavy hair covering her face. His breath caught in his throat.
Not stopping to think, he strode towards her, sure enough that she was his Mia.
"Mia?" He called her name breathlessly and when she looked up at him, he shut his eyes to a close to contain his emotions.
"Come with me." He barked out and took hold of her folded hand, dragging her with him.
He wasn't thinking, he could not think but when she didn't bulge, his brain remembered this wasn't the right thing to do and he instantly let go.
"I'm done." Her voice was shaky.
Rey turned to face her, his eyes were red and wide.
Mia's lips trembled when she saw the hurt in his eyes. She looked away.
"What?" Rey felt chills, it felt like his being under the rain for so long suddenly had an effect on him.
"I said, I am done." She looked at her feet as if trying to figure out if she had suddenly grown an extra set of toes.
Rey's legs went weak and he crouched right in front of her to get to look at him.
"Hey Babe?"
Mia's heart thudded, he sounded so low and so broken.
"Look at me." He pleaded and she looked up at his face not knowing how to block out the pain in his voice from evading her mind.
"I love you." He blurted, not knowing what else to say.
Mia's heart stopped for a bit, it was a miracle she didn't slump right there. Then it started to beat wildly in her ribcage. The sincerity in his eyes arrested her and her lips opened on their own accord.
"It's not like I don't love you…"
"Then don't go." He pleaded, his jaw tight.
Mia shook her head slowly, tears pricking her eyes.
"I can't keep doing this."
"You won't."
"I have to do the right thing by leaving!" Her voice got louder, so was her desperation.
"Look into my eyes and tell me you really want to leave." Rey fought so hard to keep his voice controlled.
Mia held his gaze, the tears finally seeping through.
"I don't, but…"
That was enough for him, he shut her up, swallowing the rest of her words as his wet lips claimed hers in a passionate kiss weakening her resolve to leave.