One Wild Night

Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her face, her tear-streaked cheeks, and her eyes filled with pain, and guilt gnawed at him, making sleep impossible.

He still felt guilty about treating her this way despite the fact that he knew and believed deep down that he had taken the best decision for them both as individuals and for their relationship.

He finally gave up on trying to rest and lay on his back, staring at the ceiling. The room was dark, save for the faint glow of the digital clock on the nightstand.

It was just past dawn, and he knew he had to face Jade soon, since they would need to travel back together.

As much as he wanted to check on her and see how she was doing, a part of him didn't want to her see. He was worried that if he saw her in the same state as she had been the previous day when she came to find him, his resolve would weaken and he would be forced to give in and beg that they forgot all that happened yesterday and just continue their relationship.

Harry wasn't the only one who had spent a sleepless night. In the suite they shared, Jade had been just as restless. She had tossed and turned, her mind racing with anxiety and sorrow.

The reality of their situation weighed heavily on her, and every time she tried to close her eyes, she was haunted by memories of how she had spoken so harshly to him.

She looked down at the engagement ring which was on her finger. It was not just a perfect fit for her, it looked perfect and it made her imagine how perfect the proposal could have been had she not ruined things.

The sight of it made her heart ache, and she took it off, since she knew she couldn't keep it, and placed it back in its box.

She didn't deserve it right now. Maybe some day when she had left her baggage behind and was more worthy of a man like Harry, she would wear the ring again.

Unable to sleep, she got up in the early hours of the morning and began packing. She needed something to do, something to occupy her mind and hands.

She packed her own bags first, neatly folding her clothes and placing them in her suitcase. When she was done, she turned her attention to Harry's things.

It felt strange to be packing for him, like she was invading his space, but she couldn't just sit idly by. She needed to keep busy.

As she packed, she came across the red and black dresses and she scowled at them since the text from the event planner about the dresses had been one of the problems.

She hesitated, her fingers brushing the soft fabric. They were beautiful, a symbol of Harry's thoughtful gestures. She decided to pack them in his suitcase, not knowing what else to do with them. She also tucked the small jewelry box into his luggage.

By the time she finished packing, the sun was rising, casting a soft golden glow over the room. She felt exhausted, both physically and emotionally. She wanted to cry again but knew it wouldn't change anything. Instead, she went in to freshen up and dress up.

When she was done, she sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for Harry to return so they could be on their way, since she believed he would want them to leave early.

A heavy-hearted Harry finally dragged himself out of bed to the bathroom, and he splashed cold water on his face in an attempt to clear his mind. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

He knew he couldn't avoid this any longer. He had to face Jade and deal with the reality of their situation.

Harry walked slowly back to the suite he shared with Jade, the early morning sun casting a soft glow on the resort's picturesque surroundings.

When he opened the door and walked into the suite, he was surprised to see Jade already dressed like she was ready to leave. Her bags were packed and sitting neatly by the door, alongside his own.

She looked up briefly when he entered, but quickly looked away, unable to meet his gaze. Her face was carefully made up, but he could see the redness around her eyes and nose, the telltale signs of a sleepless, tear-filled night.

"Good morning," Jade said softly, not meeting his gaze. "I decided to help you pack your stuff since I had nothing else to do after packing mine," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Harry forced a smile, though his heart ached at the awkwardness between them. He wanted to reach out to her, to comfort her, but he didn't think that would help. The distance between them felt insurmountable.

"Thanks. That was thoughtful of you," he said simply, his voice heavy with emotion.

She nodded, still avoiding eye contact. "I will wait outside while you get ready," Jade said, her voice trembling slightly.

He wanted to stop her, to tell her that everything would be alright, but the words wouldn't come.

Without another word, Jade picked up her handbag and slipped past him and out the door, leaving Harry standing in the middle of the room, feeling a pang of guilt.

He sighed deeply as he watched the door close behind her. Instead of going to the bathroom first, he placed a call to the resort's management to get a car ready to take them to the airport, and after doing that he went to the bathroom to freshen up.

As Harry freshened up, he couldn't shake the feeling of sadness that hung over him like a dark cloud. He loved Jade deeply, and seeing her so sad was tearing him apart. He quickly changed into a fresh set of clothes and then checked his bags to make sure everything was in place.

When he opened his suitcase, he saw the dresses and the jewelry box with the engagement ring. His heart clenched at the sight. He closed the suitcase, feeling a lump form in his throat.

Taking a deep breath, he picked up their bags and walked out of the suite. Jade was standing close to the water, looking out into the ocean while the resort's car was parked in front of the suite.

The moment the driver saw him, he came out to help him with he bags and together they loaded them into the trunk.

When they were done, Harry walked up to Jade. "The car is here. Are you ready to leave?" He asked, and she turned, startled by his voice.

"Yes," she said, and when she saw that the car was waiting, she walked past Harry and headed for the car, and Harry followed her quietly.

The drive to the airport was painfully silent. They sat side by side in the back seat, but it felt like they were worlds apart. Harry wanted to say something, anything, to break the silence, but he wasn't sure what to say.

Every time he looked at Jade, her face was turned away from him and he could tell it was because she didn't want him to see the sadness on her face and the pain in her eyes.

As they pulled up to the airport, Harry finally broke the silence. "Jade, things don't have to be awkward between us. Taking a break from our relationship doesn't mean we're enemies. We will be seeing each other a lot, and I don't think it should be this way."

Jade turned to look at him, her eyes filled with unshed tears. She nodded, her lips pressed into a thin line. "I know," she said softly. "It's just… it's hard."

Harry reached out to touch her hand but hesitated and pulled back. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I am not doing this to hurt you. I strongly believe this is what's best for us if we really want a long-standing and healthy relationship."

Jade nodded again, "Yes, I know. You're right. I'm sorry for all the hurtful things I said to you yesterday. And I'm sorry for ruining your plans. I'm still immature and lacking in more ways than I can imagine…"

"Jade…"

Jade shook her head to stop him, "I am book smart but still lacking in emotional intelligence. I will take some time to work on myself, and if the time comes when I believe I am secure enough in myself to be in a relationship, I will let you know. Until then, don't expect me to act like we are very close friends. It would be too hard for me," she said, and before Harry could say anything else she quickly got out of the car.

Harry followed her and they walked into the airport, side by side but still feeling the distance between them.

They went through the motions of checking in and going through security in silence. Harry kept glancing at Jade, wishing he could find the right words to make things better. But he knew it wasn't that simple. They had both been hurt, and it would take time to heal.

Once they were on the plane, they settled into their seats, still not speaking. Harry could see Jade's hands trembling slightly as she buckled her seatbelt. He wanted to reach out and hold her, to tell her everything would be okay, but after what she said earlier, he doubted she would want him to do that.

As the plane took off, Harry leaned back in his seat and turned to look at Jade. She was staring out the window, her expression blank.

Harry sighed, feeling a deep sense of loss. He knew they had a long journey ahead of them, both physically and emotionally. And he could only hope that they would find their way back to each other someday. He hoped it wouldn't take Jade too long to find herself and come back to him.