It had been thirteen months. That was how long it had been since I lost contact with Felix. The day his mother took him away, all trace of him disappeared. Neither I nor my friends had been able to reach him in any way.
Not a day went by when I didn't think about him. I worried about him and wondered if anything bad had happened. I would never forget the frightened look in his eyes when he begged me for help.
The real predator was his mother. He and I were her victims.
I wanted to find out if he was okay. I wanted to find him and get him as far away from his toxic family as possible, because it was solely their fault that he had been reduced to this condition.
I was still a teenager. Only eighteen years old. And yet, I felt powerless. I was stuck hoping that a miracle would happen — that I would see him again.
But there was nothing to believe in miracles…
"Selena!" Sitting in the garden in front of the house, I looked up at my friend standing behind the fence. "Mike has hired a detective. He wants to find his friend."
I jumped up from my chair and ran to her. I opened the gate and let her in.
"Are you serious? Mike spent all the money he's earned so far to hire a detective?" My eyes widened in disbelief.
"At this point, we can only count on his support. He is our only hope."
My heart pounded wildly. I didn't know if it was from excitement or fear of what I might find out.
"So… is there a chance we'll find Felix?"
"Yes."
I pulled her into a tight hug, tears of happiness streaming down my face.
"I just hope he's okay," I whispered.
"Now all that's left is to wait for news from Mike…"
*
It was four o'clock in the afternoon. The heat was taking a toll on everyone, so my friends and I sat in a café with pleasant air conditioning. We ate ice cream and sipped iced Americanos, talking about everything.
I smiled slightly when I saw Mike gently squeeze Eve's hand under the table. There was no better sight for me. I rejoiced in their happiness. Since they'd been together, both of them had changed a lot. They were definitely soulmates.
I pulled my phone out of my purse as it rang—it was my mother calling.
"Selena, where are you?" she asked.
"I'm sitting in a café with Eve and Mike. Why do you ask?" I glanced at my friends.
"I'd appreciate it if you could come home early. Your grandparents have arrived and were sorry not to find you."
A smile stretched across my lips at the news.
"Tell them I'll be back within the hour. I'm glad they finally decided to visit us."
"We're looking forward to seeing you."
"Yes, I'll see you later, Mom," I said, then set the phone down on the table. I looked apologetically at my friends, who finally stopped their chatter and turned their attention to me. "Sorry, but I have to leave you now. My grandparents paid an unexpected visit and are sad I'm not home."
"We understand, but it's a shame you can't stay longer."
"We'll make up for it another time. See you later," I said, rising from my chair. Grabbing my phone, I placed my hand on my friend's shoulder as I passed them, then left the café.
Outside, the hot air hit me like a wall. There's probably nothing worse than stepping out of an air-conditioned room into blazing heat and having to endure it on the way home.
I stood at the bus stop, glancing at my watch. After the heat, the worst thing was a late bus—especially when you felt like you were slowly cooking in the sun.
I forgot about the nightmare when Sebastian caught my eye, standing nearby. I walked up to him to say hello. Maybe things hadn't worked out between him and my friend, but it had been just a puppy crush—they were completely incompatible.
"Hi," I said, snapping him out of his thoughts. He looked surprised at first.
"Oh, Selena, hi," he replied, forcing a smile. "This heat is unbearable, isn't it?"
But I could tell something was wrong. He was acting strangely.
"Not only is the heat terrible, but the bus isn't coming. It couldn't get any worse."
"Believe me, it can..." he said, his voice heavy with sadness. "I just got back from the hospital. My mother is seriously ill."
Pain showed on his face as he spoke. I couldn't imagine how I would feel if the same happened to my parents.
"I don't know what to say... I'm truly sorry, Sebastian."
"My mom means everything to me. I want to stay strong and motivate her to fight, but I'm slowly losing hope for myself. I can't imagine losing her now..."
I placed my hand gently on his shoulder and looked at him with care as I noticed tears glistening on his cheeks.
"You have to stay strong—first and foremost, for her."
"I'm trying, but it's overwhelming." He sighed, then his eyes caught the approaching bus. "I should rest, but I don't know if I can relax."
"Take care, Sebastian."
I watched him board the bus and take the vacant seat by the window. His stare was vacant, lost somewhere in the distance, and my heart ached. I truly felt sorry for him.
*
The presence of my grandparents released a joy in me I hadn't felt in a long time. Sitting and chatting with them, I took a bite of the sweets they had brought. They reminisced about my childhood, telling stories of how adorable I was as a child—and now, here I was, already a young lady.
"Are you really that pretty, Selena, or do you already have a suitor?" my grandmother asked with a playful smile. The question wiped the smile from my face instantly. I was reminded of Felix—how strong my feelings had been when we were together. The ache of missing him flooded over me.
"I don't have anyone. Right now, the most important thing is my studies," I answered. Grandpa nodded approvingly at this.
The conversations were endless. They asked me everything, especially about school and my future plans. Hours passed like this, and in the late afternoon, my parents went for a walk with my grandparents. I stayed at home, laying on the couch in the living room and scrolling through social media.
A newly posted photo by Eve brought a smile to my face. They were by the river, and she was kissing him on the cheek.
My pleasant distraction ended abruptly when my phone rang—an unknown number. For a moment, I hesitated, wondering if it was spam, but curiosity won, and I slid the green handset.
"Hello?"
All I could hear was the noise of passing cars. At first, I thought it was a mistake—someone dialing the wrong number. I was about to hang up when a voice echoed in my mind.
"Who are you?"
My heart started pounding. I sat up straight, eyes wide as I stared at the wall. I was both excited and terrified.
"Felix?" I whispered, my voice trembling.
"Who are you? Why do I suddenly remember your number?"
Tears welled in my eyes, and I put my hand over my mouth to hold back a sob.
"Felix, where are you? What's happening to you?"
"You didn't answer me—who are you?"
A flood of questions rushed through my mind. What was happening to him? Where was he? Why didn't he remember me? Was he okay? Was he safe?
"I'm someone you miss very much. It's me, Selena—the one your mother took away from you a year ago."
"Can I trust you?"
"More than anyone in the world. Felix, please—what's going on? Where are you? How can I help?"
Silence fell again, lasting about half a minute before he spoke.
"I don't know where I am. I ran away and now I'm wandering. I don't remember anything, but I'm looking for help. Your number came to me because I realized I couldn't manage alone. I have nowhere to go."
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I got off the couch and ran to the hallway to put on my shoes.
"What city are you in?"
"Los Angeles."
"Look around you—maybe you can spot the street you're on."
"Can I really trust you?"
"One hundred percent. I swear, Felix, I will give my life to keep you safe."
He read the name on a nearby building, and I quickly typed it into my phone.
"Is there a safe place where you can wait for me for a few hours? I'm in another city, and it'll take me some time to get to you."
"No matter how long, I'll wait at the phone booth if I can trust you."
"I'll be there as soon as I can. I promise."
I dashed out of the house and immediately called Mike, who had a motorcycle. The downside was that Eve wouldn't be able to come with us. At first, Mike didn't understand my frantic words. When I finally calmed down enough to explain the call I'd just received, he said he was on his way to me—only after telling Eve what was happening.
I told my parents I was leaving because a friend needed help. I didn't say where I was going, only that I'd be back late and would keep in touch. At first, they weren't pleased, but I quickly said they could punish me when I returned—it was urgent, and I couldn't ignore it.
I realized I was probably going to be in even more trouble since I hung up mid-argument with my mom, but just then, Mike pulled up. I put on my helmet and climbed onto the motorcycle, wrapping my arms tightly around his waist.
"Get ready for a high-speed trip," he said.
"Drive as fast as you can. I want to be with him already. I want to see him."