3. Looking into your eyes

I received a call from CBI Officer Jannett, they got a clue on Emma. I took the immediate flight to Las Vegas, with immense happiness and joy to find Emma. I rushed to the police station to see Jannett, and there it was. Something that I have been waiting for, a small remembrance. It was Emma’s handbag; they found her passport and phone in the bag. As I searched the bag, I noticed the book we had our first fight about, I noticed the polaroid of our first date and the ring I got engraved “D + E = Forever”. I could not breathe, Jannett ran for a glass of water. It was too late, I blacked out on the ground. 

As the paramedics are rushing me to the hospital, I felt like this was the end, where I will never see her again. I still could not breathe; the doctors and nurses were trying to revive me back.

I could only hear her voice screaming, “Dustin, come back! You promised not to leave, please don’t go!”

 I was devastated, I had a flash of memories from the first day we met to the day I received the letter. Then I remembered, she left me, and I must live to bring her back. I continued panting for breath, and then suddenly everything was empty. I could not see, hear, or remember anything. 

Lucas and Jannett walked into the room in despair and pain to see me in this condition. Jannett had several questions running through her mind, she has not met or heard about Emma before. She just found a missing bag, with my number and picture in it. If she knew that her phone call would have landed me in hospital, she would have never called at all. Jannett is my cousin and the closest to a sister I had. We are the only kids to both of our parents, Jannett had an older sister Georgina who ran away with a guy when Jannett was just 5 years old. My uncle and aunt Eric Peterson and Rosalynn Peterson disowned their eldest daughter after she ran away for love. My mom passed away after I was born, ever since then Mrs. Peterson was like a mother to me. She grew Jannett and me up together and never differentiated between us. My dad Joseph Peterson was always away on business, and when he was at home, he always loved for Jannett to stay over. 

When I woke up, Jannett immediately scolded me for scaring her. She was scared that she will lose me too. Lucas repeated the same, and he was worried that he will lose a friend. Lucas refused to reveal anything to Jannett about Emma, he wanted it to be my story to tell. Jannett asked me at once about who Emma is and why did I end up in hospital looking at her possessions. I was hesitating to tell her, but now is the right time, Jannett being a CBI officer will be able to help us search for Emma. I started by revealing how I met Emma 2 years ago.

The sun is bright, and the wind speaks for itself. Joey has come to fetch Sam, Mia, and me from the hotel. The 4 of us have been close buds ever since our first day at college. We have graduated from Med School in Berkeley and we decided to take a little detour before going back home. 

Sam and Mia screamed, “Oh you guys, why are you driving so slow?” 

Joey was always extra cautious on the freeway for any accidents and potholes, but he drives like a snail. 

“Joey, pull over!”, I exclaimed.

 Whilst making our way to camping at the Waterfall Meadows in Nevada, Joey tried talking to me privately about Mia. He has been attracted to her from the first day he saw her, and he finally wants to ask her out. 

“How do you know if she is the one?”, I asked Joey. 

“Oh well, When I first saw Mia, I felt really sick to my stomach, and I could not stop smiling. Whenever she appeared in front of me, I always wanted to talk to her. As I got to know her, I could not stay away from her for a moment”, Joey whispered as he started to blush. 

Joey always knew his way around girls, and they were always smitten by his charming nature. I was always a nervous wreck, and I was not attracted to a girl at first sight. 

“I am confident that she is the one for me now!”, Joey smiled as he turned and looked back at Mia. 

He has dated numerous girls in college, but he has never had real feelings for any of them. As I looked at him and Mia, I never thought about myself falling in love before. 

We finally reached the Waterfall Meadows, and the atmosphere felt magnificent. As we parked the truck and set up the camping tent, we met more people from college. Our summer vacation has started, and everyone agreed to camp out in nature. The reflection of the sky on the waterfall and the alluring beauty of the grassland were bewitching. And there she was, beneath the sunset and the rainbow, a beautiful girl. She is as beautiful as the moonlight at night, and her authenticity is measured by the sincerity I see in her blue eyes. I looked into her eyes and I knew that I wanted to get to know her more. She is the book that I do not want to stop reading. 

“Who are you? Where are you from? Why cannot I take my eyes off you? Looking at you has made me spellbound.” I have tons of questions playing on my mind and she is the answer to it all.