CHAPTER 8 THE LETTER

Six months had passed since Moises Laurent disappeared.

Six months of waiting.

Six months of questions.

Six months of wondering whether the promise he made beneath the old tree had been real.

Miyaka had learned how to smile again.

She laughed with Jason.

She studied.

She spent more time at the racing track.

She discovered that speed could silence the questions inside her head, even if only for a few minutes.

But whenever she was alone, the same question always returned.

Where are you, Moises?

One ordinary Monday morning, Miyaka sat at her desk while waiting for their teacher.

Jason dropped into the chair beside her.

“You're quiet.”

Miyaka didn't look up.

“I'm always quiet.”

Jason laughed.

“You? Quiet?”

She finally looked at him.

“What?”

“You talked for twenty minutes yesterday because you saw a dog wearing sunglasses.”

“It was funny!”

“It was wearing sunglasses because its owner put them on.”

“That doesn't make it less funny.”

Jason shook his head.

“There she is.”

“Who?”

“The Miyaka I know.”

She smiled.

Then the classroom door opened.

A school staff member walked inside.

“Miyaka Reyes?”

She looked up.

“Yes?”

The staff member held a small envelope.

“This was left for you at the office.”

Miyaka frowned.

“For me?”

“Yes.”

She stood and accepted it.

The envelope was plain white.

No return address.

No school stamp.

Nothing.

Just her name written across the front.

Miyaka Reyes.

She stared at the handwriting.

Her heart suddenly stopped.

She knew that handwriting.

Her fingers began trembling.

Jason noticed.

“Miyaka?”

She didn't answer.

She turned the envelope around.

There was nothing else.

“Who brought this?”

The staff member shook his head.

“I don't know. Someone delivered it this morning.”

“Who?”

“I wasn't the one who received it.”

Miyaka looked at Jason.

His expression had changed.

“What?”

Jason didn't answer.

“Miyaka…”

“What?”

“Open it.”

She slowly sat down.

Her hands were shaking so badly that she almost tore the envelope.

Jason leaned closer.

“Do you know whose handwriting that is?”

Miyaka swallowed.

“Yes.”

She carefully opened the envelope.

Inside was a single folded piece of paper.

Her heart pounded.

She unfolded it.

The first line made her breath catch.

Dear Miyaka,

Her eyes widened.

Jason went completely silent.

She continued reading.

I'm sorry.

Miyaka covered her mouth.

“No…”

She knew.

She knew before she even finished.

The letter was from him.

From Moises.

Her eyes moved across the page.

I know you probably have a lot of questions.

I know you're angry.

I know you probably think I left without caring about you.

A tear rolled down her cheek.

But please believe me when I say that isn't true.

Miyaka stopped reading.

She couldn't breathe.

Jason whispered,

“Keep going.”

She nodded.

Her eyes returned to the page.

I didn't want to leave.

Her lips trembled.

I didn't get to say goodbye because I wasn't allowed to.

Miyaka's heart shattered.

“What?”

Jason stared at her.

She continued.

There are things happening that I don't understand yet. Things my family won't explain to me. They tell me it's for my safety.

But I don't want you to think I forgot you.

I could never forget you.

Miyaka pressed the letter against her chest.

Her tears fell freely now.

Jason looked away, giving her a moment.

She wiped her face and continued.

Do you remember our tree?

Miyaka's breath caught.

The place where we promised we'd always find each other?

I still remember it.

She smiled through her tears.

“He remembers.”

Jason looked at her.

“I told you.”

Miyaka continued.

I don't know when I'll be able to come back.

But I will.

Her hands trembled.

Then she reached the final lines.

Please don't wait for me if waiting makes you unhappy.

But if you ever wonder whether I forgot you, remember this—

You were my best friend before I understood what love was.

Miyaka stopped.

Her eyes blurred.

She read the final sentence again.

And you're the person I will never stop looking for.

At the bottom was his name.

—Moises

Miyaka lowered the letter.

For several seconds, she couldn't speak.

Then she whispered,

“He didn't leave me.”

Jason nodded.

“No.”

“He wanted to say goodbye.”

“Yes.”

“He wasn't allowed.”

Jason's eyes filled with sadness.

“Yes.”

Miyaka suddenly stood.

“Then who stopped him?”

Jason froze.

She looked directly at him.

“Who?”

“I don't know.”

“You know something.”

Jason looked away.

“Jason.”

“Miyaka…”

“Tell me.”

“I promised him.”

“You've been saying that for six months!”

Her voice cracked.

“I'm tired of hearing that!”

The classroom became silent.

Everyone was watching them.

Miyaka didn't care.

“You knew he was leaving.”

Jason remained quiet.

“You knew he couldn't say goodbye.”

“I knew something was happening.”

“Who told you?”

Jason looked at her.

“Moises.”

“What did he tell you?”

“He told me that if you asked where he was, I should say I didn't know.”

“Why?”

“He said it was safer.”

“For who?”

Jason didn't answer.

“For him?”

Silence.

“For me?”

Jason's eyes softened.

“Maybe.”

Miyaka stared at him.

“What does that mean?”

“I don't know.”

“You keep saying you don't know!”

“I really don't!”

Jason stood.

“I was a kid too, Miyaka!”

His voice broke.

“You think I wanted him to leave? You think I didn't want answers? I did!”

Miyaka went quiet.

Jason took a breath.

“He made me promise because he was scared.”

“Scared of what?”

“I don't know.”

“Did he say anything else?”

Jason hesitated.

“He told me…”

“What?”

“He told me to protect you.”

Miyaka's eyes filled with tears again.

“Why?”

Jason shook his head.

“I don't know.”

---

That afternoon, Miyaka went to the old tree.

She sat beneath it with Moises' letter in her hands.

She had read it so many times that she could already remember every sentence.

She held the paper carefully.

“You idiot.”

She smiled through her tears.

“You could've just told me.”

The wind moved through the branches.

“I wouldn't have hated you.”

She looked at the letter.

“I never hated you.”

Her voice became quieter.

“I just thought you forgot me.”

She closed her eyes.

“What happened to you?”

No answer.

“Are you safe?”

Nothing.

“Are you lonely?”

The wind blew harder.

Miyaka smiled faintly.

“You probably are.”

She looked up at the branches.

“You never liked being alone.”

For a moment, she imagined him sitting beside her.

His shoulder touching hers.

His ridiculous smile.

His voice saying her name.

She whispered,

“I got your letter.”

---

That evening, Miyaka placed the letter inside a small wooden box.

She didn't want it to get damaged.

Her mother watched from the doorway.

“What is that?”

Miyaka looked up.

“A letter.”

“From?”

Miyaka smiled.

“Moises.”

Her mother immediately understood.

“He contacted you?”

Miyaka nodded.

“He said he didn't want to leave.”

Her mother's expression became serious.

“Did he say why?”

“He said his family wouldn't let him say goodbye.”

Her mother was silent.

Miyaka noticed.

“Ma?”

“Yes?”

“Do you know something?”

Her mother looked away.

“No.”

Miyaka stood.

“Mom.”

Her mother sighed.

“I knew his family was having problems.”

“What kind?”

“I don't know everything.”

“Please.”

Her mother looked at her.

“Your father and I heard rumors.”

“What rumors?”

“That the Laurent family was dealing with threats.”

Miyaka's expression changed.

“Threats?”

Her mother nodded.

“Business problems. Enemies. Things I don't fully understand.”

“Could that be why Moises left?”

“Possibly.”

Miyaka looked at the letter.

“So he really was protecting someone.”

“Maybe.”

“Me?”

Her mother didn't answer.

Miyaka's heart sank.

“Why would anyone want to hurt me?”

Her mother quickly shook her head.

“Don't think too much about it.”

“But—”

“You're still young.”

“I deserve to know.”

Her mother walked toward her.

“You deserve to be safe.”

Miyaka looked down.

“That's what everyone keeps saying.”

“What?”

“Safe.”

She looked at the letter.

“But no one tells me what I'm supposed to be safe from.”

Her mother had no answer.

---

That night, Miyaka couldn't sleep.

She sat beside her window with the letter in her hands.

She read it again.

And again.

And again.

Then she noticed something.

The paper felt strange.

She turned it over.

Nothing.

She looked closer.

There was a faint mark in the lower corner.

Almost invisible.

A small symbol.

A circle with an unfamiliar letter inside.

Miyaka frowned.

“What is that?”

She ran her finger over it.

Maybe it was a family symbol.

Maybe it was nothing.

Or maybe—

Someone had put it there deliberately.

She quickly placed the letter back inside the box.

Her heart started racing.

For the first time, she realized something.

The letter had reached her.

But she didn't know how.

And if Moises had been forbidden from contacting her…

then someone had helped him.

Or someone had allowed the letter to reach her.

Either possibility frightened her.

---

The next morning, Miyaka showed the symbol to Jason.

“Have you seen this before?”

Jason studied it.

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Moises might know.”

Jason looked at her.

“You shouldn't try to find him.”

“Why?”

“Because if his family wanted him away from us, there's probably a reason.”

Miyaka folded her arms.

“He said he was coming back.”

“I know.”

“He said he never forgot me.”

“I know.”

“Then I'm not going to forget him either.”

Jason sighed.

“You're stubborn.”

“You already told me that.”

“And you're going to get yourself into trouble.”

“Probably.”

Jason smiled despite himself.

“But if you do…”

He pointed at her.

“I'm coming with you.”

Miyaka laughed.

“Deal.”

---

That evening, she returned to the tree.

She buried the letter beside the small box where she had hidden her first message to Moises.

But before covering it, she whispered,

“I'm not going to stop living.”

She smiled.

“I'll race.”

“I'll ride.”

“I'll chase every crazy dream I have.”

She looked toward the sky.

“But I'll remember you.”

Her fingers touched the soil.

“And if you really come back…”

She smiled.

“I'll find you.”

---

Far away, Moises sat at a desk.

His room was dark.

A photograph of Miyaka rested beside him.

He looked at the clock.

Then at the door.

He lowered his voice.

“I hope she got it.”

A man standing outside the room answered,

“She did.”

Moises looked up.

“You're sure?”

“Yes.”

“Did anyone see?”

“No.”

Moises breathed a sigh of relief.

Then the man's expression changed.

“But you shouldn't have sent it.”

Moises stood.

“I needed her to know.”

“Your father will be furious.”

“I don't care.”

“You should.”

Moises looked toward the window.

“What if she thinks I abandoned her?”

The man remained silent.

Moises tightened his grip on the photograph.

“I can survive my father being angry.”

His voice trembled.

“But I can't survive Miyaka believing I stopped caring.”

The man looked at him sadly.

“Then you need to be patient.”

Moises stared at the photograph.

“How long?”

“I don't know.”

Moises whispered,

“I promised her.”

Outside, thunder rolled across the sky.

And somewhere beneath an old tree, Miyaka was holding onto the same promise.

Neither knew that the letter they now treasured would eventually become one of the most important pieces of the secret that had separated them.

Because someone had gone to great lengths to keep Moises away from Miyaka.

And someday, they would discover why.