Only My Mia Cara

She was packing and I stood there like a statue.

Unmoving.Unbreathing.Unalive.

Jake squeezed my hand — his grip firm, grounding — but I couldn't feel it.

All I could feel was the sting behind my eyes, the way my chest clenched and burned and cracked.

She was leaving.

Mia cara... was leaving.

My worst fear.The one I buried every time she smiled at me.The one I swore would never come true if I just held on tight enough.It was happening.

And she wasn't looking at me.

She was smiling — that sweet, soft smile — as if nothing was wrong.As if everything wasn't falling apart.And she was packing.

Packing.Folding her tiny world into that old green bag like it wasn't the end of everything.

My feet moved before my brain could.

I walked toward her — or maybe floated —I wasn't sure which.

"Mia... Cara... you're leaving?"

The words stumbled from my mouth like they didn't want to be said.Like even my tongue wanted to lie and say no.

She turned. Slowly.Her amber eyes blinking once.

She was about to speak — I saw it —But then they came.

The couple.Her new parents.

"Are you ready, girl?" the woman asked gently.

Danna nodded.Nodded like this was normal.Like she hadn't just promised me forever two nights ago.

Then she leaned in close, whispered something in the woman's ear.

I couldn't hear it.

But the woman's eyes flicked to me.

Just for a second.

"Take him?" the woman whispered back."But we've already signed the papers, Danna. We have a son at home... why would we take another boy?"

Take me.Please.Take me.

She was silent.Danna insisted, I could see it in her face.She always did everything with her whole heart.

"No, my love. I've already taken you and your sister," the woman said kindly."He'll be adopted sooner or later."

That was it.

That was the moment the ground disappeared under my feet.

I wanted to scream.To fall to my knees.To grab her hand and say Don't leave me, please, I don't know how to be without you.

But I said nothing.

I just stood there.

Like an idiot.Like a coward.

"Alright," the woman said, patting Danna's shoulder."Come outside in twelve minutes. I'll wait with your little sister."

And then she left.

Leaving only Danna... and me.

She turned to face me.

Twelve minutes.

Twelve minutes left of forever.

"Dante."

She called my name softly.So softly it barely reached over the roar of my heartbeat.But I heard it.

And it hurt.

Jake was still behind me.Watching.Saying nothing.Maybe he knew this moment wasn't his to interrupt.

I stared at her.The girl who once promised me forever.The girl I called Mia Cara like she was the only thing that mattered.

"You're going," I said. It wasn't a question.

She didn't deny it.She just… stood there.

"They're not taking you," I added, my voice cracking."Mrs. Zhao… she said she already has a son…"

Danna nodded slowly.Like she was agreeing with a truth she didn't want to face either.

"Please…"I didn't know what I was begging for.For her to lie? To say she wasn't leaving?"Please say you're not going too…"

She didn't say it.

Instead, she whispered:

"Will you miss me?"

I didn't answer.Because I didn't have to.Because my silence was louder than any yes.

She was leaving.

My Mia Cara.The only person who made this place feel like home.

Her head dipped, and when she looked back up, her eyes shimmered with guilt.She stepped forward. Hugged me.

I should've pushed her away.Should've yelled, You promised.You said we'd get out together.You said we'd get married.You said you'd stay.

But instead…I just stood there.Arms around her.Wishing time would stop.

"But I promise," she whispered against my shoulder,"I will come back for you."

I wanted to believe her.I needed to believe her.Even though I knew — in places like this — once someone gets out, they don't come back.

Still… I trusted her.

I nodded, barely.

She pulled away.Her fingers brushed under my eye, catching a tear I didn't know had fallen.

"Goodbye, Danna," Jake said behind me, breaking the silence.

Danna smiled.Weakly. Sadly.

"Bye, Jake."

She turned.Took a step.And I panicked.

I grabbed her hand. Tight. Desperate.

"Don't… don't forget about me, Danna. Please," I whispered, voice almost breaking.

She turned back.Smiled through tears.

Then leaned forward.And kissed my cheek.

"I won't. I will never. I'll be back. No matter what."

And then…She walked away.

I stood there with Jake beside me — both of us hollow and silent — as we watched her get into the car.

The man, her new father, held her hand.Her little sister waved from the back seat.And Danna turned one last time…

She smiled.And waved.

And I whispered the only thing left in me —

"Mia Cara… please come back.I trust you.You will."

It was the first evening without her.No amber-eyed girl sitting beside me.No soft laughter as she braided my fingers with wildflowers or leaned too close just to whisper nonsense and make me smile.Only sky. Wide. Quiet. Indifferent.

Jake sat next to me on the garden bench.We were two figures carved in silence.

"You can still marry me, you know," he said, tilting his head, grinning.

I huffed. A laugh—not real, just… something.

"I would rather die."

He laughed too loud, pretending nothing was heavy between us.

"Look at me. Am I not handsome?"

"It's not about the face, Jake."

"I heard people marry for looks."

"Then they're wrong," I muttered.

Silence stretched out again.

The wind was cold.

The sky was pale.

The emptiness beside me screamed louder than anything.

"Don't think about her," Jake finally said. But he knew that was impossible.

"Do you think… she'll come back?" I asked.

Jake didn't answer right away. He stared at the sky like maybe it held the answers I was desperate for.

"You said you trust her?"

I nodded. Barely.

"Then she will."

He bent forward, picked a small daisy from the grass, and held it up.

And just like Danna used to do, he started to pluck the petals.

"She will come. She won't. She will come. She won't…"

When the final petal landed in his hand, he whispered—

"She… won't."

My heart squeezed.

Jake looked at the petal, then away, tossing the flower aside like it burned him.

"It's childish," he said, "and not true. Earlier—it was a coincidence."

He was trying to reassure me.

Maybe himself too.

I said nothing.Because what if it wasn't a coincidence?

What if the petal was right?

Dinner came.As per the rule, whenever someone got adopted, they gave us "tasty" food.But the food didn't taste like anything anymore.Not without her.

I stared at my plate, spoon untouched.Jake ate his portion and then mine. I didn't stop him.

All I could think of was Danna.

Her new bed.A room with sunlight.Toys.Books.Real pillows.Real warmth.

Was she laughing somewhere right now?Would she remember me when she had everything she ever wanted?

Would she miss a boy from a broken place?

When we returned to the room, the beds felt colder.Even with Jake still cracking his sarcastic lines beside me, the silence between my breaths was louder than his words.

That night, I didn't sleep.Not really.

I just stared at the ceiling…

Waiting for the echo of her voice to call me Mia Cara again.

Wondering where fate would take me now.