Somewhere Else

Chapter 1

The gems in the bracelet sparkled in the light as Jude delicately wrapped it around my wrist. His touch was so gentle, and I held onto every slight brush of his skin against mine as if it'd be the last time I'd ever feel it.

"Got it." He admired the bracelet on my wrist. "Is this the one from the premiere over the summer?"

I nodded my head.

"I'm glad you like it. I haven't seen you wear it in a long time."

"Of course I like it, Jude. I love it. I just don't have many places to go to on a regular basis where wearing something like this would be appropriate." He'd never actually told me how much it was, and I didn't want to know. "Ready?" I smiled up at him.

I looped my arm through his and let him lead me out to Jeffrey's car. I soon realized that his threat to have Jeffrey call me Miss Robinson was empty; that or he really was too distracted by the dress I was wearing to have remembered. We spent the ride laughing and cuddling and sort of acting like two teenagers on their way to their first date. It was one of the things about Jude I loved the most; he so easily made me feel playful and comfortable, no matter the level of formality of the place we were going to.

From the moment we walked into the doors of the theater to the end of the performance, I felt as if I were floating in the clouds. The time we spent at the ballet was incredible; it was everything I could have hoped for, and getting to enjoy it with Jude was a memory I'd never forget. The night was perfect.

That was, at least, until we stepped outside to drive back home.

The press swarmed us. They hadn't been allowed inside the theater, but there was nothing to stop them from waiting outside of it. People were shouting Jude's name from every direction. He wrapped me up into his side and held me close. Even so, it wasn't enough to protect my ears from their words. Everything they shouted at us had to do with our imminent time apart. They were clearly trying to get a rise from one of us. His ex's name was thrown around, and I even heard someone reference Luke. I'd be lying if I said that the fact that they knew something so personal to me didn't jostle me a bit. But I had Jude there with me, and so long as I had him, I felt protected and loved and sure of myself.

When we got in the car, I turned to Jude and nestled into his side. "I love you."

He brought his hand to my head and stroked my hair. "I love you too, Elle."

I somehow managed to drift off into sleep during the car ride back, and because Jude is an incredible human being, he scooped me up and carried me into the house. When we got to his bedroom, I willed myself awake enough to run a makeup remover wipe across my face. I stripped off the dress I was wearing and threw on that black cotton t-shirt Jude had lent me months before; it had quickly become my normal nighttime sleeping attire. When I finally laid down next to Jude, he wrapped me up in his arms, and we drifted off to sleep.

At some point in the night, I stirred in bed and reached over to snuggle in more closely to Jude in an attempt to siphon some of his warmth. As I moved closer to his side, it became apparent he was no longer there. I rubbed at my eyes and squinted at the red LED light emitting from the alarm clock on his dresser. 3:57. I took a moment to do a quick stretch before hopping out of bed. I noticed the throw blanket we kept on the edge of the bed had fallen to the floor, so I snatched it up. I had an idea where he might be, and being that it was January, I knew I'd need the extra warmth.

As I pulled the blanket around my shoulders, I crept down the stairs. They creaked, and out of habit I slowed my pace, fearing I'd wake someone. But my someone was already awake. From the bottom of the steps, I could see right to where he was standing in the backyard.