She looked at the piece of paper in her hands with a heavy heart. This must have been her hundredth time reading it, as if she expected the words to somehow change and everything to be alright again.

It never did.

It never would be.

Just before the beginning of Summer Xavier had left for a study abroad program. Before then their relationship, as always, had gone along swimmingly - chaste and committed as it was. Bell had no reason to think that the distance would do anything to disrupt that. In the months Xavier had been gone, Bell had gotten used to him not being around, and had been content counting down the days until his return. But now four months later all that came to an end.

With just one letter.

Xavier wasn't coming back to Destiny City. He wanted her to move on with her life. At first Bell had been numb. She didn't believe it. But as the week wore on and she read the letter again, over and over, it finally registered. They had shared only two other letters since - to deal with his belongings and where she was to ship them too, as well as a sappy, bitter-sweet goodbye. The house was so empty now without his things. Bell had never owned much, so much of the house was his belongings. Bell thought about moving and getting an apartment instead of this house full of memories.

Bell was still somewhat numb. More than anything, she felt lost. She didn't know what to tell Ainsley, or Cora, and she had no one to turn to for comfort. Xavier really had become her everything. She hadn't formed many, if any, close friendships, and those she had she wasn't sure how to approach without coming off the wrong way...

Bell was of two minds about Xavier's decision to stay where he was - part of her was relieved that he was away from this war and safe. Another part was cynical - if course he preferred it there where there was no war! Over all...her heart ached.

Bell placed the paper back in her desk and closed the lid. She shut off the lamp and exited her room, walking downstairs. Ainsley was not home at the time, which was just as well. She didn't need to see her older sister mope. Bell grabbed her bag and left the house - a walk in the sunshine should do her some good, right?

There was so much she needed to figure out now. Mostly - where did she go from here? What do you do when a hearts been broken? How do you start to pick up the pieces?