cloudsfloatedabovethecity,agentlebreezerustledthroughthetrees.Itwasabeautifuldayinthecity,butamidstthepeaceandtranquility,asenseofuneasehungintheair.Ayoungwomannamedcloudwalkeddownthestreet,hereyesscanningthecrowds.Shehadbeensearchingforhimforweeks,eversincehehadleftwithoutwarning.

Cloudstoppedatasmallcaféandsatdownatatablebythewindow.Sheorderedacupofcoffeeandsatback,lostinthought.Ithadbeentwomonthssincetheyhadlastspoken,andshewasstartingtolosehope.

Asshesatthere,shecouldn‘thelpbutthinkabouthowthingshadendedbetweenthem.Theyhadmetbychance,bondingovertheirsharedloveofliterature.Butastimewenton,theirrelationshiphadbecomeincreasinglystrained.Hehadseemeddistantandpreoccupied,andshehadsensedthatsomethingwaswrong.

Thecoffeearrived,andCloudtookasip,feelingthebitternesswashoverher.Sheknewthatshecouldn‘tkeepgoingonlikethis,waitingforhimtocomebacktoher.Sheneededtotakeaction,tofindoutwhatwasgoingonandwhyhehadleft.

Withnewfounddetermination,Cloudstoodupandwalkedoutofthecafé.Shemadeherwaythroughthewindingstreets,determinedtotrackdownhermissinglove.Asshewalked,shefeltasenseofhoperisingwithinher.Maybe,justmaybe,thiswouldbethebreaksheneeded.

Shestoppedatasmallantiqueshop,browsingtheshelvesforanysignofhim.Theshopowner,anoldmanwithkindeyes,noticedhersearchingandapproachedher.

“You‘relookingforsomething,mydear?“heasked.

Cloudnodded,herheartracing.“I‘mlookingforsomeone,“shesaid,tryingtokeephervoicesteady.“Heleftwithoutwarningtwomonthsago.Ihavenoideawhereheisorwhathappenedtohim.“

Theoldman‘sexpressionturnedsympathetic.“IthinkImightbeabletohelpyou,“hesaid.

Cloud‘sheartleaptwithexcitementastheoldmanpulledoutasmallboxfrombeneaththecounter.

“Thiswasfoundinadumpsterontheoutskirtsoftown,“heexplained.“Itbelongstosomeonewho‘sbeenmissingforweeks.“

Cloudtookthebox,herhandstremblingwithanticipation.Sheopenedit,revealingasmallnotebookfilledwithcrypticmessagesandsketches.

Assheflippedthroughthepages,Cloudrealizedthatthiswastheirjournal,theonetheyhadkepttogetherduringtheirtimeapart.Itexplainedeverything-whyhehadleft,whathadhappenedtohim,andwherehewasnow.

Withtearsofjoystreamingdownherface,Cloudturnedtotheoldman.“Thankyousomuch,“shesaid,hervoicebarelyaboveawhisper.“I‘llfindhim,Ipromise.“

Theoldmansmiled,hiseyestwinklingwithwarmth.“You‘rewelcome,mydear.Yougoandfindhim,anddon‘thesitatetocomebackifyouneedanything.“

Cloudnodded,herheartfullofgratitude.Shelefttheshop,feelingasenseofpurposethatshehadn‘tfeltinmonths.Sheknewthatfindinghimwouldn‘tbeeasy,butshewasdeterminedtotry.

Asshewalkedthroughthecity,Cloudfeltasenseofhoperisingwithinher.Maybethiswasthestartofsomethingnew,somethingwonderful.Andwiththatthought,shesmiled,feelingasenseofjoythatshehadn‘texperiencedinmonths.

Thesunbegantoset,castingawarmglowoverthecity.Cloudcontinuedonherjourney,herheartfullofdeterminationandhope.Sheknewthatshewouldfindhim,nomatterwhatittook.

Andasshewalked,thecityseemedtocomealivearoundher.Thestreetlightsflickeredon,castingasoftbluelightoverthepavement.Thesoundoflaughterandmusicdriftedthroughtheair,minglingwiththescentoffoodfromthenearbyrestaurants.

Cloudfeltlikeshewaswalkingthroughadream,onethatshedidn‘twanttowakeupfrom.Sheknewthatthisjourneywouldbedifficult,butshewasreadyforit.Bringiton,shethought,asmilespreadingacrossherface.

Sheturnedanothercorner,andsuddenly,shesawhim.Hewasstandingoutsideasmallbar,hisbacktoher.Cloud‘sheartskippedabeatasshefeltarushofexcitement.

Wasthisit?Wasthisthemomentshehadbeenwaitingfor?

Withouthesitation,Cloudwalkedtowardshim,feelingasenseoftrepidationmixedwithhope.Assheapproached,heturnedaround,theireyesmeetinginaflashofrecognition.

“Cloud?“heasked,hisvoicehesitant.

Shenodded,herheartracing.“Ifoundyou,“shesaid,hervoicebarelyaboveawhisper.

Hesmiled,reliefwashingoverhisface.“ThankGod,“hesaid,openinghisarmstoher.

Cloudfellintohisembrace,feelinglikeshewashome.Sheknewthatthisjourneyhadbeenworthit,everystepoftheway.

Andastheystoodthere,wrappedineachother‘sarms,Cloudfeltasenseofpeacewashoverher.Maybethiswasthestartofsomethingnew,somethingwonderful.Andwiththatthought,shesmiled,feelinglikeshewasexactlywhereshewasmeanttobe.