"Across All Places, It's You"

CHAPTER 2: The Goodbye He Couldn't Say

The sound of footsteps echoed through the grand halls of the Altamonte Estate. The house was buzzing — maids rushing, suitcases being rolled, papers being signed. But in the middle of all the chaos stood Zarred, frozen behind the half-open door of his father’s office.

“…Singapore is better,” his father, Eduardo Altamonte, said firmly. “Better schools, better connections. We’ve already bought the property.”

“And the company has a new branch opening there,” his mother, Cassandra, added in her usual elegant tone. “It’s perfect timing. We leave next week.”

Zarred’s heart dropped.

Next week?

They hadn’t told him anything.

He stepped back quietly, chest tightening. He didn’t know if it was fear or sadness. All he knew was one thing—he had to go to The Secret Garden.

Now.

Without another thought, he ran—past the gates, through the trail, leaves crunching beneath his feet. The wind stung his eyes as he blinked away the tears he didn’t even realize had formed.

He needed to see Yarra.

He needed to tell her.

When he reached the old mango tree, the place was quiet. The golden light of late afternoon streamed through the trees, dancing on the grass. Birds chirped in the distance. The little river hummed its usual tune.

But Yarra wasn’t there.

He looked around—behind the tree, by the stones, even by the riverbank. Nothing. She wasn’t coming today.

“Yarra…” he whispered, hoping somehow she’d appear.

But she didn’t.

His heart ached with a sadness too heavy for a ten-year-old boy. He sat down on their favorite rock, the same one where they first met.

After a moment of stillness, he reached into his pocket and pulled out something small — a silver daisy pendant, something he found at his mom’s dresser weeks ago and secretly kept. The daisy reminded him of Yarra — simple, beautiful, and full of light.

“I guess this is goodbye,” he murmured.

He gently placed the pendant on the rock where they used to sit, like a tiny farewell.

“I promise I’ll come back,” he whispered to the wind. “And if you find this, you’ll know I didn’t forget you.”

Then, without looking back, Zarred walked away — from the garden, from San Isidro, from the only person who made his world feel real.

And the garden stood still, the pendant glinting softly in the sunlight, waiting for the day she would return… and remember.