Terrace.

There are a few people, who have that one special place where they love to spend some time alone. That one place where they are shut off from the world, yet have a great view of it. That one place which gives them enough peace to analyse themselves, question themselves and discover themselves. That one place where their inner angels and demons sit down to discuss and not stand up to fight. Some of the greatest revolutions have taken place here, the only difference being they have affected one life at a time. Jake was one such person, his terrace was one such place.

He stared at the scene in front of his eyes. He would come there often, yet everytime it it would feel like his first. It was less than an hour to midnight, but it didn't feel like it. How could it? Especially in the city that never sleeps. The street below was busy. Very busy for that hour. The terrace was his escape from chaos, while he witnessed the chaos of the world below him.

But that day was different. He gazed at the skyscrapers in front of him as he lighted his cigar. He had been a chain smoker for years, until five months ago, when he decided to quit realising he had additional responsibilities. It was the day he realised there would be someone looking up to him, the day he held Mark for the first time in his hands, his new born son. He had relapsed a couple of times in those five months, but today he didn't care. He was already on his third cigar. He didn't see any point in holding back.

Thoughts were rushing into his mind, pain was rushing into his heart.

You do not complete me,

You enlargen me.

You're not my other half,

You're my other whole.

All I want is for you to dance with me, at our wedding.

Will you?

He marvelled at the fact that the tears of joy on her face on the day he proposed to her, were the reason there were tears of sorrow in his eyes that day. He noticed the small led light on his phone blinking. He unlocked his phone to check his notifications.

17 missed calls

14 unread messages

He didn't bother with them. He noticed that his phone's background was his photo with his wife and Mark. This was the first time there wasn't a smile on his face when he looked at that photo. In a fit of rage threw his phone off the terrace. It shattered as it hit the road below.

He emptied his pockets one by one. His car keys, wallet and a few other insignificant things. "The police will thank me for this", he said, taking out his drivers licence from his wallet and putting it back into his pocket. The sheer amount of money in his wallet made him realise that he was a rich man, but only in terms of money. Among the insignificant stuff lay a twelve year old pen. It was the first gift he had received from the love of his life, when they started this journey of theirs as sixteen years old. He had preserved it till that day, using it only to sign important documents. From his college admission form to his job application letter, from his dream car's registration to Mark's birth certificate, he had used that pen in all of these. But earlier that day, he had signed on a document he wasn't particularly proud of.

He noticed the engagement ring on his hand. He felt his breath getting heavy, his stomach felt funny. So many thoughts, even more questions. But he had no answers. Why did she wait for so long? Why couldn't she be courageous enough to face him, instead sending the lawyer over to his office? Why did she give him one more reason to live, in the form of a child who he loved no less even after he was told that he wasn't his biological father, and take it all away from him this late?

Twelve years ago, Jake had fallen for her. Little did he know, it was an eight storeyed fall.