'When you love someone, you have to let them go. If they come back to you, it's yours. If it doesn't, it never was.' The meaning of these words is to let go of the people you love. If there is a guy or a girl you love, but they love somebody else then you have to let them go to be happy with the ones they love. If you have a sick mother, aunt, uncle, father, grandmother, or somebody you love dearest in your family and they are lying down in the hospital bed in so much pain, you would let them go to heaven where they could have eternal bliss. You have a dog or a cat that ran away from home and you see they have found a new home, and then you would let them go, so the animal and person would be very happy. Chances are the girl or guy that you like might fall in love with you so they can be yours. Your sick family member may revive so they can be with you in longer years. Your lost cat or dog would look at you and remember all the fun you two had together and want to come back. Other chances may be that they don't want to be yours. The girl or guy that you like may not want to be with you, but if you are selfish and try to split them up with their girlfriend or boyfriend, then you do not love them. If your sick family member has to have medical attention that may cause them pain and you're too involved in your grief and make them go through with it, then you do not love them. If your dog or cat does not want to be with you anymore and instead wants to stay with their newfound owner and you're too stubborn to let them stay with the people they like, then you do not love them. When you love someone, you have to let them go so they could have eternal happiness and peace.
This is what Lilo Pelekai thinks as she stands in front of the window. She gripped on the edge of the windowsill as she watched two experiments playing together outside. One of those experiments was Angel, the pink furred monster who destroyed everything Lilo had held dear to her. The second experiment was Stitch, the one with ocean blue fur who had once put Lilo's shattered heart together, but just tore it up again when he met her. She watched bitterly as Stitch and Angel laughed together while rolling around in the dirt, staining their fur with it. She glared at them before turning away quickly. The pang had come back.
She went over to the bed to sit down on it, burying her face in her hands. She reminisced all the times she and Stitch were together before she came. Those days when she was Stitch's number one. The days when he cared for her, maybe even loved her. Her heart ached, knowing she'd probably never have that kind of love again. Her hands became wet and she pulled them away. They were glistening with tears. Her tears. She hastily wiped them away. She had promised herself that she wouldn't cry, no matter how much it hurt to see him with her. You only cry when you're excessively happy, which she was not. You only cry when you're very upset, which she tries not to be. Her friend, the one who mattered the most to her, was in love and she was going to be happy for him even when she was in the mood to strangle Angel in her sleep.
Why does she feel this way you might ask? Why would Lilo Pelekai want to murder such a beautiful and sweet experiment, the one who meant everything to Stitch? The answer to that is love. Love makes people want to do the silliest of things. Lilo was extremely jealous of Angel, but not because of her looks, but of what she has that Lilo had once. Stitch's love. For this, she wants Angel out of the picture, but she knew that if she did that, then Stitch wouldn't be happy and that would just kill her inside. She wanted Stitch's love so badly, but she knew he would never return her feelings.
The situation just gets worse. Lilo Pelekai does not only love Stitch, but she's in love with him. How did this happen and when? Lilo lost her parents when she was 6 years old. She had a sister who never seems to stop quarreling with her. She had four girls that can't find anything better to do than taunt Lilo with her crazy beliefs and rotten luck. There were times when the government almost took her away. This had just made Lilo feel not human. She didn't even know if she was still alive. Her life had shattered into myriads of tiny pieces. When it seemed as if her will to live was lost, Stitch came and picked up those pieces to make a brand new Lilo Pelekai. For this, Lilo had always loved Stitch, but as she spent more time with him, she begun to realize him as more than just a friend.
Her chance to tell him had come too late however. Experiment 624 just had to be an elegant and graceful experiment to have ever landed on this universe. Stitch just had to spend all his time with her and she just had to change for him. Lilo had to confess to herself that she was glad Gantu had taken her and thought that this meant there was a chance for her and Stitch. However, when she saw Stitch's crest-fallen face, she instantly felt just as upset as he did. She loved him after all, so she could feel his pain. She had took him in her arms and told him they will get her back someday. This had made Stitch feel slightly better, but Lilo could still see his eyes well up with tears. That had made her heart sink as they drove home. That night, Stitch stayed inside the bathroom. Though he tried to muffle the sounds, Lilo could tell he was sobbing over the loss of Angel. This made her want to barge through the door, gather him in her arms, and cry with him, but decided to leave him alone. After all, she hated Angel with all her heart. There was no way she was going to shed a tear for a person who she loathed.
Then that dreaded day came. Lilo never confessed to Stitch her deep love for him. She wasn't sure if he still had Angel on his mind. He acted differently after that day, but she could see inside him. What she saw was a broken heart and a shattered spirit. After that, he seemed to get better each day. It was that night when they were looking over the experiments' list that Lilo came across Angel. She picked up that picture to show Stitch, to see if he still loved her. If not, then there was that hope that they could be together instead.
To her horror however, Stitch revealed a shrine of Angel that he kept securely locked. Lilo lost her breath at the sight. The top was pink to resemble Angel's fur. The theme song from Romeo and Juliet played through the room as the fake heart pounded louder. There were pictures that Pleakley took of them scattered along the top part. There were drawings Stitch made of her. Lilo watched seldom as Stitch took the picture of him and Angel out of her hands to paste it on the wall. He kissed her picture figure for so long that Lilo was afraid she might break down in front of him. That was the night that Lilo promised they would get Angel back. She knew Stitch loved her, so the only thing she could do to make Stitch happy was to get her and the rest of the cousins back.
When they did, Lilo almost wished she hadn't. As she watched Stitch and Angel go off together in the sunset, hand in hand, she willed herself not to cry, but smile. When she looked at them, the song from Romeo and Juliet rang through her ears. Her eyes welled up, but she still had her smile on. I love you too Stitch. She had said, but he didn't hear her. She was glad he didn't.
Now, as she sat on her bed, she couldn't help but feel as if she had done something wrong. If you were to do the right thing, then wouldn't it feel good? If she did the right thing in getting Angel back, then why does she feel like she could just die? She swiped away her tears to go look out the window. Stitch and Angel were unseen. Either they went back in the house or trotted off somewhere. She then headed down the elevator. She went inside the kitchen to eat some can raviolis and sat on the couch in the living room.
The door opened and in walked Angel and Stitch, chuckling about something. "Hey Stitch!" Lilo called, trying to be cheerful.
Stitch turned his head and smiled. Lilo noticed however, that his smile didn't reach his eyes as they usually did when he was happy. Still, she didn't question it. "Hi."
Angel glared at Lilo before taking Stitch's arm and dragged him with her up the stairs. Lilo sighed as they curved past a bedroom then went inside the one next to it. Lilo placed her can raviolis on the table, reaching for a remote to turn on the TV. Bored, she flipped through the dull channels. She finally found an interesting show and watched it. However, she didn't get to finish her intriguing show and fell asleep on the couch.
When the sun sank and the moon had come up, Angel was out of the house to go back to her home. Stitch had left the bedroom they were occupying to see her out the door. When he came back, he noticed Lilo asleep on the couch. He went over to turn off the TV and walked back to her. He noticed the tear streaks that lined vertically on her cheek and sighed. He knew she was miserable without his company, but he couldn't even be an inch near her for the whole day. He couldn't get close to her without receiving the urge to just lift her from the ground and carry her off to a place where a love between alien and human existed.
He reached forward to wipe away the miniature, green food on her cheek. He didn't move his hand, but instead kept it on her cheek, feeling her warmth shoot through his arm. The warm feeling sent butterflies in his stomach, the feeling he did not like. He immediately removed his hand as if her skin had burned him. He then roped his arms under her and carried her to her dome. He laid her on the not made up bed and pulled the sheets until they tucked under her chin. He leaned forward to kiss her cheek as if it had become a routine, which technically it was. He smiled and left to finish off her can of raviolis.
Lilo's eyes popped open at exactly 9:00 P.M. to face the empty cot across her bed. Groggily, she removed herself from the bed. She rode the platform downstairs and entered inside the kitchen. Just as she did, Stitch was leaving the kitchen as well. They didn't see each other and collided with the other person. Stitch, being the strongest, fell on top of Lilo. The girl's heart stopped while his pounded faster and louder that he wondered if she would hear it.
"Stitch?" She asked. "What are you doing?"
"I went to get some food. I was hungry." He replied as he gazed into those chocolate eyes. He licked his lips when his eyes feasted on her pale pink pair, just waiting to be ravished by his. "What about you?"
"I just wanted to eat too. Um, could you get off me?" Lilo replied, feeling her tan cheeks converting to scarlet. She didn't really want Stitch to get off her, but she didn't trust herself to be alone with him and have him on her.
Stitch blushed, but it went unnoticeable thanks to his fur. He stood to get off her then helped her up with the pull of his hand connected with hers. They walked together inside the kitchen. Stitch remembered the tear streaks found on Lilo's face. "Lilo, what's wrong?"
"What do you mean? Nothing's wrong." She smiled.
Stitch reached out to grasp her arm and pull her towards him. "Don't give me that. I've known you for six years Lilo, so I know everything there is to know about my best friend. When you're unhappy, you grab a can of raviolis, you smile way too much, your cheeks shine because of tears, and you don't have that sparkle." Stitch replied all in one breath. Lilo was surprised he noticed her like this, but decided to hide it. "If you have something to say, then say it now."
"Why should I say it now?" Lilo asked.
"I'll be leaving first thing in the morning." Stitch replied.
Lilo felt the remains of her heart shatter. "W-What?"
"Angel and Bolivia are leaving. They're moving to a different island." Stitch responded, willing himself not to cry at Lilo's distressed face. "I have to go with them."
"Why? Can't you stay here with your ohana? Can't you just visit Angel?" Lilo asked her voice cracking.
Stitch sighed. "I can't do that. Angel is pregnant."
Lilo couldn't speak. Her lips all of a sudden went dry. Her throat closed up. Her heart, well she didn't have a heart anymore. It wasn't shattered anymore, it was burnt. Without a heart, you can't feel, and that's exactly what Lilo felt. She didn't feel any happiness nor sadness nor even anger. She felt nothing except a void of emptiness that would live with her until the day she breathed her last breath. She didn't shed a tear because crying was for people who were sad or very ecstatic, and she felt neither one of them. She lost all her feelings.
Stitch looked into her eyes. Tears brimmed the edges of his own as he noticed the disheartened look on her face. He could tell she was hurting. He reached forward to hug her, but instantly noticed she didn't melt into him. Her arms stayed stiff at her sides as if she was a statue. He kissed the side of her head and held her tighter, but she remained motionless.
"I guess Myrtle was right." Lilo muttered. "I'll never have friends that wants to stay with me."
She sounded so lost and so upset. He pulled away to speak, but the tears on her face prevented him from speaking also. He let his own tears fall. "I don't want to leave you Lilo, but I have to. Angel will be giving birth to my kids soon and I have to be there to see their faces. I love her and I love them."
Lilo roughly pushed Stitch away from her. "Why? What is it with Angel that you have to be with her 24/7? What is it that makes her so much better than me? Am I just a human girl who took you in as her pet? Do I mean anything to you?" Stitch looked away, unable to see her face. "I'm nothing to you aren't I? I guess this is what I get for opening up to people."
"Lilo..." Stitch stretched her name to let her know he was getting aggravated by her attitude. "I didn't mean for this to happen."
"Whatever." He reached forward to embrace her again, but she pushed him away. "Don't. Goodbye Stitch and I hope you Angel will be happy."
She turned to leave, but Stitch grasped her hand to keep her from leaving. "Lilo, I'm sorry. What do you want me to do?"
"Let me go." She muttered bitterly. Reluctantly, he did. "There's nothing you can do. There's nothing anyone can do to heal me. This time, I'm permanently broken. You killed me Stitch. You killed me just as painfully as the death of my parents had. You can't heal me."
"I did it before. I can heal you again." Stitch called.
"It's different now."
"What's changed?"
Lilo spun to glare at him. "Before, you healed my pain because it was caused by my parents' deaths. Now, you can't heal my pain because, you caused it."
With that, she turned to leave as Stitch stayed behind in the kitchen. He lowered his ears, the tears spilling freely from his eyes. He really did not want to leave Lilo, but he couldn't let go of Angel who is carrying his children. He wept at the fact he may never see Lilo again. She was angry at him, so he doubt she would appreciate him coming by to see her. Now he knew he made a mistake letting Angel sleep with him. He knew he'd never have the chance to be the man by Lilo's side, the one to comfort her, love her, and be with her. He lost that chance and it was all down to his stupidity.
The next day, Stitch didn't even wait for Lilo to get out of bed. She had woken up to an empty cot and all his belongings gone. He didn't even say goodbye. He just got up and left to be with his precious Angel. Lilo stood to get out of bed and walked over to the cot. One tear escaped her eye as she ran a hand along the soft texture of the blanket. The tear fell to the floor and she turned away to see the desk. It had a piece of paper on it. Curious, she reached forward to grab it. I it was addressed to her, by Stitch. For a moment, she contemplated on tearing it up and throw it away, but instead took another look at it. She went over to her bed to sit down and brought the paper close to her face to read it.
Lilo,
I'm sorry I didn't wait to say goodbye. You were still asleep when Angel and Bolivia came to tell me they had to leave now. Besides, I doubt you would want to see me after last night. You're right. This is my entire fault, but Lilo you don't know the reason why I had to stay close to Angel. Staying close to Angel, I still have control and the urges to do such things to her never come. With you, you'll never understand what's been happening to me. IF I even stand an inch near you, I just want to lock you in tight in my arms and never let you go. You won't believe this Lilo, but I've fallen in love with you.
When we had to part because I was hired for captain of the BRB, I was depressed. It was so hard to go through a night without you. It was the night I never wanted to go through again. When I saw you again with Reuben and Gantu, I was thrilled to see your beaming face as you run into my arms. It was that moment when I never wanted to let you go. When I came back for Earth, I started having awkward feelings around you. This is why I spent all my time with Angel. I was trying to convince myself that she was the one I loved and that you're just a friend to me. I'm telling you this because I know you love me the same way.
Don't deny it Lilo. Why else would you be so upset when Angel came back into my life? I've known you for so many years that it's easy to see inside you. I can also see the way you look at me. Haven't you notice I look at you the same way? If our love weren't forbidden, then it would've been you I run away with. I've had dreams of it. But this isn't a dream Lilo, this is real life. Life is a cruel ride and it forbids us to be together. We can never be. Jumba would say I should get over you, Pleakley would think I should stick with Angel, and Nani. Well, I don't even want to talk about her. She'd send me far away from here and I would never see you again. If you were thinking we should run away, then where would we go? How would we get food, water, coconut cake, coffee, and how can we live without our ohana? We may get mad at them, but we would still love them.
Sometimes I wished we never had met so we wouldn't go through this heartache and indescribable pain. Sometimes I wished we didn't fall in love. Other times I wished you were experiment or I was human, but life just had to make a cruel turn and make us different species. It had to make it where we could never be. I wonder sometimes if there was something we could do to make our love acceptable, but it is not.
When you love someone, we have to let them go. If they come back to you, they are yours. If they don't, they never were. I have to let you go so you could be happy with your ohana without us running away from them. You have to let me go so I could be happy with Angel and my kids without worrying if you're happy. I know I killed you, but I also know that someday, you'll find someone else that will love you as much as I can. You are beautiful, sweet, and generous, among many other things that I found interesting in you. Someone will fall for you and you will love them. I just wish that person could be me.
I wish I could stay and tell you all this face to face, but I can't. Angel and Bolivia are waiting for me downstairs. I had a choice Lilo, either I stay with you or stay with Angel who has my children. I chose her and I know I will regret it. Be happy again for me Lilo. Open up to another and let them guide you through life. Though I may not be by your side anymore, that doesn't mean I don't love you. I do love you Lilo, forever and for always. I just wish I had the courage to tell you this many years ago. I love you and I don't want you to forget that.
Forever yours,
Stitch
Lilo could feel the tears pricking at her eyes. She had no idea he loved her as well. She thought she meant nothing to him, but now she felt as if she could just throw herself off a cliff. How could she have been so mean to him last night? She gazed out the window, wistfully looking at the ground. Hoping to see him dash to the house, but he never came. Stitch truly was gone.
Lilo thought of trying to find him to tell him of her feelings or write it down on a letter and send it to him, but she knew she couldn't. He had Angel and his kids to look after and he has a new best friend, Bolivia. She knew he left because he loved her. He left her because if he stayed, then their whole lives would base on tears, anger, and finding spots to hide away. If they were meant to be, then he may come back, the family will accept him, and they would love each other forever. Now however, she had to let him go. She loved him too much to stand in the way of the fatherly relationship between him and his kids.
Lilo turned to head inside the closet. She reached for a box that laid isolated in the corner. She slid it from its spot and brought it close to her. She took out all her valuable memoirs. Her old doll Scrump, pictures of her family and ones that included her parents, the tiki necklace she made for Stitch before he left to charge the BRB among many other things she held dear to her heart. Finally, she came across a pink piece of paper. She brought it out, tears rolled down her face as she realized it to be Stitch's adoption paper.
This paper signified he was hers. The paper said he was to stay with her. The paper states he was hers to do whatever she wanted to. He was not to go anywhere unless...
Rip Rip Rip
With great determination, Lilo ripped the paper in three slices. She crumbled up the two that had nothing essential on it. She turned to the left over piece to see not important writing, but at the bottom were the words:
By the state of Hawaii, Stitch is hereby under the supervision of Lilo Pelekai.
Lilo looked at her name and Stitch's. She gulped as she tore the piece so that Stitch's name was on one piece and the other piece had her name. She kissed Stitch's name, rolled the paper into a wrinkled ball, and threw it at the trashcan where it landed perfectly at the base. She then looked at her name and ripped it up to the point where it was indecipherable. She sniffed as she carried the left over pieces of paper to the wastebasket then turned to her bed.
Stitch was no longer hers. He was a free alien now. He didn't have her to teach him how to be a model citizen; he had to do that on his own. She felt horrible for giving Stitch up in that way, but she knew it was the right thing to do. Though he may love her and she loves him, she knew his place was with Angel and their kids. She had to let him go.
Besides, when you love someone, you have to let them go. If they come back to you, they are yours. If they don't, they never were.
That's why she let him go. She loved him.
Note: Just be thankful it's not a tragic story. No one died here in this one, except for maybe Nani, Jumba, and Pleakley. I'm not even sure if I mentioned them. Anyway, if you're wanting this one-shot to turn into a story, then you might not get your wish. I don't have any ideas for this, so I don't know. Besides, I still have to work on His Conundrum, so I may not have enough time to turn this into a story. It's possible, but unlikely. Anyway, review to tell me what you think of it.