You're In My Mind

7 - Connection

His eyes shimmered with compassion and I couldn't help but keep his gaze. So now what? My mind danced through all the wonderful possibilities. Here, in this heavenly little bubble of comfort; lost in nothing but feelings. 

"Do you feel that?" He asks out of nowhere, breaking my blissful thoughts.

"Hmm?"

"I don't know-" He quickly says, and breaks eye contact as if he's embarrassed.

"Connection?" I simply suggest with a small, thoughtful smile.

His eyes dart back up, "Yeah."

"I don't know how to describe it, though." I say.

"Umm. . .sort of like our bond thing. But deeper,"

"Realer." I finished his thought aloud.

*                                 *                                   *

Flashback:

I walk beside a serious woman in heels who is leading me down a brightly lit hallway to the interrogation room. My hair is messy, my eyes are swollen, but I'm too broken to care. I would cry if I had any tears left, I would sleep but the nightmares keep me awake. I would get some fresh air but the outside world haunts the sidewalks. I don't think of anything, I just keep walking till we reach the specified room. Once we sit down, her opposite of me, she quickly takes out her clipboard and clicks her pen on. 

Once she really sees my condition, her eyes widen for a split second before recomposing her countenance. "Morgan, is it?"

I nod.

"I am terribly sorry for everything that has happened; But we are here to make it right."

Aloof, I focus on her curly brown hair. 

"I know it's going to be hard, but in order for us to help you we need to talk about it. Can you do that, Morgan?"

I nod once more.

She spoke slowly. "Do you know what color their van was?"

"B-blue."

"Okay. And can you tell me any names you remember?"

"N-no. . .th-ey kept saying Bo-ss."

"So there were many people?"

"A few."

"Were they male or female?"

"Male."

She takes a moment looking at the clipboard. I don't want to be here. I want to leave. I want to go home. I absentmindedly twirl a strand of my hair between my fingers.

"May I ask you some more questions or do you need some time?"

"It's okay."

"All right. Were you aware of anyone else who was taken with you?"

"One girl. She was younger than me."

"How young?"

"Maybe twelve."

"Her name?"

I thought for a moment, rummaging through my scarred mind. "Lacy."

"Thank you. That is all I have for today, I will call your parents and we can discuss further measures. You need to rest, Morgan."

I nod, and she adds, "Is there anything else you want me to be aware of before we end?"

I shake my head. "All right then, let me walk you to the front." She weakly smiles.

As we walk back I brace for the many looks of pity and try to shut everything out. I don't think of how all my mom wants is a flicker of life in my eyes just to reassure her that her daughter is alive in here. I don't think about my dad's nervousness to say certain things around me as If It will trigger a bomb. And I certainly don't think about the many more interviews dreadfully awaiting me. I think of nothing at all, it's better this way.

*                              *                                   *

I didn't realize I was crying until Evan's arms embraced me in a comforting gesture. "It's okay, I'm here." He said softly in my ear.

"Thank you." I mumble.

"I saw what you were thinking. I really had no clue."

"You saw everything?"

"The police. Answering questions. You. All of it."

"Oh."

"Think of something else. What were we talking about earlier?"

"Connection." I finally say. Then it clicks. I'm in Evan's arms. 

He chuckles, "Yes, you are."

"That's so annoying." I huff.

"I can go-"

"No. Don't leave yet." I couldn't deny that I felt safe and having him to lean on was comforting. I couldn't deny the small--yet noticeable--butterfly feeling stirring in my stomach. And for now, I didn't want to leave this beautiful moment of care.

"Close your eyes." He says.

The butterflies accelerate and I do everything in my self-control power to retain them. When he tells me to open my eyes, we sit on a blanket in soft grass. Around us, a clear shiny brook babbles and a sunset takes over the cloudy sky. I relish the scenery in awe, knowing only Evan could have conjured this up. His hand finds mine as I sit right beside him, and I watch as a smile forms on his lips. 

I have no words and neither does he. The simplicity of this very moment is enough to fill the void of meaningless words. Without realizing it, I rested my head against his shoulder. Who knew? I was broken, I was distraught, my heart had no hope of being put back together. Until this world. Until Evan. I may be unsure of where this will lead, unsure that it may last at all, but what I do know is this; Evan and I have some sort of deep connection that is unaffected by distance or time.