Too Close

Chapter Forty Three

The atmosphere in Jason's dimly lit home was heavy with tension as Gavyn sat next to him, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

It had been weeks since the last time they saw each other on their own terms due to Jason asking her for space while he dealt with the monumental changes in his life. The absence of the others' presence left them both with a mix of emotions. Gavyn understood why Jason needed some time to himself, but that didn't make it any easier for her to deal with.

The tension between them was palpable, thick like a fog of unspoken feelings. Gavyn took a deep breath, summoning her courage to break the suffocating silence.

"I know that you asked for space," She cautiously began, her voice gentle yet resolute, "but I can't stand by and pretend like everything is okay when it's clearly not. I care about you, Jason, and I want to be there for you. You shouldn't be going through this all alone."

He ran his hands over his face, his eyes red and tired from grief, "I know, and I appreciate that more than you can imagine. But I didn't want to bring all of this baggage into our relationship, especially when I don't know how to handle it myself."

It was hard for him to deal with it at all and resist the urge to bottle it all in. Pretending that everything that happened this year was all a dream that would only lead to him walking around with the cracks and using distractions as glue to temporarily hold him together. It would lead to him becoming a fake version of himself and missing out on time with the people who mattered the most to him. The people he still had left.

Then he would be a man full of regret.

Gavyn took his hand into hers, her curly hair sweeping her cheek as she tilted her head to look at him. "You're not dumping all of your burdens on me, I'm here to help you heal in any way I can. It's okay if you don't know how to balance it all yet, we'll figure it out together. I'm going to support you like you did me. You can be vulnerable with me."

He finally turned his head to her, his eyes bordered with tears. Her reassurance was heartwarming. "Thank you." He put his hand over hers, letting a few tears roll down his face before she wiped them away. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You don't have to thank me. We're in this together." She smiled softly as she held back her own tears. Seeing him like this was devastating.

"I miss you." He admitted as his heart swelled with affection for the woman in front of him. "You're my strength, I don't want to lose that."

Gavyn's hand reached up to his cheek, lightly caressing his skin, "You won't lose me."

Her legs were tucked underneath her as she sat cozily on her couch, the morning glow of the sun casting over the pages of the book. She woke up on the earlier side since she was waiting for her mom's arrival and figured she'd pass the time by reading Fallen since she hadn't picked it up in a few days.

She didn't expect her heartstrings to be pulled this much when she sat down and opened up to her last place. With each line, the weight of what she and Miles lost felt heavier and heavier.

The words that he wrote captured the essence of vulnerability and effective communication, the very things that they neglected to use when they were faced with the situation that inspired Gavyn and Jason's. It only made her wonder what their outcome would've been if she and Miles faced their challenges together, instead of allowing them to crumble their relationship.

Gavyn's support reminded her of when she wanted to be there for Miles and help him be the best version of himself, but he just wouldn't let her and instead pushed her away when things got serious. Reading about their raw and authentic emotions made her realize the missed opportunities for maturity and healing in her own life. But now, she was open to taking those opportunities and knew that Miles was too since they'd both changed in their years apart.