Evermore || Connor Bedard

Chapter Three: Tis' the Damn Season

( the content in this chapter is gruesome! Don't read if you believe it can be triggering!!)

Connor and Sage slowly got closer and closer as the months moved on. They didn't return to how they were but they were at least friends. Now for Christmas Connor decided to make a big move and invite Sage to spend Christmas eve with him. Sage was supposed to go to see her family so they decided on splitting Christmas Eve and hanging out with each family.

As Sage stepped off the train onto the familiar platform of her hometown, a rush of memories flooded her mind, accompanied by a mix of emotions she hadn't anticipated. The old station, once a backdrop to countless farewells and reunions, now felt like a portal to the past she had left behind. With each step she took, the weight of her decision to return home grew heavier, mingling with the anticipation of reconnecting with her old best friend's family.

It had been years since Sage last saw Connor, since the accident that had torn them apart and sent her fleeing from the place they both called home. The guilt of leaving him behind had weighed heavily on her ever since, a constant reminder of the choices she had made and the consequences they had wrought. But now, with Connor's unexpected invitation drawing her back, Sage couldn't ignore the pull of nostalgia and the need for closure.

As she made her way through the familiar streets, the town seemed both unchanged and unfamiliar, frozen in time yet subtly transformed by the passage of years. The buildings stood as silent witnesses to the memories they held, the echoes of laughter and whispered secrets lingering in the air like ghostly whispers. Sage couldn't help but wonder how much had changed in her absence, and whether she still belonged in the place she once called home.

Finally reaching Connor's house, Sage hesitated for a moment before ringing the doorbell, her heart pounding in her chest. The door swung open, revealing Connor's familiar face framed by a curtain of tousled blonde hair.

"Sage?" Connor's voice was tinged with disbelief as he took in the sight of her standing on his doorstep, a mix of emotions flickering across his features. "I... I didn't expect for you to actually come."

Sage offered him a hesitant smile, suddenly acutely aware of how much time had passed since they last saw each other. "I got your message," she said, her voice sounding strangely foreign to her own ears. "I... I wanted to come back, I told you I was coming back."

For a moment, there was silence between them. Then, as if breaking free from an invisible barrier, Connor stepped forward and enveloped Sage in a tight hug, his arms warm and reassuring around her trembling form.

"I'm glad you're here," he murmured against her hair, his voice thick with emotion. "My Mom and Dad have missed you. I thought you might've backed out. I know it's hard being here."

Tears pricked at the corners of Sage's eyes as she returned his embrace, a flood of memories washing over her in waves. The years melted away in an instant, leaving behind the raw ache of their shared past and the fragile promise of reconciliation. It was a moment of catharsis, a chance to finally confront the ghosts that had haunted her for so long.

As they settled into the familiar comfort of Connor's living room, Sage couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered at the edges of her consciousness. How could she explain the real reason she had left, the guilt and the shame that had driven her away? And more importantly, would Connor ever be able to forgive her for abandoning him in her time of need?

Their conversation flowed easily, punctuated by shared laughter and the occasional awkward pause. They spoke of their respective lives since they last saw each other, of the challenges they had faced and the dreams they had pursued. But beneath the surface, there was a palpable tension, a sense of unfinished business that hung between them like a heavy fog.