A suicide, secrets, and a new love.
It's the last day of her junior year abroad, and Serafina Benham couldn't be more thrilled. For three years, her family had been going to New Orleans without her to celebrate Thanksgiving with their family friend...
К сожалению, это изображение не соответствует нашим правилам. Чтобы продолжить публикацию, пожалуйста, удалите изображение или загрузите другое.
Seph's perceptive eyes trace the contours of my face with an unspoken comprehension, her gaze boring into mine – a tad more focused on the dark circles. She raises a tentative hand, her fingers hovering just inches from my face.
I close my eyes. Hmm, I wonder what she's thinking right now, what conclusions she's coming to, does she think I'm ill? Or she'll assume it's nothing serious, that this is just the result of staying up one night; staying up deliberately...
Then her cool fingers make contact with the shadows beneath my eyes, and for a fleeting moment, everything else fades away. All that remains is the gentle sensation of her touch. I open my eyes. Her huge blue ones meld to mine with concern and something else that sends an alarming rush of heat through my blood.
What in the world—
Seph swallows and immediately lowers her hand, back to the table.
I look down, waiting for a snide remark, laughter, or being called a 'pathetic excuse for pity'. None of it comes through,
"Does this happen every night?" She asks softly,
Now it is my turn to stare at her. No one has ever asked me that, and here she is, making me question my own opinions.
I make a more or less gesture with my hand, "Yeah. Sometimes I'm able to sleep for an hour, when I'm lucky, three hours. And sometimes, no sleep at all." I sigh, rubbing the heel of my hand against a tired eye,
Telling her the truth can't hurt, right? Well, a bit of the truth...
Seph's eyebrows draw in, a troubled look crossing her face as she bites into a wing, chewing thoughtfully.
Time to change the topic before I get called a freak. "I didn't know what else to do, so whenever I can't sleep, I come here to cook something. It helps prepare for the contest, too." I go on,
Better this than laying in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Wishing I'd drift off to sleep without any trouble,
"Has it always been this fun?"
I shake my head, "Hmm, I think the new company makes it better," I muse,
Seph smiles before asking another question, "Do the others know?" The words didn't even leave her mouth as guilt marrs her pretty features,
"Oh they know, they care so much," I say wryly, scoffing silently.
Mom knew. After all, I went to her the first week I couldn't sleep. However, all she said to me was that this is my excuse to get sympathy and attention, by faking "ill".
Parents. I thought she'd understand. After all, she lost her husband that day, too. But no, I hoped too much. She must know about this now as well but either she deliberately ignores it or genuinely doesn't give a damn, I don't know.
