Path to Deciduous (Sequel to Road to Evergreen) | #Wattys2018

s e v e n

Song for this chapter:
Chasing Cars- Snow Patrol

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"To love or have loved, that is enough. Ask nothing further. There is no other pearl to be found in the dark folds of life." -Victor Hugo
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Adam's P.O.V

The house is empty so I directly head to his room. I waited 4 hours until he actually left the house. I'm not sure where he went or when he will come back. But I have to search. And fast.

I open the drawer to his dressers and search between his socks making my way to the last drawer. I groan and slam the drawer shut. There's nothing.

I look through his closet stumbling upon a photo album. I scan through it fast. Pictures of mom and him. Him and me. Family together. And random pictures with girls, a brunette popping up several times. I put the album back and dig through his jacket pockets. I find receipts, pins, gum, and nothing important.

I sigh and sit on his bed, trying to think of some clue. And then it hits me.

When we were kids, we used to always hide objects from each other. I used to place them under rugs in the house. He used to hide them behind portraits, hanging on the walls. So when a portrait of a woman disappearing in the shadows is hanging on the wall, I know where to look.

And I was right. Behind the portrait lays a safe. I place the portrait aside and try the first numbers that pop in my mind.

His birthday. 1-9-80

"Shit," I curse under my breath when the safe beeps shut. Think harder.

Mom's birthday. 7-2-60. I punch the codes in. Nope.

The day she left. 7-2-10

"Fuck," I groan.

The sound of the front door opens and my eyes dart in the direction. I immediately cover the safe and back away as Lucian enters. I gulp down.

His confused eyes wander between me and the room. "What are you doing here?" He barks.

I cross my arms and stand a bit taller. "I let my self in." My voice comes out calmer than I already am.

"I meant, what are you doing in my room?" I can feel him tense. I catch a glimpse of his eyes glancing at the portrait, probably worried I figured it out.

I smirk. "Just trying to see how a life a rapist is." I say. "Turns out, it's the same as any other person."

He tenses and steps closer. "What do you want, Adam?"

I step even closer. "I want to know why you shot her."

He looks down. "I don't know what you're talking about."

I chuckle. "Ofcourse you do. Don't act stupid. You were smart enough to hide such thing for me for years."

"It's not what you make it sound like."

I arch an eyebrow. "And how do I make it sound? That you rapped someone and lived your life as nothing happened? When obviously, alot of things happened."

"She was my girlfriend," he says.

"What?" I spit out. "So let me get this straight. You used force on your girlfriend, then she committed suicide and you payed for your funeral as you watched back?"I don't know why my fist didn't hit his jaw yet but I'm trying to get it under control. I shove my hands in my pocket.

"What kind of sick person are you?"

He flinches. "Do you know that she's a sister to someone? That she has a family?" His jaw tenses. "And I'm pretty sure you know what it feels like to lose someone you love."