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

t e n

Song for this chapter:
Running low- Shawn Mendes

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"Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same." -Emily Brontë
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Lesley's P.O.V

I watch Spencer and Adam leave and then walk back to the sofa. I can't believe I just agreed to him. But who am I kidding? Of course I'm not going to stand here and wait for them to come back. And I'm surely not going to let them decide what they will do with it. I get up and walk out. I wait till the elevator arrives to the floor and enter. As I reach the ground floor, I hurry to the gate but stop in my tracks.

How the hell do I even go there? Maybe Adam left his car keys upstairs. I hurry back to the elevator and press the button immediately as it's about to close. And when I stand straight, my blood runs cold.

A ghost.

A faint glimpse of a ghost.

"Dad?" My voice comes out as a whisper.

The elevator door shuts completely. I stand there, eyes wide. Am I going crazy? I watch as the floor changes on the elevator.

Without hesitation, I sprint to the stairs, taking two steps each. I arrive to the first floor, but the elevator is already in the second. I hurry up, the pain in my shoulder evolving. Second floor. Third floor. Fourth floor. My legs are hitting the concrete hard and I don't care. I need to make sure my eyes are deceiving me. As I reach the last floor, I stand infront of the elevator as the door opens. I suck a sharp breath in, preparing for what's coming.

Two eyes are staring back at me.

But those eyes are mine, reflected from the elevator mirror. My shoulders relax but a siren pain strikes my arm and I wince.

I wrap my good arm around it and hold it up, reducing the painful weight. I look up again but this time, the elevator door is closed. I look around, searching every corner. But there's nothing. There's no one.

My eyes are definately deceiving me. Maybe I'm hallucinating. But why would I hallucinate about my dad now? This time is the time I actually need him beside me, to help and guide me through my mistakes.

"I need you, dad," I say to the silence. When I hear no response, I sigh and slowly descend the stairs.

A minute later, I'm out of the entrance. I find myself walking in the warm air, my gaze always fixed in front of me. I can feel the frown on my face and the nagging pain in my shoulder. But I keep walking. And walking.

By the time I arrive to Spencer's apartment, it's already dark. I make my way up and debate if I should enter or not. Adam did ask me to stay behind and I don't think I'll be able to see the disappointment on his face when he sees me.

But I'm chocked up and seeing a ghost of my father somehow pressed the collar tighter. I feel hopeless. I just want to crawl to a corner and stay there.

I get startled as the door opens abruptly. I gasp. Adam is staring back at me and I regret ever coming.

"Lis?" He says and I can feel the concern behind his voice.

"What are you doing here?" He asks. I needed to see you. I reply in my mind but my voice fails to come out. Is this how it feels like to give up? Not finding the strength to actually speak?

"Lesley?" He searches my face and when I don't reply. He takes me in for a hug. I wince as I push him away. I want to cry or do anything that will take the pain away. I'm hurting. Everywhere is hurting.