"I can still hear his screams! It's all I hear and it just gets louder and louder until I can't tell if they're his screams or my own! I just need it to stop! Please just make it stop."
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5 things you can see.
4 things you...
اوووه! هذه الصورة لا تتبع إرشادات المحتوى الخاصة بنا. لمتابعة النشر، يرجى إزالتها أو تحميل صورة أخرى.
Hennessy's POV
I spotted Nick walking out of the school looking drained. He had his head hung low and it looked like he was in a hurry.
"I'll catch you guys later." I called to Jake and Oli before taking off in Nick's direction.
I got quite a few disgruntled looks and rude comments pushing my way through the hallway but it was worth it when I finally reached him just as he was about to walk out the door. I placed my hand on his arm and he jumped a little bit in surprise but quickly recovered. He seemed to have made an effort to interact today and I wanted to take him somewhere where we could just relax. No expectations and no obligations. I knew just the place.
"Hey. I wanna show you something."
I didn't give him time to respond before lacing his fingers with mine and practically dragging him out of the school. His hands were much larger than mine and they were a little rough but the feeling still gave me butterflies. I wanted to hold it forever.
The walk was quiet and when we finally reached the woods I felt him tense up and then immediately relax. I couldn't help but laugh internally a bit. He probably thinks I'm going to murder him or something. I shivered a bit from the chill brought on by the forest. The canopy of trees did little to let in the warmth of the sun. I stopped at our destination and he seemed to be startled by the action.
I brought him to the memory tree. It was a gorgeous weeping willow, decorated in carvings of names and dates. It was the subject of many of my photos. No one is really sure who started it, but the memorial has always been a sacred part of our town. I glanced towards Nick, seeing his eyes roaming carefully over every surface. His eyes remind me of glass. The brilliant blue is captivating and I can see myself being reflected back in them, almost like a mirror. He has sad eyes, like someone who has experienced a lot of pain and still feels that pain all the time. It was his eyes that drew me to him in the first place. I want to see what they look like when they light up with joy because such beautiful irises must look like fireworks.
"We call it the memory tree." I finally spoke.
"When someone you love dies you carve their name and the day they died onto the tree to preserve their memory forever. Most people think it's just silly superstition but I think it's kind of wonderful. It's like you're setting them free without letting them be forgotten." I ran my fingers carefully over the names. I always feel peace here. It's not a sad place, it's like a new beginning.
We were quiet for a while, both just getting lost in our own thoughts. I risked a glance at Nick's face and to my surprise he was crying. That's when it hit me. It hit me like a freight train that sucked all the air from my lungs. The pain I see reflected in his eyes. He's lost someone. I'm an idiot. I never should've brought him here. Carefully I placed my hand on his cheek and used my thumb to wipe away the tears. He seemed started, like he didn't know he was crying and that alone broke my heart. I needed the confirmation of my suspicions though, so I turned his face so that our eyes met.
