| published! under the new title MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE | Eden knows she can't love Truman, the boy with the angelic smile and devilish eyes. Why? He's her best friend Katie's older brother, who she strictly promised she'd stay away from.
But when a...
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T R U M A N
The sun had fully set, and I listened to the wind howling against the trees as Eden's eyes searched my face.
"To say goodbye?" she said, repeating my words. I nodded, crossed my arms over my chest. I needed something to do with my hands so they wouldn't reach for her.
I thought she would have more questions, that my appearance at this wedding I knew I wasn't invited to would raise more caution in her mind. But instead she nodded and followed me to my car parked on the road.
She must have known this had something to do with Katie. It always had something to do with Katie. But it wasn't just about my sister now. It was about me, too. About Eden. About us. A lot of things had come to an end in these past few days.
A lot would come to an end tonight, too.
The streets were quiet as we drove. No cars and barely any light. I had the radio shut off and Eden was silent as we made our way out of the city and back to our hometown. I couldn't find a single word to say. I had lost my voice somewhere between I'm sorry and I love you.
When I turned into our neighbourhood, Eden perked up. She looked outside the window, straining her neck to see the houses passing by.
I didn't know if she remembered this route. The one I had driven time and time again after the accident. It was branded in my mind, in my eyelids. It was always there, waiting. Haunting. And it was eerie to drive back down this street, to think back to what happened here that night.
Eden must have realized where we were going, because she looked away from the window. Turning to me, she said, "Why?"
I didn't say anything.
I didn't know what to say.
I glanced at the clock. Ten-thirty. I snuck a glance at Eden. There were goosebumps up her arms. I turned the heat on and looked away from the dress she was wearing, from her thighs touching my leather seats.
"It's not red," I said.
"What?"
"Your dress," I clarified. "You said it would be red."
Turning back to the window, she shrugged.
We reached a red light and my eyes followed the shape of her face in the moonlight. The curve of her lips, dip of her nose, the way her eyelashes kissed her cheek. I drank her in, every last bit, knowing this may be the last time.
Knowing this would be the last time.
Then I looked away. But like the route, the image was still there, burned into my mind.
The light turned green. I made a left, and as we got closer, I went back to that night. Falling onto the grass outside the party. Driving through the empty streets—these empty streets. Walking through the hospital hallway. Seeing Katie after surgery. Touching her hand and not feeling any response back.
