The Farmers Daughter

Chapter 17: A missed opportunity

[ Edith's POV ]
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What have I done? I tell myself one thing and then go and do the exact opposite. If anyone needs help it's me.

Silence is all I get from Dallas as we head back to the truck, and not a good silence either.

He slams the passenger side door shut when he gets in, his hands trembling. I know, rejection is a pain.
It's all my fault...

What if he's right? What if God really put us together? It could all be part of his plans for us.

I get in after he does and buckle the seatbelt across my lap.

"D-Dallas.."

"I really don't want to talk.." His voice sounds hoarse. "Not to you anyway."

My chest feels like it's closing in and crushing my airways. I've hurt people before but it's never been this bad.

"I-I understand... what I said was uncalled for." I whisper and start up the truck. So the silence won't be so unbearable I turn on the radio.

What comes on? God Bless The Broken Road by Rascal Flatts.

I frame my hair around my face before I start driving away from the gravesite so Dallas wouldn't see the tears streaming down my cheeks.

I've never been miserable with myself so this is a first. I hope it's the last time too because the pain I'm feeling right now is choking me.

I also think it's choking Dallas...

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[ Dallas' POV ]

My throat burns and my chest aches with growing sadness. I've been hurt before but this is a new kind of pain.

I was stupid to confess my feelings to Edith and confessing about my past life was even worse. Why did I think she would be different? She's not actually, Edith is like everyone I've ever met.

I thought this trip would be worth it but I'm starting to see that it's not. We'll head home and Travis will call up Gloria to come pick me up. I'll be taken out of here and forced upon another family.

Sometimes I wish something would happen so I wouldn't have to be here anymore. What's the point in living if I keep getting hurt by everyone around me, if I keep hurting everyone around me.

Edith taps her fingers against the steering wheel before glancing at me. I have the side of my face pressed up against the glass so I can watch the droplets of water race down the window.

She reaches forward and turns the dial on the radio down. "C-Can I say something?" She asks quietly.

"No, I'm fine. You've said enough in the past fifteen minutes." No emotion. It's funny how fast I can go from upset to emotionless.

"I'm gonna say something anyway, it doesn't matter how you feel about it." She shifts her hands on the steering wheel so her left hand is on top and her right is towards the bottom.

I know it's stupid to act like this towards a girl but when you've been hurt so many times all you're going to wish for is love. I honestly thought I found that with Edith.

Guess I was wrong. I'm always wrong.

"Can you drop me off at the old church around the corner? Pastor Rick will help me, if he's still the pastor there." I mumble as I glance at her.

"You're a stupid stupid boy but yet I want you. You can't leave, not yet." She was full on sobbing now.

"Edith.." I sigh as my eyes start to water.

"I don't know what this is supposed to mean but I'm getting a feeling that I'm not supposed to let you go." Her voice cracks at the end.

"That's not what you said back there." I snap at her.

"I-I was confused and in denial?" She finally looks over at me. She wasn't lying.

"So what now? Do you suggest we run off into the sunset?" I wasn't angry. The yelling was coming out of me because of the hurt I was feeling.

Out of the corner of my eye I see headlights coming into view before the vehicle smashes into us. I'm immediately knocked unconscious as the truck cuts through the guard rail, flipping us down the river bank into a tree.

Silence. Dead silence.

I guess my wish came true.