Frozen
Chapter Eight
Naomi lay on the floor with Andy in front of the fire. She was curled up into his side with his arm draped over her, absent-mindedly rubbing circles into her hip, as he softly sang under his breath.
“Andy?”
“Hmm?”
“Where is she?” Andy remained quiet, either from confusion or the topic of her question; she wasn’t sure. “I sometimes see you looking out the window, as if you’re searching. Like how I used to do…What happened to Juliet, Andy? Why isn’t she here with you and the others?”
Again silence. Naomi counted her breaths as Andy thought hard on how to answer this. “It was too much for her. The storm came and it wasn’t letting up. We all wanted to wait it out. I remember CC saying ‘There’s no way in hell this is going to last!’ But we were wrong. Juliet left to go be with her family. She told me to come find her once I’d opened my eyes. I wasn’t sure what she had meant, but I guess I didn’t want to believe that the world was ending, and she was tired of my pretending.”
Andy shrugged, still not entirely sure of how things ended up the way they had. “When we finally decided to leave, we found our way to Juliet’s house where she had been staying with her family, but she was gone. She and her family packed up and left in search of some place untouched by the storm. I haven’t seen her in a long time. I honestly stopped counting the days, and have no idea how long it’s been.”
Naomi looked up from staring into the fire to see a watery-eyed Andy staring at her. “I’m sorry I asked, Andy.”
“No, don’t be. You were just curious. Let’s not forget, I too asked about Lucas. I was just as curious about why you sat at the window, looking out at this frozen waste land.”
“You’re just as lost as I was. I still am lost at times, especially now that Kellin is gone. He was a hard ass but he did out of love. One day, the pain won’t sting as much. It will fade until a dull ache, and you’ll be able to bear each day. I promise; it gets better.”
Naomi smiled and it only grew wider as Andy turned to smile at her. She turned back to stare into the fire and sighed a contented breath. Andy continued to stare as the light of the dying fire reflected off Naomi’s hair and eyes, casting shadows across them. “It’s already gotten better,” he whispered, low enough so she wouldn’t hear.
“Andy?”
“Hmm?”
“Where is she?” Andy remained quiet, either from confusion or the topic of her question; she wasn’t sure. “I sometimes see you looking out the window, as if you’re searching. Like how I used to do…What happened to Juliet, Andy? Why isn’t she here with you and the others?”
Again silence. Naomi counted her breaths as Andy thought hard on how to answer this. “It was too much for her. The storm came and it wasn’t letting up. We all wanted to wait it out. I remember CC saying ‘There’s no way in hell this is going to last!’ But we were wrong. Juliet left to go be with her family. She told me to come find her once I’d opened my eyes. I wasn’t sure what she had meant, but I guess I didn’t want to believe that the world was ending, and she was tired of my pretending.”
Andy shrugged, still not entirely sure of how things ended up the way they had. “When we finally decided to leave, we found our way to Juliet’s house where she had been staying with her family, but she was gone. She and her family packed up and left in search of some place untouched by the storm. I haven’t seen her in a long time. I honestly stopped counting the days, and have no idea how long it’s been.”
Naomi looked up from staring into the fire to see a watery-eyed Andy staring at her. “I’m sorry I asked, Andy.”
“No, don’t be. You were just curious. Let’s not forget, I too asked about Lucas. I was just as curious about why you sat at the window, looking out at this frozen waste land.”
“You’re just as lost as I was. I still am lost at times, especially now that Kellin is gone. He was a hard ass but he did out of love. One day, the pain won’t sting as much. It will fade until a dull ache, and you’ll be able to bear each day. I promise; it gets better.”
Naomi smiled and it only grew wider as Andy turned to smile at her. She turned back to stare into the fire and sighed a contented breath. Andy continued to stare as the light of the dying fire reflected off Naomi’s hair and eyes, casting shadows across them. “It’s already gotten better,” he whispered, low enough so she wouldn’t hear.
Notes
This is a very short chapter, but I felt bad that there wasn't a new chapter up yet. Hope you enjoy it, Holly and I will try to update later; kind of busy with school. :)<3 Alexis
9/2/13