I had heart but it left with your breath
And the notes that you sang
I'll remember them always
Just the thought that you're here in my chest
Keeps the thoughts in my head
From the dark that is these days
-----------------------------
The apartment door fell shut behind Alicia, the plastic bags crinkling as she sat them down on the kitchen table, her roommate Aislynn smiling as she leaned back on the wall and watched the blonde take out the groceries she had bought after work.
"Hey, you're back." Alicia grinned when she noticed the girl, opening the fridge and sliding the jug of milk into place. Aislynn nodded, pushing herself off the wall and helping Alicia put away the food in the cabinets. "How was winter break?"
The girl shrugged, putting away the last of the boxes and throwing the plastic bags in the trash. "It was okay. Not too thrilled about starting a new semester, but I'll deal. How was work?"
Alicia walked through the halls and into her room, shutting the door and shouting over the walls, stripping off her work uniform and yelling through the wall.
Alicia pulled on a sweater and a pair of jeans, feeling the fabric slide across her skin, the static rolling over her. She reached for the doorknob to her bedroom, opening the door and walking out. Aislynn raised an eye at her words, worry playing on her face.
"It's been seven months, Ais." Alicia fell back on the couch, pulling her knees to her chest. "He needs to find another job, he needs to do something. I'm worried about him."
Aislynn sat next to her on the couch, crossing her legs and sighing. "Alicia, you can't rush him. Someone--"
Alicia cut her off with a glare before she could finish. "Yeah, I know what happened, Aislynn. I went to school with her, too."
Aislynn ran a hand through her hair, a silence falling on them. The blonde stood up from the couch, turning and taking a couple steps back into the kitchen.
Aislynn let out a cautious breath, following her into the room and leaning on the wall, watching as Alicia slid something into the microwave and pressing it on. "I'm just saying, it's only been seven months. He feels responsible... He needs time to recover."
Alicia popped open a can of soda, pressing it to her lips and taking a drink.
"He's had enough time."
---------------------------------
The doors flew open, the lights from the inside blinding Thomas until his eyes adjusted. He could hear medical equipment beeping, the sound of nurses talking to doctors echoing through his head. Jonas followed behind him, hugging his jacket closer to him.
Jonas led them through the hospital, to the waiting room where Liza called them from. Nico sat on a chair in the corner, blood stained clothes still on him, a vacant, panicked look on his face.
Clara was leaning against the wall, visibly distraught. Thomas's eyes flittered around the room, landing on the three's faces, each only for a moment, but long enough for the panic, the reality of this situation, to set in.
"Oh, my god..."
Thomas's steps slowed to a stop the moment the doors closed behind them, the silence rolling through. Liza let out a shaky, broken breath before her calm facade broke, a tear rolling down her cheek as she rushed forward, throwing her arms around Thomas and pulling him into a hug.
Thomas took a moment to react, his arms wrapping around her, pulling her closer to him as he started to break.
Jonas fell back on the door, a shaky sigh leaving his lips.
Thomas and Liza broke their embrace, Thomas stepping back to look over their faces one last time.
"How is she? Is she..."
Clara broke her silence, looking over at the strawberry blonde.
"They haven't given us any news yet."
--------------------------
Alicia twisted her key in the lock one more time, the engine trying to sputter to life but failing. A frustrated sigh left her lips as she pulled the key roughly out of the slot, shoving them in her purse and stepping out of the car.
The door slammed behind her as she ran her hand through her hair in annoyance. She could hear the sound of cars passing on the streets below her, her heels clicking against the pavement as she began to walk.
Alicia pulled out her cell phone, searching for the familiar name in her contacts. Her thumb pressed the call button lightly, listening to the ringing while she waited for the other girl to answer.
She heard a click, followed by a soft answer of 'hello'. Alicia looked back at her car and bit her lip softly, whispering out "Hey, Aislynn. My car won't start, and I have to be at work..." She checked the clock on her phone, groaning in annoyance at the time. "Fifteen minutes ago. Are you busy?"
Aislynn sighed on the other end, mentioning her class and Alicia nodded to herself, assuring the other girl it was fine before she hung up. She spun around and looked at her car again, shaking her head and taking a couple steps away, heading for the exit and pressing the descend button on the elevator.
The gears spun around her, lowering her through the parking garage and near the exit into the streets. She pulled her hair back, tying it in place before the elevator doors opened.
She stepped out of the space without looking up, running into a large figure with enough force to knock the breath out of her.
She pressed up against the metal of the closed elevator doors, opening her eyes to look up at the man she ran into. He smiled down at her, adjusting the jacket on his suit.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I'll get out of your way..." Alicia scrambled to pick up the purse that she dropped in the collision, the man above her chuckling. He reached for her cell phone which had fallen out of her hand and onto the cement below, handing it to her when she stood up.
"No, no, it's fine. I'm Asher." He stuck his hand out, Alicia's mind taking a few moments to catch up to her before she took his hand with hers, shaking firmly. Alicia smiled softly and released his grip, breaking their eye contact and looking towards the exit.
"Listen, I'm sorry, my car broke down and I'm late for work, and it was great meeting you and all but I have to go."
Asher laughed above her, light and amused. "I can drive you, if you need."
Alicia shook her head, biting her bottom lip softly and turning her eyes back to him. She shouldn't. She barely knew the guy, he could be dangerous, but something felt like she could trust him. At least, for one car ride.
"Thanks, yeah, I do."
He smiled and took a step back, gesturing for her to head in front of him, through the exit. Her hands pushed on the cold metal of the door, the chilly winter air brushing past them, Asher leading her to the car sitting next to the sidewalk. The car looked like it cost a fortune, and Alicia's walking slowed to a stop when she laid eyes on it.
"Wait, this is yours?"
She heard Asher laugh above her, walking past her and pressing the unlock button on his key. He looked at her with a half-smile spread across his face, gesturing towards the passenger door as he slid into the vehicle.
Alicia stepped forward a little bit more, making her way to the car and stepping in, careful as to not mess anything up. She heard a chuckle come from beside her, pulling the seat belt over her chest as she leaned back in the seat. She told him where she needed to be as he started the car, pulling out of his spot and driving down the road.
"So, uh, what were you doing in that parking garage?" Alicia asked, the fact that he was at an old, dingy parking garage that probably cost less than his car nagging at her.
"I was visiting my little brother, he lives in the apartment building next to it." Asher smiled, looking over at her before returning his eyes back to the road. "His name is Preston, he goes to the college here, he's majoring in math."
Alicia couldn't place the name, although it sounded familiar. She decided to believe his story, not asking any more questions. She watched the scenery pass out the window, noticing when they were getting close to the diner that she worked at.
"Okay, turn here." Alicia pointed at the curve in front of them, Asher pulling into it. He parked in a space, pulling out a pen and a post-it note and scribbling something down before Alicia opened the door.
He handed her the post-it note, smiling at her as she stepped out of the car.
"Call me sometime. I'd love to hang out."
---------------------------------------------------
Nico stepped back into the waiting room, the bloody clothes he had been wearing stuffed in a plastic bag, in exchange for a clean pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. The silence was heavy, the atmosphere was broken and hopeless.
Liza looked up quickly when she heard the door open, resigning back into herself when she saw that it was just Nico.
They'd been here for a couple hours, and so far, they had no news. Nico sat his bag down in the corner, sliding down next to Clara. She smiled at him, soft and weak, wrapping her arm over her shoulder and pulling him closer to her.
Nico's breath was shaky, tears welling up in his eyes that he refused to let spill over. He felt like someone had left a rock in his chest, the weight pulling him down, drowning him.
Jonas cracked open a soda, the sound of the aluminum snapping ricocheted through the room, breaking the silence.
The door opened without warning, the doctor stepping into the silence, everyone's focus turning to him, to the clipboard he was holding, to the regret on his face that broke the news far before any words he could have spoken.
--------------------------------------
I see the night
It's coming for me
To take you away
It's here as a thief
And I know that I'm scared
From down on my knees
I'm asking relief
Alicia cut her off with a glare before she could finish. "Yeah, I know what happened, Aislynn. I went to school with her, too."
Aislynn ran a hand through her hair, a silence falling on them. The blonde stood up from the couch, turning and taking a couple steps back into the kitchen.
Aislynn let out a cautious breath, following her into the room and leaning on the wall, watching as Alicia slid something into the microwave and pressing it on. "I'm just saying, it's only been seven months. He feels responsible... He needs time to recover."
Alicia popped open a can of soda, pressing it to her lips and taking a drink.
"He's had enough time."
---------------------------------
The doors flew open, the lights from the inside blinding Thomas until his eyes adjusted. He could hear medical equipment beeping, the sound of nurses talking to doctors echoing through his head. Jonas followed behind him, hugging his jacket closer to him.
Jonas led them through the hospital, to the waiting room where Liza called them from. Nico sat on a chair in the corner, blood stained clothes still on him, a vacant, panicked look on his face.
Clara was leaning against the wall, visibly distraught. Thomas's eyes flittered around the room, landing on the three's faces, each only for a moment, but long enough for the panic, the reality of this situation, to set in.
"Oh, my god..."
Thomas's steps slowed to a stop the moment the doors closed behind them, the silence rolling through. Liza let out a shaky, broken breath before her calm facade broke, a tear rolling down her cheek as she rushed forward, throwing her arms around Thomas and pulling him into a hug.
Thomas took a moment to react, his arms wrapping around her, pulling her closer to him as he started to break.
Jonas fell back on the door, a shaky sigh leaving his lips.
Thomas and Liza broke their embrace, Thomas stepping back to look over their faces one last time.
"How is she? Is she..."
Clara broke her silence, looking over at the strawberry blonde.
--------------------------
Alicia twisted her key in the lock one more time, the engine trying to sputter to life but failing. A frustrated sigh left her lips as she pulled the key roughly out of the slot, shoving them in her purse and stepping out of the car.
The door slammed behind her as she ran her hand through her hair in annoyance. She could hear the sound of cars passing on the streets below her, her heels clicking against the pavement as she began to walk.
Alicia pulled out her cell phone, searching for the familiar name in her contacts. Her thumb pressed the call button lightly, listening to the ringing while she waited for the other girl to answer.
She heard a click, followed by a soft answer of 'hello'. Alicia looked back at her car and bit her lip softly, whispering out "Hey, Aislynn. My car won't start, and I have to be at work..." She checked the clock on her phone, groaning in annoyance at the time. "Fifteen minutes ago. Are you busy?"
Aislynn sighed on the other end, mentioning her class and Alicia nodded to herself, assuring the other girl it was fine before she hung up. She spun around and looked at her car again, shaking her head and taking a couple steps away, heading for the exit and pressing the descend button on the elevator.
The gears spun around her, lowering her through the parking garage and near the exit into the streets. She pulled her hair back, tying it in place before the elevator doors opened.
She stepped out of the space without looking up, running into a large figure with enough force to knock the breath out of her.
She pressed up against the metal of the closed elevator doors, opening her eyes to look up at the man she ran into. He smiled down at her, adjusting the jacket on his suit.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I'll get out of your way..." Alicia scrambled to pick up the purse that she dropped in the collision, the man above her chuckling. He reached for her cell phone which had fallen out of her hand and onto the cement below, handing it to her when she stood up.
"No, no, it's fine. I'm Asher." He stuck his hand out, Alicia's mind taking a few moments to catch up to her before she took his hand with hers, shaking firmly. Alicia smiled softly and released his grip, breaking their eye contact and looking towards the exit.
"Listen, I'm sorry, my car broke down and I'm late for work, and it was great meeting you and all but I have to go."
Asher laughed above her, light and amused. "I can drive you, if you need."
Alicia shook her head, biting her bottom lip softly and turning her eyes back to him. She shouldn't. She barely knew the guy, he could be dangerous, but something felt like she could trust him. At least, for one car ride.
"Thanks, yeah, I do."
He smiled and took a step back, gesturing for her to head in front of him, through the exit. Her hands pushed on the cold metal of the door, the chilly winter air brushing past them, Asher leading her to the car sitting next to the sidewalk. The car looked like it cost a fortune, and Alicia's walking slowed to a stop when she laid eyes on it.
"Wait, this is yours?"
She heard Asher laugh above her, walking past her and pressing the unlock button on his key. He looked at her with a half-smile spread across his face, gesturing towards the passenger door as he slid into the vehicle.
Alicia stepped forward a little bit more, making her way to the car and stepping in, careful as to not mess anything up. She heard a chuckle come from beside her, pulling the seat belt over her chest as she leaned back in the seat. She told him where she needed to be as he started the car, pulling out of his spot and driving down the road.
"So, uh, what were you doing in that parking garage?" Alicia asked, the fact that he was at an old, dingy parking garage that probably cost less than his car nagging at her.
"I was visiting my little brother, he lives in the apartment building next to it." Asher smiled, looking over at her before returning his eyes back to the road. "His name is Preston, he goes to the college here, he's majoring in math."
Alicia couldn't place the name, although it sounded familiar. She decided to believe his story, not asking any more questions. She watched the scenery pass out the window, noticing when they were getting close to the diner that she worked at.
"Okay, turn here." Alicia pointed at the curve in front of them, Asher pulling into it. He parked in a space, pulling out a pen and a post-it note and scribbling something down before Alicia opened the door.
He handed her the post-it note, smiling at her as she stepped out of the car.
"Call me sometime. I'd love to hang out."
---------------------------------------------------
Nico stepped back into the waiting room, the bloody clothes he had been wearing stuffed in a plastic bag, in exchange for a clean pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. The silence was heavy, the atmosphere was broken and hopeless.
Liza looked up quickly when she heard the door open, resigning back into herself when she saw that it was just Nico.
They'd been here for a couple hours, and so far, they had no news. Nico sat his bag down in the corner, sliding down next to Clara. She smiled at him, soft and weak, wrapping her arm over her shoulder and pulling him closer to her.
Nico's breath was shaky, tears welling up in his eyes that he refused to let spill over. He felt like someone had left a rock in his chest, the weight pulling him down, drowning him.
Jonas cracked open a soda, the sound of the aluminum snapping ricocheted through the room, breaking the silence.
The door opened without warning, the doctor stepping into the silence, everyone's focus turning to him, to the clipboard he was holding, to the regret on his face that broke the news far before any words he could have spoken.
--------------------------------------
I see the night
It's coming for me
To take you away
It's here as a thief
And I know that I'm scared
From down on my knees
I'm asking relief
