In Too Deep

Forty Three

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Two and half years later

"This is a lot," Nova said as she stared at the boxes in front of her. The entire apartment had boxes all over, blocking their paths. "Are you sure there aren't things that need to be thrown out?"

Her brother, Grayson, poked his head into the bedroom and grinned. "Everything in there is valuable, Nova, so don't even attempt to throw anything out."

She rolled her eyes and kicked the empty box blocking her way. "That would mean I'd have to go through every box and that could take me the whole day," she retorted, leaning down to open the box in front of her. There was an old jersey and some junk inside. "This should be labeled with 'throw away'. Jesus, Gray. Why do you have so much stuff?"

"You know me, I have a hard time throwing things away. Now help me pick up some boxes." He carried two boxes in his arms and walked out of the room.

Nova sighed before she picked up the box she had criticized and held it between her hands, stalking out of the room. Her brother was officially moving out. He was moving to DC to enroll in a police academy. She couldn't say she wasn't proud. Two years ago, her brother woke up. He got better. He was alive, and she couldn't have asked for anything else.

She stalked out of his apartment—his old apartment and carried the box with her outside. They were loading more boxes into the U-Haul truck. She and Grayson went back into the apartment to get more boxes.

"Why don't you come with me?" Grayson said, staring at her in contemplation. "I know we've talked about this, but I'm still asking. I've got another extra room in my apartment for you. What is it that's still holding you back here?"

Nova stilled from picking up another box. Grayson's words rang in the room, tensing up her shoulders. Her mind raced. What is it that's still holding you back here? Him. He was the one holding her back. Two and half years later, she still couldn't forget. She refused to move on. She was still waiting.

"You know, people...friends," she replied, holding the box in her arms.

"What friends?"

"Okay, that's hurtful. I told you I can't go. I wish I could, Gray, but I have to stay here."

He studied her carefully. "I don't know what's going on with you, but I wish you would tell me," he said. "Don't think I haven't noticed that you don't smile very often and you stare into space sometimes. Nova." Grayson took the box from her arms and put it down on the floor, grabbing her shoulders to hold her in place. "Is it because of Keenan?" He stared her down. "Is it because he ran off without telling us anything? I don't know why he did that, but I guess he has stuff to figure out."

That was the lie she decided to tell him. That Keenan had left them. It would be too painful for Grayson to know what Keenan had done and why he wasn't here. When Grayson woke up, she thought he would know the truth, but he hadn't. He had asked for Keenan, wondering why he didn't come to visit, and she knew her brother was still in the dark with what had happened. Both she and Keenan had thought he knew the truth, but he didn't.

When she decided not to tell the truth, she was looking out for her brother. He had just woken up. He had just gotten better and she hadn't wanted to unpack that load on him. She wanted to tell him afterward—after he was better. But when he got better, she couldn't find it in her heart to tell him the truth, so she lied and told him Keenan had left them because he was dealing with something. It was easier for Grayson to deal with that than the loss of his best friend. Than his best friend's betrayal.