did you hear about river?

chapter 8

After University: 2021

Elijah hands me a water bottle and I drink it liberally while Elijah laps it up like a dog.

We were in Guyana for our missionary work and he still hadn't gotten used to the weather.

To be fair to him, I lived in Australia for 12 years of my life and was used to some absolutely scorching weather and he just hadn't.

"How are you not warm?" He asks and I just shrug.

"I lived in Australia for 10 years, Australia is not just warm but also humid so I'm just used to it." He seems so shocked.

"Is that why I saw you so little when we were younger?" He says.

Oh my god. He couldn't tell just from my stupid accent? I know Jolie said Sacha didn't know and that he thought she was faking his accent but this was actually ridiculous.

"Are you joking? What did you think this accent was?" He turns red, redder than he already us after burning in the sun.

"I don't know, after finding out you had ADHD, I assume it was an ADHD thing but before that I just thought you were weird." I laugh so hard In early fall off the wall we were sitting on.

"No Elijah, just Australian." I say.

Elijah and I actually got along now but we weren't friends, more just friendly. We had to make our peace when Finneas and Brea got together during lockdown. There was a LOT of room switching and office sex. Not just from them though, Scarlett and Olive head, Valentina and Benjamin, even Massimo and Magdalena. Why I didn't make the choice to go home I didn't know.

I turn to speak to him and see that necklace.

This time he notices my staring eyes.

"This is from a girl whose life I saved. We talked everyday before she left. One day I saw her standing over the edge and I saved her and told her to just get rid of whatever was holding her back as it wasn't worth taking her life other. It worked and so I have this. Echo's Saviour. She had it made for me as a parting gift after she left. I miss her." Elijah gets emotional.

"Elijah I know you'll see her again." I say as I rest my hand on his as a sign of reassurance.

He moves his hand and rests it on top of mine instead and I look at him and pull a face.

"I like being in control." He says and I laugh. He's so weird.

"Are you guys boyfriend and girlfriend?" Maxy asks us as he runs up to us and makes all the kids come and see us.

"No Max, we'd tell you if we were." I say and get up and get them away from the wall.

I look at all of them and tear up. I was gonna miss them.

I look at Elijah and he nods. Him too.

I'd miss Elijah SO much.

Spending time with him made me realise was still the same person, just with a lot more trauma.

We go to our cabins and get our suitcases and other stuff.

Elijah had changed a lot since we got here.

While he had never commented on me or my body again, there was a bad air between us while in University but the atmosphere was clean again now that we'd become part of this scheme.

We really loved these children. Helping them get a proper education was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life and I was so sad to be leaving them.

I had to go home now.

I sit down at the foot of my bed and burst into tears at how sad I was to be going. They were uncontrollable tears and when Elijah knocks on my door to see if I'm ready, I can't stop them.

"River?" He asks and I don't want to answer. I hyperventilate and start crying even harder.

He walks and when he sees me he sits next to me and he hugs me. I cry on his shoulder.

"I'm going to miss them so much Elijah." I say through my sobs.

"I know. I will too." His voice cracks at the end and I see that he's crying as well.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry." I say as I wipe his tears.

"It's okay." He says.

"You're telling me you guys, really, aren't dating?" Maxy says and we laugh.

"Come here you silly banana." Elijah and says and we hug him.

"I wish you guys were my parents." He says and I start crying again.

"I'm going to miss you so much Maxy. Both of us are." I hug him tighter.

We hold his hands as we leave the cabins with our stuff and say goodbye to everyone else and when we leave finally I am in a state of disrepair.