Regrets

17

It was about 20 minutes until we got there. Tom filled the car ride with his music and drowned out the awkward silence so that neither had to speak. Even though I enjoyed not talking, I didn't enjoy his music but thankfully we got there quick enough before we started an argument over it

It was a courtyard full of storage units just sitting in the cold. We both bundled up so we were more than prepared for the cold. I followed him through the yard and stared impatiently as he unlocked his unit.

When he finally got it open he threw the door up to the ceiling and stepped aside, motioning for me to go in first. I poked my head inside and looked around. Boxes, lots of them. I stepped inside and looked around, not really knowing where to look.

Tom walked in after me and looked around. "So what do you wanna see? Not much left, but Matt has his ways."

I thought about it for a moment. I looked around while trying to figure out where I need to look. "Well.. do you by any chance happen to have certain dates in certain boxes?"

I looked back to see Tom scrolling through his cell, hardly registering what I'm asking him. "Yeah, one moment."

I watched and waited as Tom flipped back and fourth from scrolling to typing and typing to scrolling on his cell. After a little more of this he finally shoved it in his pocket and looked up at me. "What date?"

"Oh you know... back when all of us went out on adventures." Trying to not give away the exact date, I danced around certain words to try and get him to catch on.

He shrugged and looked around. "If I'm being honest, I don't recall much adventuring with you. Just odd things that happened. But now that I do think about it you and Edd have a much longer history as housemates so I'd suggest you start there."

He came over and started to hand me boxes with dates on them from when I first moved in with Edd. The problem? This was no where near the date I needed.

"Well I was thinking something more.. recent?"

Tom stopped searching and looked over to me with a puzzled look. "Recent? Well all I can think of was when we joined the army." He nudged his head towards a burnt looking box behind some other boxes.

While trying to run a few sentences through my head, Toms eyes light up as he opened a large box in front of him. He sat on the ground and took out a guitar case, looked like it would break any moment now, and opened it to reveal the inside being covered in old stickers and photographs. I peaked over his shoulder and saw Susan laying there, barely even looking like her old stuff. Not even looking like an actual bass at that.

"Hello Susan, it's sure had been awhile, hadn't it?" Tom didn't look at me and instead lightly dusted her off.

Surly I must be mistaken, this can't be Susan. I peaked back inside, seeing nothing. Tom soon caught in as to what I was looking for and he let out a sigh.

"You know, Susan was quite old. And even though I took great lengths to protect her, a home explosion would've surly blown her into smithereens. This case took most of the damage and did it's job. This is all that's left of her."

Oh. But what else did I expect? Of course things would've blown up but how could I have just bluntly ignored that?

"Wipe that look off your face, she still plays just as beautifully as she did the day I first met her. Maybe not without breaking, but she works. I think." Muttering that last sentence, he lightly plucked a few of her strings and let a smile creep onto his face. Returning Susan to her case, he looked up at me.

"So, what exactly are you looking for? I know I insisted on coming here so early but I'd like to sleep soon."

I sighed and just decided that I'd return later on without him. "I can't remember the date right now, but let's get you home so that you can rest. If you're alright with it, I think I'll come back later."

He shrugged. "Fine by me, but you have to help me put everything back."

I did so and we stacked the boxes back up. One in particular was a little heavy so I helped him out and grabbed the bottom. My hands brushed against his and I got a bit nervous. He was never one for physical touch and would always lash out at the slightest bit of it, but he instead looked down, not making eye contact and just quickly put the box back up.

He rushed out and waited for me to get out. I did so and watched as he locked the unit and unlocked the car. Once again, his music was blasted on the ride home, but this time the ride was very tense. I could tell that our hands touching bothered him but he refused to acknowledge it.

When we finally got back, instead of turning off the car he tossed me the keys to the unit and muttered as he got out "Don't steal shit and don't crash Edds car."

Before I could say anything he rushed inside the lobby, leaving me with Edds car running and waiting for me to switch seats. I felt an odd warmth in my chest. I looked down at the keys and smiled to myself.

I think he's finally trusting me again.