𝒑𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒓 ᖭི༏ᖫྀ 𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚊𝚖𝚜

chapter thirty seven: if i ever were to lose you

[XXXVII]

"Kiddo..."

"Hey...don't call me that, dude. I'm nineteen now, you know."

"'Dude'? That's a new one..."

"Yeah, well. You are a dude, so."

"..."

"..."

"So...how's things with Dina?"

"..."

"Yeah, good. I think she might even like me back, you know?"

"..."

"That's good."

"Yeah."

"Hey, so. Tommy and I are gonna catch the flick on Friday. It's a Spaghetti Western..."

"Of course you like Clint Eastwood. You're basically his duplicate!"

"Just because I'm from Texas, doesn't mean I'm a cowboy, you know."

"That's exactly what it makes you."

"Hmph. Okay."

There's often silence between us. But we're getting there.

"Anyway. I like Dina. She really helped you out in that forest."

I paused, thinking for a moment. "You mean that run we did the other week? Yeah that was pretty weird."

I remembered being on horseback with her, when she explained that we could only be friends, that she was still in love with Jesse. Ouch.

Wait...

But Dina likes me?

In this moment...she likes me...

This isn't...

"Not the run, Kiddo. Although those were some pretty nice med-kits you got us. I mean in the forest."

I continue to stare at him.

"C'mon, kid. With the lake, the stag, the guitar. Dina's a lucky girl."

I turn to face him, confused.

"That wasn't Dina."

He laughs his grainy dad laugh, clasping his face with his worn fingers and shaking his head.

"Ah, sorry. You've got so many girlfriends nowadays, I can't keep up. It's ******, right?"

When he says the name of the girl, his voice goes static.

"What, Joel?"

"I said-"

"Amelia!"

I hear the familiar voice scream her name, but I can still make out his face, in that muddled up memory.

"Joel..." I whisper.

"Ellie...what're you doing?"

I sob. "Joel..."

"Ellie! Get up, now!"

I snap out of it.

The sea rocks the pier as the storm continues. These southeastern states and their storms are never gentle. But neither are we.