Beautiful Wilting Flowers

It's Not What It Sounds Like

Ina POV:

Greigh stops at every. Single. Passing. Person. 

No wonder the others didn't want to come with Greigh. Every person that passes by, he tries to talk to them and ask them what they've heard.

Finally, after the billionth person, I pull him aside.

"Did you know that gossip travels fast, and there's going to be someone who will ask, 'Did you hear about those kids asking around on the street about gifted kids who are actually messed up psychopaths on the inside', and report us to the police?" I groan. "Will you please only ask the people who look like they know something?"

"You take just about everything so seriously, and your so loose and willy nilly about this? Come on, I'm just being thorough." He frowns.

"What do you mean?" I give him a look. "I am being serious about this. I'm the one who came up with the splitting up plan in the first place! And I am serious about everything that matters!"

"Oh-, I get it, our relationship wasn't supposed to be serious. Well I took it damn well seriously." He throws up his arms.

"You seriously can't go there. You know I took that seriously." I feel like he stepped on a bit of my heart. Eh, it was already broken in the first place; what're you going to do?

"Did you?" Greigh says, taking my wrist and leading me to a nearby bench, just behind a park. "Because every single time I went out with you, it just felt like we were dating because we had to. We were both immortal, and so it was perfect, no need to take it seriously. We both know I took it more seriously."

"Maybe you did, but... it doesn't matter, I'm in a new relationship now, so I've forgotten about our old one! And I'm even more serious than I was with you." I sputter.

Argh! What am I doing?! I'm ruining everything with Greigh! I wasn't supposed to tell him yet; this could ruin our friendship, not to mention he will never forgive me!

The hurt and shock on his face is clear; he's mad that I didn't tell him. The shock morphs into heartbreak, and I wish I could take my words back, I wasn't ready to see him hurt again, not yet.

Greigh took our breakup harder than I did, and I suppose he's right; I didn't take it as seriously as him. But that didn't mean I loved him any less than he loved me. He meant the world to me; he still does. I feel like I'm in some sort of dream, and I'll wake up any moment, heart broken and wanting him to come up to me and tell me he wants me back. But that would never happen.

In a perfect world, we would be happy apart, and acknowledge that we weren't meant for each other.

But in this, very imperfect world, I can't help but hope that there's more between us. And that's what's imperfect about it. There never will be an us.

"I-Ina." His voice is low, and I can tell he's struggling to get his words out. I clasp my hands in my lap with one leg over the other.

"Yes?" I say, my voice unwavering but my heart sure is. If I say anything more I might burst into tears.

"I- I'm sorry." He says simply, and doesn't continue.

"For what, Greigh?" I ask him.

"What's he like?" Greigh veers away from the topic.

"He's funny, thoughtful, and older." I sound like I was programmed to tell him that.

"I don't buy it one bit." He frowns.

"Is that what you're sorry for? I don't need you to buy it," I raise my eyebrows, "I need you to quit bringing up our relationship, because I don't really care about it anymore. Old news, Greigh."

"I'm not sorry I don't believe it," Greigh less out humorless laugh. "I'm sorry you missed your chance, because were never revisiting our relationship. And I know for a fact that this new guy isn't immortal, because you would never date Dean; you guys haven't ever done everything in four years of being roommates, at least not that I know of. And you're suspicious of Vek, I know you are, as long as were being honest."

"Well," I keep up with the mean banter. "I'm not immortal anymore, am I? I could drop out of this mission and run off with my new... boyfriend." Ugh. I hate that word.

"Did it taste bad to say?" Greigh raises an eyebrow at my sour expression.

"Oh shut up." I grimace again.

Greigh's phone chimes, and he takes it out, and scans the screen.

"Um... looks like Heyden and Vek found a body bag with an almost dead guy in it, and they're pretty sure they're close to a psychopath murderer." He groans. "Shoot, if a psychopath murderer kills them, then we'll be down two immortals."

"Not to mention the murderers could be in league with the Turners." I point out the obvious.

"I got a location!" Greigh exclaims, "Let's go!"

We dash off down the empty sidewalks, him probably forgetting our little relationship squabble, but I sure haven't. I know it'll come up sooner or later, and I am hoping it will be later; I don't want to have to only explain part of the truth to Greigh. That would break his heart, more than it already has been, and I think it would personally break my heart to break his heart, or... I don't even know anymore. I have already broken Greigh's heart once; I don't need to do it again.

But... he's forcing me to tell Greigh.

I don't have a choice.

🖤🖤🖤

Greigh and I arrive at the haunted house just as Heyden and Vek come out, red faced, flapping their arms wildly and screaming like headless chickens, clutching each other by the arms.

"THERE WAS A PSYCHOPATH KILLER!" Heyden whimpers.

"WE ALMOST DIED!" Vek's eyes are watering.

"Did you see the killer? Was it the Turners? Can you describe what they look like?" Greigh digs for information.

"Oh, no, we didn't see the killer." Heyden shakes his head. "We saw it's victim. They're probably still in there, though."

"Wait, so how do you know you could have gotten murdered?" I squint at them.

"Almost got murdered." Vek corrects.

"Yeah, yeah, almost murdered." Greigh rolls his eyes.

"... Um, we didn't say we had any proof." Heyden shrugged. "Vek came over to show me this article, but tripped over a bloody body bag and fell onto me and then I kissed him and then the body bag moved-"

"Wait you got a lead?!" I rip the paper out of Vek's hands as Greigh mutters "How do you trip onto someone and kiss them?"

I scan the paper as Heyden ignores a blushing Vek and explains what had happened to Greigh.

"We have to get this to Liana and Dean," I nod. "But first, lets study the article."

"Lets see..." Vek says, and Heyden crowds over to the paper.

I realize they're not watching, so I decide to whisper my confessions over to Greigh.

"I'm seeing Jason Turner." And walk away to join Heyden and Vek in studying the paper, leaving Greigh speechless.

I promise it's not what it sounds like.