Her Lonely Grey Eyes

Chapter 13 - Come back home

𝘾𝙀𝘾𝙄𝙇𝙀 𝙁𝙊𝙓 (𝘿𝘼𝙎𝙃𝙒𝙊𝙊𝘿)

I stayed standing for a moment after locking the door.

The room felt too quiet.

Not peaceful quiet—just heavy.

Like something had followed me in and didn't know how to leave.

I turned slowly.

Odessa was already sitting on the edge of my bed like she belonged there.

Of course she was.

She always acted like every space she entered was partially hers.

I pulled a chair over and sat down opposite her.

For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.

That was new.

Odessa is never quiet.

She finally leaned back a little, crossing one leg over the other.

"So," she said casually, "you met them."

I let out a short breath through my nose.

"Yeah."

Another pause.

Then I added, "That was a mistake."

Odessa tilted her head slightly. "Was it?"

I didn't answer right away.

Because I didn't know what part she meant.

Meeting them.

Seeing them.

Or the part where my chest felt like it tightened the moment I looked at them too long.

Odessa watched me for a second, then spoke again, softer this time.

"They didn't react the way I expected."

"That's because I didn't either," I said flatly.

She hummed like she found that interesting.

I leaned forward, elbows on my knees.

"Why did you bring me there?" I asked.

No anger in my voice this time.

Just tiredness.

Odessa didn't answer immediately.

That alone made me look up.

She wasn't smiling now.

That was rare.

"I needed it to happen," she said simply.

I frowned. "Needed what to happen?"

Her eyes met mine.

"That moment."

I felt my jaw tighten.

"That doesn't explain anything."

"It doesn't have to," she replied.

I stood up immediately.

"Of course it doesn't," I muttered. "You never explain anything properly."

Odessa sighed lightly, like she expected that reaction.

"You saw them," she said. "You saw how they looked at you."

I stopped moving.

My fingers curled slightly at my sides.

"...Yeah," I said quietly.

That part I couldn't ignore.

Even if I wanted to.

Odessa leaned forward a little now, her voice calmer.

"They're not your enemies."

I let out a dry laugh.

"Didn't feel like that."

"They're confused," she corrected.

I looked away.

"That doesn't change anything."

Silence again.

This time longer.

Then Odessa said something quieter.

"You think you were replaced."

That hit harder than I expected.

I didn't answer.

Because she was right in a way I didn't want to admit.

Odessa stood up then, walking slowly toward me.

She stopped just in front of me.

"But you weren't," she said.

I finally looked at her again.

Her expression was steady now.

Not playful.

Not teasing.

Just... serious.

"You're not an extra life that got swapped out," she continued. "You're not a mistake in their story."

My throat felt tight for no reason.

I hated that.

Odessa gently tapped my forehead with two fingers.

"You're just late to your own ending."

I scoffed quietly, stepping back.

"That sounds worse."

"It sounds accurate," she replied.

I didn't respond.

Because my mind kept going back.

To their faces.

The shock.

The hesitation.

The way they looked at me like I was both impossible and obvious at the same time.

I hated that feeling.

Odessa moved back toward the bed again, picking up her coat.

"Tomorrow," she said, "you don't run."

I glanced at her.

"I don't run."

She raised an eyebrow.

"You almost did tonight."

I clicked my tongue softly.

"That was different."

"Mm," she hummed. "Sure."

She walked to the door, pausing with her hand on the handle.

Without turning back, she added:

"Just... don't think too much. They're just people."

Then she left.

The door clicked shut.

And I stayed standing in the middle of my room for a long time after that.

Because somehow—

that didn't make anything easier.