The flickering neon sign of the "Sunset Oasis Motel" cast an uninviting glow on the cracked pavement. Eris pulled the truck to a stop, the engine sighing as it died. Carys stared out the window, her face pale and drawn, the events at the river replaying on a loop in her mind.
Eris glanced at Carys, her heart heavy with a conflicting mix of emotions. Carys's tear-streaked face mirrored the turmoil within Eris. Denying her own burgeoning feelings had been the hardest thing she'd ever done, but the truth was a cruel weapon.
"This place isn't much," Eris offered, her voice gruff, "but it has a bed and hot water."
Carys simply nodded, her voice lost in the raw ache of her heart. Stepping out of the truck, the cool night air did little to soothe the burning in her eyes. Eris checked them into a room with two beds, and this time, they'll actually use the two.
Inside the room, the air hung heavy with unspoken emotions. Carys dropped her bag on the floor, the sound echoing in the sterile silence. Eris watched her, the urge to reach out, to offer comfort, warring with the knowledge that it would only prolong the inevitable.
"There's a bathroom down the hall," Eris finally said, her voice barely a whisper. Carys mumbled a thanks, her shoulders slumped in defeat as she walked towards the bathroom, the click of the door a punctuation mark to their unspoken goodbye.
Alone in the room, Eris sank onto the edge of the bed, the scratchy fabric offering little comfort. Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision. She had pushed Carys away, but the truth was, she was pushing herself away too.
Denial, however, was a flimsy shield. The memory of Carys's confession, the raw honesty in her voice, echoed in Eris's heart. She loved Carys. It was a truth she couldn't deny, a connection that transcended the extraordinary circumstances that had brought them together.
Telling Carys the truth now, confessing the love that mirrored her own, would only make things harder. It would paint their inevitable parting in even starker colors, a cruel reminder of what could never be.
Carys came out of the bathroom and immediately sat on the edge of the bed farthest from the door. Her back turned to Eris. Her shoulders trembled with silent sobs, each sniffle a fresh reminder of the shattered dream Eris had so gently broken. The weight of unspoken emotions hung heavy in the air, a thick fog that choked the remnants of their earlier intimacy.
Finally, unable to bear the charade any longer, Eris spoke. "There's a diner next door if you're hungry," she said, her voice rough with unshed tears.
Carys didn't respond, her body racked with silent sobs.
Eris closed her eyes, picturing Carys's tear-streaked face, the vulnerability etched onto her features. A fierce protectiveness washed over her, a primal urge to shield Carys from any further pain.
"I'll... I'll get you something," Eris mumbled, her voice barely audible.
Escaping into the cool night air, Eris walked towards the diner, each step a heavy thud against the cracked pavement. The greasy spoon offered little solace, the fluorescent lights harsh against her tear-filled eyes. She ordered a coffee, the bitter taste mirroring the bitterness in her heart.
Back in the motel room, Eris placed the coffee on the nightstand beside Carys's bed. The sobs had subsided, replaced by a heavy silence that spoke volumes. Eris knew Carys wouldn't eat, wouldn't sleep. The weight of their goodbye loomed large, casting a long shadow over their remaining time together.
With a defeated sigh, Eris turned off the light, plunging the room into darkness. In the inky blackness, she stripped down to her undershirt and sweatpants, the scratchy fabric a poor substitute for comfort.
YOU ARE READING
The Way To You - ENGLOT
Romance"Did this mean anything to you? Did I mean anything to you?" Carys Isobel Avington, the sheltered daughter of a wealthy family, finds herself in the clutches of kidnappers seeking a hefty ransom. Fueled by desperation, she manages to escape their c...
