Shadows of deceit

4.

Poppy sat in the passenger seat of Creek's car, her mind still reeling from the evening's unexpected turn. After work yesterday, she had managed to convince Creek to have a date night tonight, something that hadn't happened in a long time. Thank goodness they did, because, for the first time in five years, she saw all her high school friends together. They appeared to be celebrating something, but after asking Creek multiple times to go over and find out, she eventually gave up, frustrated by his lack of interest.

Now, as she waited for Creek, Poppy's eyes kept darting to the restaurant door. Her heart raced with a mix of excitement and anxiety, wondering what had transpired inside. When Creek finally emerged, his face was a mask of pure agitation. She immediately sat up straighter, fastening her seatbelt with a sense of urgency. Creek slid into his seat without a word, the tension between them palpable.

Poppy kept her gaze on her lap, her hands folded tightly together. The silence in the car was thick and oppressive as Creek started the engine and sped away from the restaurant. She could feel the anger radiating from him, and it made her uneasy.

She stole a glance at Creek, noticing his hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles were white. One of his hands was red and starting to swell—a clear sign that something had happened during those few minutes they were apart. She didn't dare ask, but the sight of his injured hand filled her with dread. The questions swirled in her mind, making her stomach churn with worry.

Poppy's fingers fiddled with each other in her lap, a nervous habit she couldn't control. After a few moments, her attention shifted to Creek's hand, now reaching over to her, palm open in a rare gesture of vulnerability. She hesitated for a second, then smiled gently and took his hand, squeezing it reassuringly. It was a small comfort, but it meant a lot to her. She held onto his hand for the rest of the drive, offering silent support.

The drive home felt interminable, each passing mile stretching the silence and the unspoken tension between them. Poppy's mind raced with unvoiced fears and concerns. What had happened in the restaurant? What did it mean for them?

When they finally pulled into the driveway, Poppy felt a sense of relief wash over her. She helped Creek out of the car, guiding him inside with a steadying hand on his arm. Once inside, she led him to the couch, gently urging him to sit down and rest his injured hand. She fetched a cold pack from the freezer and wrapped it in a towel, pressing it gently against his swollen knuckles.

As she tended to Creek, her mind couldn't stop replaying the evening's events. The sight of her friends, Creek's anger, the unanswered questions—they all swirled together in a confusing mix. But for now, she focused on Creek, hoping to bring him some comfort and to understand what had gone so wrong.

"Are you okay?" Poppy asked, her voice filled with genuine concern as she looked at Creek.

Creek hesitated for a moment, his eyes reflecting a whirlwind of emotions before he finally met her gaze. "I'm sorry about tonight," he said, his voice tinged with regret and frustration. "I don't know what came over me."

Poppy reached out, gently taking his uninjured hand in hers. "It's okay," she reassured him, her voice soft and calming as she squeezed his hand gently. "We'll figure it out together."

They sat in heavy silence, the only sound in the room the faint hum of the ice pack against Creek's injured hand. Despite the quiet, the tension was palpable, wrapping around them like a thick fog. Poppy couldn't shake off the lingering unease, but she was resolute in her determination to address the underlying issues that had been festering between them.

"I think we need to talk," she said finally, breaking the oppressive silence with a voice that held both determination and vulnerability.

Creek nodded slowly, his expression somber. "I know," he admitted, his gaze dropping to their intertwined hands. "I haven't been handling things well, and tonight was a wake-up call."