Twin Fate: Sun and Moon

Chapter 17 - Unanswered Questions

By the time the credits rolled, I felt a little better. Not much, but enough to at least pretend I was fine. The truth was, I wasn't even sure why I'd gotten so worked up in the first place. It was just a normal argument. But maybe that was it—Alex and I never really fought. Not like this.

"Not a bad movie," Leif said as we stepped away from the murmur of the crowd.

"Oh, yeah. Not bad," I lied, unable to remember a single scene. It was some superhero movie—I could vaguely recall someone flying, but the rest of it was just... blank.

"You guys want to grab a drink or maybe go for a walk?" Elin suggested after a moment's pause. Her voice was calm, easy, like she was offering a solution to something we both knew lingered unspoken.

I nodded, thinking that maybe clearing my head would help—if that was even possible at this point.

"No, we can't, really," Leif cut in, apologetic. "Freya's got to be home soon, and I have something early tomorrow. If I want to be functional at all, I should probably get to bed."

Maybe it was for the best. I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep up this façade of normalcy. "Sure then," Elin said with a smile that somehow felt like a secret. "Guess it's just you and me." She hugged me sideways, her arm wrapped around mine in a way that felt both awkward and comforting.

We said our goodbyes to Freya and Leif, and I led the way to my car. The air felt heavier now, like I was carrying something invisible but unavoidable.

"Do I just drive, or do you have somewhere in mind?" I asked, opening the door for her.

"I know a place," she replied, grinning as I closed the passenger door behind her. She knew. There was no doubt she sensed something was off, but should I tell her? Should I tell her that Alex called her shallow? I decided against it. But I would tell her about the fight. That much, I owed her.

Sliding into the driver's seat, I started the car. The theater disappeared from view as I took a left, following Elin's directions.

"Did you know there's a river near the city?" she asked, her voice soft and soothing as always.

"No one's ever mentioned it. That's where we're going?" I kept my eyes on the road, which was now flanked by dense trees on both sides, shadows stretching longer as the sun dipped lower.

"Yeah, it's a nice spot. We like to hang out there sometimes." Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed she wasn't looking at the road—she was watching me, her expression calm, the same gentle smile she'd worn ever since I stepped out of the car at the theater.

"Turn left here," she instructed, still not bothering to look ahead, "and there's a clearing on the right where you can park."

The road shifted to dirt as I followed her directions, pulling into a large clearing that opened up to a view of the river. The last rays of sunlight filtered through the treetops, catching on the water's surface. The river was wider than I expected, maybe thirty meters across, with a small, rocky shore.

"Come on," Elin urged, already out of the car, moving with that quick, effortless grace of hers.

I followed after locking the car, my steps slow as I made my way toward the muddy shore. I wasn't dressed for this—not at all. But Elin, in her usual old black boots, stepped into the mud like she didn't even notice. Not a care in the world. Without looking down, I trudged forward, trying to ignore the sinking feeling beneath my shoes. She had already found a spot, beneath two trees that opened up to reveal the lush forest beyond.

The mud wasn't as deep as I'd feared. I managed to scrape most of it off against the patches of grass surrounding us. "It really is nice here," I said, finally allowing myself to take in the scene. The view was stunning—an unbroken stretch of river reflecting the dense forest on the other side. The sun was sinking lower, its final rays brushing the top of the mountains in the distance.