Echoes Of The Unseen

EOTU -DOS

Reverie sat alone at the park bench on the evening, her gaze fixed on the quiet ripples of the lake. The world around her seemed to carry on in blissful ignorance, while her mind was trapped in a cycle of unanswered questions and lingering pain.

"What did I expect?" she thought, biting the inside of her cheek. "How did I let myself believe this was something real?"

The gentle breeze felt cold against her skin, but nothing compared to the chill that had settled in her chest. She could still see him. Aries, with his careless smile, his casual words, and the way he’d look at her, like she was just... someone passing through his life. Someone replaceable.

"We're just friends, Erie."

The words echoed again, stabbing into her like a knife twisting deeper each time she replayed that scene at the cafe. His voice, so emotionless. His eyes, looking everywhere but at her. She had felt herself crumbling inside, but somehow managed to keep her composure. “Friends? Friends don’t do what we did... friends don’t make promises like that.”

She rubbed her temples, trying to shake off the tightness in her throat. How many times had she replayed that moment in her head, wondering what she could have said differently? Maybe if she'd been more honest with herself from the start. Maybe if she hadn't let herself fall so deep.

"You idiot, Erie." She laughed bitterly, shaking her head. "You should’ve known better. You’ve always known better."

But knowing better hadn’t saved her. Knowing better hadn’t stopped her heart from breaking into a million tiny pieces when Aries walked away without looking back. She’d thought they were something more. Thought they had something special.

Why didn’t he just tell her from the beginning? Why make her believe there was a chance? She clenched her fists, swallowing the lump in her throat. The hardest part wasn’t losing him. It was realizing he never really saw her the way she saw him. She had meant nothing more to him than any other girl. Just another friend.

And yet, here she was, still holding onto the pieces of a story that never truly existed.

"What was I to you, really?" she whispered to herself. "Just someone to fill the empty space until she came back?"

She glanced down at the phone in her lap, resisting the urge to scroll through old messages, the ones she hadn’t had the strength to delete. The memories burned, but she wasn’t ready to let go. Not yet.

"Maybe I’m the fool," she admitted, her voice barely audible. "For thinking you'd ever choose me."

As Reverie stared off into the distance, lost in her thoughts, a voice interrupted the heavy silence.

“Erie?”

She blinked, startled, and turned around. Standing a few feet away was a familiar face. Noah. He smiled at her, his hands tucked into his jacket pockets.

“Hey... you alright? You looked like you were miles away,” he said, his voice gentle, almost cautious.

Reverie tried to muster a smile, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Oh, hey, Noah. Yeah, I’m fine. Just... a lot in my mind.”

He nodded, stepping closer before sitting beside her. “About Aries?” he asked, his tone laced with understanding.

There was a brief pause as Reverie turned her gaze back to the sky. She didn’t want to talk about Aries. Not yet. The sting of their last conversation was still too fresh, and she hadn’t even processed it fully herself.

Noah, sensing her reluctance, didn’t push. Instead, he simply sat there, offering his presence. “If you need anything, I’m here. You know that."

Reverie appreciated his silence. She didn’t need words right now, just someone nearby. “Thanks, Noah,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded, glancing around the cafe before picking at the edge of the table absentmindedly. “You sure you’re okay? You don’t seem like yourself.”

Reverie sighed. “Honestly, I don’t know. I guess... I’m still trying to figure things out.”

Noah nodded, his expression soft. “Take your time. No rush.”

“I saw what happened at the cafe the other day,” he continued. “I didn’t want to intrude, but... I figured you’d want some space.”

Reverie sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Space? Yeah, I’ve had enough of that.” She leaned back, staring at the reddish orange sky. “But thanks for checking in.”

Reverie sat there in silence for a moment, as if searching for the right words. Finally, he spoke. “You know... sometimes people don’t realize what they’ve lost until it’s too late.”

Reverie let out a dry laugh. “Maybe. But what’s the point if it’s already too late?”

Noah didn’t respond immediately, but his presence was comforting. For the first time in days, Reverie didn’t feel so alone. Maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t the fool after all.

Reverie managed a weak smile at his response. Noah always knew when to say the right thing without overwhelming her.

The two sat there in comfortable silence for a moment before Noah spoke again, his tone lighter. “Hey, do you want to grab a bite? Or maybe something to drink? You look like you could use a break.”

She shook her head, not quite ready to eat but appreciating the offer. “Not right now, but thanks.”

“Alright,” Noah said, standing up with a small shrug. “Just let me know if you change your mind. I’ll be around.”

As he turned to leave, Reverie finally spoke, her voice softer now. “Noah... thanks for always being there.”

He paused, looking back at her with a small smile. “Of course. Anytime.”

With that, Noah walked away, leaving Reverie alone with her thoughts. She watched him disappear into the crowd, a part of her grateful for his quiet support, even if she didn’t fully understand the weight of it.

-27MARCH2003