𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐆𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐒 ~| 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘴

Kids Again

~'~

          𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡, 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐲              

                𝐖𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥, 𝐰𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡                       

                  𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐝𝐬, 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐝𝐬

‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿

Cassi.

That was her name.

It rolled around in my head like a marble in an empty jar. Cassi. It was a name that didn't fit her. It was too simple, too plain. She was so much more than that. But I liked the way it sounded, especially when it came out of my mouth. It was a name that made me feel like I knew her, even though she remained a mystery in so many ways.

I rolled over in the bed, the sheets cold and untouched on the other side. I had barley slept, but by now I was used to it. It had been a year of this. Of nightmares, of sleepless nights, of waking up just to realize it all over again.

It was strange how much a name could change things. Suddenly she wasn't just a girl, or a 

stranger. She was a person, with a past, a heart, and a soul that had been torn apart like my own. It was a strange feeling, to finally have something to hold onto. Something other than pain.

The morning light crept through the curtains, painting the floorboards with golden streaks. I could hear the distant sound of a bird. Or a cricket. Same thing.

I smiled to myself.

I threw off the covers and padded over to the window, the floor cold under my feet. I pulled back the curtains, the light spilling in like a warm embrace.

The town looked different in the day, the ivy-covered buildings more vibrant, the cobblestone streets more inviting. It was like a painting that had come to life. I took a moment to just breathe it all in.

I had bought this place as an escape. I wanted a place to hide, to try to escape everything. But everything had followed me. The memories, the pain, the emptiness. But last night, with Cassi here, it felt different. The house didn't seem so cold, the silence wasn't so loud.

It was funny how the world looked different when you weren't drowning in your own thoughts. I didn't have to force myself out of bed like I usually did. Instead, I felt a strange pull. I threw on a shirt and some sweatpants.

As I walked down the hallway, the house felt alive again. It was almost strange. But a good strange. A warm, comforting strange.

I reached her door and paused, listening. I could hear her faintly snoring, a sound so small and human it made me smile. I gently turned the knob, pushing the door open just enough to look 

inside. The sun was peeking through the crack in the curtains, casting a soft glow across the room. She was sprawled on the bed, one arm thrown over her face, the comforter tangled around her legs.

At 10 AM, the world was already in motion, but in here, time seemed to have stopped. I took a step closer to the bed, the floorboards creaking ever so slightly. She didn't stir.I sat down on the edge of the bed, gently brushing back a lock of hair from her face. I watched her for a moment longer, taking in the rise and fall of her chest. It was strange, how someone you barely knew could become so important so quickly.