Two lives.

36. you looked like you needed it

June 3rd
3:34 AM

A light tap on the top of my head pulled me out of a half-conscious daze. Groggily, I lifted my head from the cool, ridged surface of the metal picnic table. My neck ached from how I’d been slumped over, and the blinding pavilion lights above made me wince. Squinting, I tried to make out the figure standing in front of me.

“Hey,” came Ekko’s familiar voice, smooth and laced with a hint of amusement. I didn’t even have to see his face to know he was smirking.

I sat up fully, rubbing my eyes as the world around me slowly came into focus. The party from earlier was nothing but a memory now—just a scattering of kids lingering in small groups. Red Solo cups littered the ground, crushed and kicked aside, and random wrappers were strewn everywhere. It looked like chaos frozen in time.

“What?” I asked, my tone sharper than I meant. My voice cracked a little from disuse, and I cleared my throat awkwardly.

Ekko didn’t seem fazed. He stood there, hands shoved into the pockets of his swim trunks, his dreads partially covering his face. “C’mon,” he said, his voice steady but unreadable. “It’s time to go.”

I blinked at him, still trying to piece together where I was emotionally and physically. “Why?”

“Because you’re the last one still sitting out here,” he replied simply, leaning down slightly to meet my bleary gaze. “And because it’s late as hell.”

I hesitated, glancing around at the half-empty pavilion. He wasn’t wrong—it was well past time to call it a night. My head was still buzzing, my limbs heavy, but Ekko’s presence was oddly grounding. When he held out his hand, I hesitated again, the weight of the moment pressing down on me for no real reason I could name.

“You coming or not?” he asked, the faintest edge of impatience creeping into his tone.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I reached out and took his hand. His grip was firm but gentle, steadying me as I stumbled to my feet. The contact sent a weird, unfamiliar warmth through me, and I immediately felt a little more awake—or maybe just more aware.

“You good?” Ekko asked, watching me carefully.

I nodded, though my legs felt shaky. “Yeah... yeah, I’m fine.”

He didn’t let go of my hand right away, giving me a second to find my balance. Then he released me, stepping back slightly. “Let’s go, Bear.”

I groaned at the nickname but didn’t bother correcting him this time. I followed him, the sounds of the lake lapping gently against the shore and the faint remnants of laughter from the few remaining kids trailing behind us. Ekko walked ahead, his broad shoulders outlined by the moonlight, and I couldn’t help but wonder why he’d bothered to come back for me.

“Hey,” I called after him, breaking the quiet.

He glanced over his shoulder, one eyebrow raised. “What?”

“Why’d you come get me?”

He stopped, turning fully to face me, his expression softening just a fraction. “Because you looked like you needed it,” he said simply.

His words hung in the air, heavier than I expected. I didn’t respond, unsure of what to say or how to feel. Instead, I just kept following him, letting the night carry us forward.

“Whoa!” I stumbled, tripping over a thick root jutting out of the forest floor. My balance wavered as I tried to catch myself, arms flailing awkwardly.

Ekko turned around at the sound, his expression caught somewhere between concern and amusement. “You’re still high, aren’t you?” he teased, a quiet laugh escaping as he walked back toward me.