Dark Corners / ✓

six: of burners

sorry for such a late update! school's been kicking my ass lol, and I'm writing this as I study for my psychology test xD

I had a shift at Target starting in a half-hour, but instead I stood in front of Griffin's door, arms hanging limply by my sides.

I didn't know why I was so nervous to knock on the door, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Griffin had texted me and asked me to come over to him, yet I couldn't bring myself to knock on his front door. It felt like every time I started to get closer to Griffin something happened that pushed him away; something that made him snap from warm and open to closed off and cold. I wasn't sure what Griffin I was going to see.

I took a deep breath and knocked on the door, only to have Griffin open it what felt like seconds later. I took a step back in surprise and Griffin blinked at me, blue eyes lined with dark bags, blond hair a mess on his head. Griffin tugged at the edge of his black t-shirt, eyes locked on the floor.

"Hey," I said gently, and Griffin's head immediately snapped up, eyes locking on me, "Um, are you okay?"

"Sure," Griffin muttered, stepping back and holding open the door wider for me. I clasped my hands together and walked into the apartment, awkwardly standing a few feet behind Griffin. Griffin shut the door and turned towards me, lips pursed into a thin line, "Thank you for coming, Emmy."

I nodded, words dying on my lips. I could have told Griffin that, yeah, of course I had come for him, but I couldn't. It occurred to me then that, without a second thought, I had left Cara's house, gotten into my car, and practically flew down the street, heart racing in worry at Griffin's text. I had immediately come for a guy I barely knew, and that made the words die on my lips.

Griffin stepped past me and sat down on the couch, elbows on his knees, fingers clasped so tightly together that his knuckles turned pale white. I bit my lip and walked over, sitting down next to him and leaning back into the couch. When I had got Griffin's text, I assumed I would be coming over to him in the midst of a breakdown or at least looking somewhat sad. Instead I came to this - a Griffin who seemed uncomfortable even looking me in the eyes.

"They're reopening my mom's case," Griffin said suddenly, looking up at me through his eyelashes, blue eyes clearer than I had ever see them. I opened my mouth to respond, but he cut me off, "I already know you know. I saw you down the hall when the officers came. You weren't exactly hiding."

Griffin smiled softly at me and I flushed at his words, remembering how I hadn't even tried to hide when I saw the officers at Griffin's door. I nodded and waited for Griffin to go on - he had brought up his mom's case being reopened, and I wasn't sure where that conversation would go. I didn't want to press him, so I sat back and waited.

Griffin scratched the back of his neck and dropped his hands, fingers twisting together, "They have a, um... New suspect," he muttered, eyes cast down to the floor. Griffin's whole body seemed tense, then, the muscles in his shoulders and back practically jutting through his thin shirt, "It's been ten years and they have a new suspect."

Judging by Griffin's tone and body language, it was obviously he wasn't happy about that, and I didn't blame him. After ten years, the police decided to reopen the case. I couldn't imagine how Griffin felt about the case being reopened, let alone finding out they had a suspect. They had a person they believed killed Griffin's mom, and I couldn't even imagine the type of pain he was going through.

"I know I should be happy," Griffin continued, wringing his fingers together so tightly that I gently leaned forward and pulled his hands apart. Griffin looked up in surprise and let his hands fall limply to his sides, "but I don't think people understand that the past is more painful than anything else. To be reminded of my mom's murder, Emmy, it's like... It's reminding me of when I was a little kid again. Back when there was nothing I could do to help. I'm helpless and I hate it."