INSIDE THEIR MINDS

The Voice

ALEX

I wasn't sure how to react to what I had found in Derek's pocket and for now at least I decided to act as if I didn't know a thing about it.

As we sat side by side in his car I felt oddly distant from him, though I was only a mere two feet away.

"I'm glad he's home safe." I say to him trying to fill the silence in the car and in my mind.

"Me too." He answers.

"Wanna drop me off at home there are quite a few things I need to do for the party that I have been putting off for awhile." I say trying to sound cheerful.

"Yeah, sure, whatever." He says taking a turn a little too harshly.

I hate that word, whatever, such a passive-aggressive filler word, but I kept my lips shut tight for I could tell I was growing sour. I know any simple thing could set me off right now.

"Did you still want me to go with you to that party thing?" He asks me as we arrive at my place.

"It's whatever you want." I say emphasizing the "bad" word.

"K." He says.

I jump out of the car and then grab my purse from the floor.

"Guess I will see you around. "

"Yep." He says barely looking at me.

I give a quick wave and he responds, but barely. He hardly lifted his hand in the air a weak almost hesitative gesture.

I turned around and walked to the door, leaving him behind me.

It was quite understandable why he was acting so odd. I mean I would be nervous that someone would find out and ruin everything too.

But it really hasn't been that long since I've been dating him and for that I felt at odds with my own feelings. Part of me was happy, obviously, I mean for some women it's everything they have ever wanted but I guess that just makes me different than every other woman.

I also couldn't help but feel angry, well angry wasn't the word, more like confused, frustrated, irritable. It wasn't exactly the best time to be doing this and I'm guessing he already knows that.

Maybe he will hold off at least for a little while, that would be my hope.

DEREK

I had already called in sick today and I wasn't about to change my plans. After everything that happened, and with how fast Alex is growing attached I just had to take a personal day to figure everything out.

I wasn't really in the mood to head straight home so I opted to go somewhere I haven't been before, my go to strategy for these types of situations. I have always felt traveling somewhere new presented me with a different outlook of things, with new scenery came new perspectives.

I parked behind a blue mini van on the side of the road nearest the river.
It was getting close to 12 o'clock, on a Thursday, and I couldn't help but feel that this place was actually quite busy, at least for this time of day.

Joggers rushed past me earbuds swinging from their ears, children laughing and playing on the playground to my left, and then I spotted it. I found the perfect space.

A small wooden bench over looking the river was literally glowing in the sunlight from the perfectly positioned rays streaming through the shore lined trees. It was if a natural spotlight was pointing me in the exact place I needed to be.

I reached for the picture before I even sat down and gazed at it not looking before I sat and then being surprised by the eek of the old wooden boards.