--Six time award winning novel by June D. Silver-
"Hidden truths are unspoken lies"
As a straight A student, Finnley never got himself into trouble. He goes to school, runs track, hangs out with his two best friends Cristian and Emma and studies; a...
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- Saturday, May 14th, 2016 -
– 3,5 months after the disappearance –
As soon as I wake up, right before I decided to open my eyes, everything I remember is vague and feels like a dream instead of reality. Not just the mere memory of seeing Finnley again, but also the party I vaguely remember, the fighting with Stan. For a couple of blissful seconds, it actually feels like none of this ever happened; not the events from the past week, but also those of the past four months. All I remember in the blissful worry-free seconds is Finnley staring right at me with a small smile on his face.
The cold hard reality hits me that none of this is a dream when I open my eyes and find myself in a strange bedroom, on a strange bed with no hint to where I am exactly. The room is kind of messy, but somehow it feels safe and familiar. I stare right at a desk covered with papers and binders, right next to a huge closet full of books. On the other side of the desk, there's a closet of which one door is slightly opened, offering me view on an all too familiar green sweater that I've seen twice before already.
It looked good on Nathan, it looked way better on Finnley.
I slowly push myself upright, ignoring the pondering headache that started right after I opened my eyes, to enchanted by the sweater because it reminds me of a night I spent at Finnley's place. That whole night is one big blur, but right now I do remember how Finnley was holding me up, both staring at each other. How I felt jealous over something and how badly I wanted to kiss him; and how I kissed him.
In the meantime, I shuffled towards the closet, grabbing the sweater and hugging it to my body. There's no scent left in it to remind me of Finnley, but the mere memory of kissing him when he was wearing it is enough to make me feel a bit happy.
"Yeah..." He stares at the sweater. "Why are you holding my sweater."
"Finny wore this..."
Nathan's eyes soften while he sighs deeply. "It was his favourite." He tells me, making his way over to the desk, taking a seat in the chair. "He always stole it from me."
"It looked good on him."
"That's why I always let him steal it." Nathan chuckles. "He kinda looked cute while wearing my clothes, always a size too big. The tips of his fingers peeking out of the sleeves..." His voice dies down and he seems to drown in his own thoughts, seemingly remembering something that is turning his frown into a small smile.
I stare at him for a couple of seconds, before I put on the sweater, not caring if it's his. I'm wearing nothing but some sweatpants that isn't mine and I'm cold. Besides, this sweater was touched by Finnley previously and I miss wearing his hoodies; but Stan made me stop wearing them. "Why am I here?"
