Dare to Fall

Chapter XXXVII

"It was actually my fault why my mom and sister died." Cayden's voice was barely above a whisper as he looked down at his fidgeting fingers, a hollow sense of guilt reflected in his eyes. "I was driving one night, drunk from a party, and I picked them up from my aunt's place."

He took a shaky breath, the words tumbling out in a rush. "When I picked them up, my mom could smell the alcohol on me. She was furious—who wouldn't be?" A bitter chuckle escaped his lips before he continued, his voice growing heavier with each word. "That's when we started arguing. She told me I was too young to be drinking, and I told her it was none of her business. When she insisted I pull over so she could drive, I just had to insist that I wasn't that drunk. We fought over the steering wheel, and the last thing I remember was a car coming right at us."

Silence hung in the air between us, thick with the weight of his confession. He stared into the distance, lost in memories, before continuing. "When my dad got the call from the hospital, he lectured me about it. I know it was my fault, and when the police got involved, he did everything he could to keep me from going to jail."

I looked at him, my heart aching for the pain he carried. "Sometimes I think it would've been better if I had gone to jail. I deserve it for being the reason they're gone. But my dad keeps telling me that nobody wanted this to happen, which feels absurd because I was the one behind the wheel."

His hands had stopped fidgeting, and he met my gaze, the hurt in his eyes palpable. Choices we make can haunt us, I thought, each one a fork in the road that leads us somewhere we never intended to go. "If I could rewind the clock, I would've just let her drive us home instead of arguing."

I found myself at a loss for words, struggling to comfort him in a moment that felt impossibly heavy. It was cold in the room, but there was warmth in our shared silence. So, I wrapped my arms around him in a hug, feeling the tension seep from his body as he returned the gesture. We sat like that for a moment, just holding on, a silent acknowledgment of each other's pain.

"I hope you're feeling better," I whispered, pulling back slightly.

"Honestly?" He says, taking my hand, "I feel better when I'm with you," he said, a faint smile breaking through the sorrow.

***

I left Cayden's room and quietly closed the door behind me. I could still hear the muffled music and laughter from the party downstairs, but my mind was clouded with thoughts of him. He'd been drinking heavily, and I didn't want to push him to join the party and risk making things worse. The last thing he needed was another drink.

As I made my way to the kitchen, I saw Amelia chatting with Noah near the counter. I felt a slight pang of jealousy; they seemed to be enjoying each other's company.

"Hey," I said, raising my red cup filled with soda, making sure to keep it alcohol-free.

Noah smiled and waved before wandering off, leaving Amelia and me alone. "So, where's Cayden?" she asked, her eyes flicking over me as she took a sip from her own cup.

"He's in his room, sleeping. He was already pretty drunk before the party even started." I shrugged, trying to keep my tone light, but I could feel the weight of my concern creeping back in.

Amelia chuckled softly, her laugh infectious. "Typical Cayden," she said. "He really needs to work on his drinking habits."

We left the kitchen and headed into the living room, where the party was in full swing. I plopped down on the couch, watching as people danced and laughed. It was a lively scene, but I felt detached, my thoughts still lingering on Cayden.