Silent Souls (Wattys 2014)

Chapter Eight

Her

The Silence is almost as suffocating as the loneliness is. No one’s ever home in this house.

I’m just looking out of the bedroom window when I see him come to the door. I don’t hear him, but I see him. I note how nervous he looks, raking a hand through his hair as he shuffles from foot to foot. I quickly get myself ready and rush down the stairs, and I’m panting by the time I open the door.

As rushing down the stairs didn’t make me breathless, meeting his gaze – and those beautiful, stormy grey eyes – when I open the door just about does. I’ve known him for almost two months and my heart still goes crazy over the sight of him.

I’m not sure whether he knows exactly what he does to me, but he’s smiling like he does.

‘Hi,’ I mumble.

He reaches out for my face, brushing away some stray strands of hair that have fallen over my eyes. I love how he always does that.

Hello.

My skin tingles from his touch. I try to mask my nervousness with a small smirk. ‘To what do I owe this pleasure?’

He takes my hand and brings it close to his mouth, and his lips brush my skin as he mouths the words, How do you fancy spending a night under the stars?

 

Him

I drive us out to the coast, and park the car a ways from the cliffs. When we stop and I get out to open the boot of the car, she follows me, eyes widening in horror as she says, ‘Wait, we’re not camping, are we?’

I laugh. I thought about it, and I guessed you’d react like that.

She blushes.

I shake my head, taking out what we need before closing the boot. I’ll show you, come on.

We pick a spot far away from the edge of the cliff. She doesn’t seem to find the self-inflatable mattresses nearly as fascinating as I do. I catch her rolling her eyes. ‘Typical guy,’ she mutters. Odd as it is, I find the remark strangely comforting. No one’s ever called me typical before. To everyone else, I’m always seen as different.

Not to her.

‘What’s wrong?’ she asks.

Nothing, I reassure her.

‘Hey, are you OK—’

I press a finger to her lips, leaning in so close that I could kiss her. And, for a second, I think I will.

I don’t know what stops me. Maybe it’s the self-doubt coming back again. Or, maybe it’s the fact that she’s hiding something from me.

Her

There’s a little tree that grows almost by the very edge of the face of the cliff. He sits with his back against it, and I sit sideways across his lap.

‘Are you sure I’m not too heavy?’ I ask for the umpteenth time.

He wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer. I feel the laughter vibrating inside his chest as he nods, Yes.

Waves crashing softly below, we watch the sunset in silence for a while, but then I feel him tap my shoulder. When I acknowledge him, I see that he’s gone all nervous again. C-can I ask you something?