Dust ✔️

Chapter Two - Egress

Chapter Two -- Egress

    She cut her hair since the last time I've seen her a year ago. Her light blonde hair was now bleached and just above her shoulders.

    "Hey, Lace..." I trailed off and gave her a small, warm welcome.

It was hard to look at her and not think of the time I held her small structure against that wall beside her, able to break her at any moment. I could've easily snapped her in half because of her size.

    I felt Tyler's presence shift as he made his way into the house more comfortably but you could tell he was tense. I could feel his eyes on me.

    Lacey then walked up to me swiftly and I braced myself to be slapped in the face by her small, yet strong hand. I gave her zero emotion as she approached me and to my surprise, she jumped at me to embrace me in a hug, rather than a fight.

    "I missed you," She wrapped her arms around my neck and clung onto me.

    "I'm sorry," I blurted out and hugged her back.

    "I wish you didn't have to say that..." She trailed off with a friendly giggle. "But it's the past," She paused and stepped away, staring deep into my eyes but hesitance still shined through. "Fresh start, right?"

I nodded.

Tyler and Lacey had rehearsed this interaction. It was evident by the robotic movements Lace was portraying with an ironic play on similar words Ty had offered moments earlier.

I couldn't understand how someone could still see me as family after all the harm I've done to them, but perhaps with Lacey, she was still trying to figure that out as well.

She walked over towards the living room, leaving me to stand by the front door and briefly said hello to Tyler.

Tyler bent over and kissed her passionately, in pure bliss to be around her. I don't think I'll ever understand how a person could love another person so passionately and unconditionally. It was an unsettling thought. But, It was nice to see his goofy smile again.

Clearing my throat, I said, "You two seem to be doing well for yourselves."

"Tyler has been working really hard for the last six months, he's taken a big promotion." Lacey piped up before sitting on the couch with her glass of tea that she picked up from the kitchen.

    "Are you still working with your dad?"

    Without looking up from his phone that he pulled out of his pocket after greeting Lacey, I heard a "Yup, keeping me busy." come out of his mouth and my only response was to nod.

     "So, how was it out there?" Lacey turned over toward me, her hazel eyes widened with curiosity; her voice was chipper, switching the conversation back on me. "You look a lot better now than you did before."

I rubbed my face with my hands. "Yeah it was pretty strict."

"All your piercings are gone," She commented, pointing to her eyebrow. "Do you have plans on getting more?" I almost forgot that I used to have a nose piercing, eyebrow piercing, and small gauged ears.

Lacey was someone who I could actually have a conversation with and not want to claw my eyes out but only in short durations. She always has been so good at giving the right advice even though I don't think I've ever taken it before in my life. Even though I've done such wrongful things to her, I saw her as my very, very close friend. who I'd protect from anything and anyone, even myself.

    "You know me," I struck a charming smile towards her. "Everyday is a surprise."

    "I'm pretty sure your impulsive behaviour is what's gotten you in troublesome situations, Eli," Tyler glanced up from his phone for a moment before turning back to his screen. Must be a shame to be compulsively glued to technology in order to make a living for oneself; answering emails and planning meetings and conferences, I'd hate that.