Bloom

55. watery truth

Haven

Sadness hung in the breeze around us, even when we were unknown to what was happening at this very moment. Ittarah hadn't stopped crying, which I didn't quite understand as she had started it in the first place- called his name several times to try and get him to wake up from his mind, but nothing seemed to work.

Louis and Abel had curiously walked over to us, but I had glared at them, telling them- including Luke- to leave it be and go back swimming. Luke had mocked me, but had gone away, which had relieved me.

Tears were still rolling down his cheeks, but he had no expression, a neutral emotion showing on his face. I didn't know if it was because of his shutdown, or because he simply didn't feel at this very moment, though, physically his body would still react to certain emotions or feelings.

"What did you say?" I whispered, looking up at Tara in desperation.

Tara shook her head right away, closing her eyes. "It's not my place to tell, Haven. It was just a joke, but he took it literally, like always." She huffed a little, though warmly and almost protectively rested her hand on his hair.

It confused me. Her words, but her gesture as well. "Can I try something?" I wondered sadly, staring at the guy that had barely blinked ever since he had gotten stuck in his shutdown.

"Go ahead, Have." Tara threw her hands up in despair. "I don't know what to do anymore. I don't know anything anymore." She waved Luke over, which frustrated me, but I decided to simply ignore them and turn my attention to Zephaniah first.

Bringing my hands up to his cheeks, I softly brushed his tears away with my thumbs, the rosy colour on his cheeks slowly turning back. I didn't know if it was because of the slight friction between my thumbs and his skin- or if it was because he was slowly recovering.

His eyes fluttered all of a sudden, his cheek leaning in one of my hands for a brief moment before he tilted his head, eyes flickering to anywhere. I let go of him, watching him as everything dawned into his mind.

His gaze fell on Tara again, his lips parting slowly, but he paused.

"Zeph.." Tara tried again, crouching down in front of him. "It was-"

"How could you say that." Zephaniah interrupted, his voice deep, caught up in sadness as a slight hoarseness was audible. It made my heart jump, but this time because it truly saddened me. Something had happened, maybe years ago. He carried a secret, and Tara brought it to light in a very wrong way.

"It's not a joke." Zephaniah shook his head, more tears leaking out as he kept glancing at Tara.

Tara huffed, kicking near his legs in frustration. "I'm sorry, I am? Okay? I really am, it was so awfully wrong for me to say that." She cupped his cheeks, but Zephaniah moved his head away, shaking it. "Please, Zeph.."

Zephaniah rested his arms on his pulled up knees, staring at the ground without reacting to her anymore. Looking up at Tara, I gave her another look out of desperation, luckily she had gotten the note. She took Luke's hand in hers, stared at Zephaniah for a moment more before she walked off, Norah awkwardly following them behind.

I wanted to comfort him, but I didn't really know how sensitive he was at this very moment. His father did tell me he liked it after a shutdown, which made me doubt everything. The term comforting suddenly had so many meanings, I didn't know what to do anymore.

Scooting closer, I simply stared at his face, watching him cry, oh so silently. My hand made its way to his face, not being able to resist myself while brushing away the fresh tears that had rolled down. Zephaniah let me, briefly resting his chin in my hand at times.