Remembering our Summer

Chapter 6 I'll be your shoulder to cry on

PREVIOUSLY:
With the only reply being the sounds of sniffing and a small sort of weeping sound, I open the door fully.

To find Kirsty standing alone; pink and black make up running down her face, her eyes bloodshot and her lips tremble as she tries hard to get rid of the moisture causing her blurriness in her eyes by blinking, but she soon stops.

I look down at her from the slightly higher up door frame, she looks straight back, her blue eyes full of desperation, despair and an element of sadness that I have never seen before.

"Hazel" she croaks, voice sounding harsh and beginning to breakdown for what doesn't look to be the first time tonight "Help me".

---

"K-Kirsty?" I stutter, in an almost disbelief. Looking her up and down; one of my hands clinging to the door frame and the other one gripping the handle.

She closes her eyes and looks down at the floor, holding her head in her hands, her knees look ready to buckle as she visibly shakes all over.

"H-Hazel" she whimpers, looking up at me once more. "I-I..." she takes a deep breath to try and steady herself.

Closing her eyes and clenching her hands into fists.

She opens her mouth to speak but I shake my head and I put my hand on her shoulder resulting in her opening her eyes.

"Not here" I say, looking around at the quiet street, lit up only by a few street lamps.

I look up briefly at Dan's house; the lights are all out, I shake my head and sigh.

"Come in" I say taking her hand in my own and giving it a little tug.

She too looks up at Dan's house with a straight and emotionless expression, she blinks and moves her fingers under her eyes which just smudges the make up around more.

She turns back at me and I motion my head and open the door more, I lean against the door to let her through as she nods.

"I don't want to be a..." she pauses, looking like she is about to cry, she closes her black smudged eyes and takes another deep breath before continuing "...burden Hazel".

"Nonsense" I say, pushing the door closed behind her.

I lead her into the recently- decorated living room, crème walls and brown leather sofas pushed against the far left corner, the wall contains few pictures and paintings. Some recent some old and some of the family back in the mainland.

She takes off her pink slip on shoes and sets them down on the laminate floor, and pads onto the caramel carpet.

I look up at the landing, narrowing my eyes slightly and straining my ears to see if there is anyone up there. When I'm almost 100% sure that it's clear, I follow her in.

I close the door and press my ear to the door, once again, with no noise that I can pick up I look back at Kirsty.

"Take a seat" I say with what I hope it a sympathetic smile, she nods and tries very hard to reflect it but fails.

She sits onto the sofa, shifting around a bit to make herself comfortable, although she sits rather stiffly, she looks up at me, her blue eyes watering.

I walk into the dining room through the little door in the living room and I grab the box of tissues, I walk back over to her and set it down on our glass coffee table.

I dim the lights and smile at her as I take a seat opposite her in Dad's armchair, as if she were my patient and I were a therapist.

I wait patiently for her to say something as she stares down at her intertwined hands, the silence is deathly and I know that whatever she is going to say is going to be big, because I've never seen her like this before.