Sad Beautiful Tragic

Home is Where the Heart is

 I don’t know why I decided to reopen SBT but for some reason, I felt like it wasn’t over yet. And it actually isn’t. After I finished the story last year, I was already conceptualizing a sequel that centralizes on Awkward Arthur (Rachel and David’s son) and Alice Rae, Arthur’s possible love interest, on his quest to find true love—before his time is up. The story is supposedly called Treacherous but like many other projects, I’ve abandoned it because I feel like it isn’t ready yet. I’m sharing this now because I might revive it for the holidays as a short story. To have a brief idea about Arthur, read the next additional chapters of Sad Beautiful Tragic which focuses on Rachel and David’s relationship after everything that’s happened. This includes the wedding, Richie giving birth, Rachel getting pregnant—and giving birth—and a lot more! –Katherine

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HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

We were up in the tree house, listening to a good song with good lyrics that might be about us.

To the ends of the earth, I will follow you.

 

I stared down at our intertwined fingers and smiled. I never thought we would get here at all—again. It’s been a long time, too long, and I’ve missed him that it feels surreal for me to even be sitting here, in our tree house, having our private moment listening to songs that were meant for us. He spoke up a few minutes later when the song changed to Home by Philip Phillips.

“I started college a few months ago.”

I nodded though I haven’t heard. “Where did you go?”

“Actually,” he says. “NYU,”

I snapped to attention and gave him a grin. “You did? That’s amazing, David.”

“And um,” he was still looking down and I could remember the time when all he would do to reply was sign—or stare or sigh. He never smiled and never said a word. The times that he did, he would stutter. It was still there—the silent Morgan boy. “I’ll be coming back there for a whole semester.”

“So you’ll be gone?” I asked.

“Are you mad?” David raises his brow challengingly and I gave him a crooked grin.

“Actually, no, I’m not.” He seemed pleased with my answer because he stands up and takes my hand. “I guess I’ll be the one who’ll wait for now. And as you know, I’m not big on patience.” I stood up with him and put my head on his chest. “But I will be patient. For you, I promise.”

I can feel his smile and his heart picked up a beat. “The last time we were here—”

I pulled away and shook my head. The last time we were here, I was breaking his heart. “Please don’t. I feel bad already for doing that.”

“I’m still actually confused as to why you did it.” He was pushing me. David was pushing me and there was only one answer to that. But I can’t give him that answer just yet. He has worked for it but I just feel so chicken about all of this right now.

“Don’t.” I let go of him and started to climb down. I heard David groan—then sigh and I was on the ground already when he followed. I waited for him, weirdly enough.

“Stop running, Rachel,” he tells me tiredly. “Why can’t you just tell me?”

“My own reasons are of my own conscience.”