(Formerly known as "When Our Paths Crossed")
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A tale of two lost souls brought together by pain, grief and trauma.
Atlas tries to find a place in a world he's worked so hard to escape. Elijah struggles to balance the life he's building and the...
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JUNE HAS BEEN trying to get me out of the house now for a few days. Out for walks, for ice cream, for dinner—anything to get me into the throngs of people. I don't blame her. I have been a bit of a recluse since the funeral. Everyone staring at me, and then the barista at the cafe, it's made me very self-conscious about the fact that I'm confined to a chair. So, I decided to become a hermit. There are perks to the hermit life. I don't have to shower, comb my hair or wear anything except my finest pair of sweats. The only time I bother to give a smidge of effort is when Elijah comes over.
Elijah...
As corny as it sounds, he's the highlight of my day. Unlike June, he doesn't push me to go out. He doesn't even ask why I don't want to leave. He sits with me, contently, either studying or we watch YouTube and Tik Tok videos. There's a mutual need for each other's company.
My feelings for Elijah have been growing, although I doubt he feels the same way. Why would he? I was friends with Dan and just as equally destructive. Besides, I'm still grappling with my feelings for Dan. Even though he's gone, my love for him lingers. It's painful knowing that our relationship will never progress.
Could that be why I'm clinging to Elijah? He's Dan's brother-- his twin brother. I don't like the notion that I'm using Elijah for that reason, but it is a comfort having a piece of Dan so close.
"Hey, A, I'm going out," June says, startling me out of my thoughts. "Can you watch Sammy for a while?"
She's dressed in her more casual dress attire: skinny jeans, a light, flowing blouse under her vegan leather jacket. Her hair is pulled up in a thickly coiled braid, and do I see makeup? Her lips are a little too shiny to be plain, and her honey eyes, which are so similar to mine, have a darker tinge to them. That's a date look. June doesn't date.
"Where are you going?" I ask, trying to keep my tone light.
Eyes narrowing, June shrugs. "If you must know, I'm going on a date. Or, well, I should be on my date, but I'm kind of panicking."
I think my eyes almost pop out of their sockets. "You, June Hendricks, on a date? You?" Then I start laughing, which earns me a glare. "Since when do you go on dates?"
"Since none of your business," she snaps back, then adds, "since my friend decided it was time to hook me up with one of her husband's friends." Suddenly, nervousness shines through her facade, and she chokes the crap out of her purse straps. "I haven't been on a date since before Sammy was born... I don't know if I can do this."
Pursing my lips, I wheel over to her and take her hand. "Any guy is lucky to date you, June. Just be yourself, and you'll be fine." I pause and then add, "actually, steer clear of the annoying, mothering act, but otherwise he'd be a fool not to like you."
With an eye roll, June pulls her hand away. "Yeah, yeah, I act all motherly because someone has to." She glances at the mirror across from her and raises an eyebrow. "Does this outfit work?"
