I’ve been in the room mostly, just wondering what I’m supposed to do now. it seems like I’m just meant to be a sitting duck.
I haven’t eaten since we arrived so the queasy feeling in my stomach shouldn’t surprise me. Nor the headache that snuck up on me. Both are what you get when you don’t eat enough.
It’s just that there’s too much going on and I’m on edge. I’m on edge just being here, knowing Tristan is in the same house. We haven’t spoken since last night.
It’s night again. Another day has passed by and I’m one step closer to the end. What’s filling my soul with angst is I don’t know what the end looks like. I won’t know what the and will look like until I get there.
There’s a knock at my door. It makes me jump at the sound because it cuts through the silence.
“Come in,” I call out. I’m grateful to see Candace come in but I bite the inside of my lip when I see the tray of cookies and cupcakes she’s carrying in one hand and the giant tub of ice cream in the other.
“Don’t even try to tell me you don’t want to eat. You didn’t come down to dinner. I’m not having you faint on me again.”
I giggle and I have that appreciation again for her friendship.
“Candace you’re like the sugar fairy.” I smile.
“That’s fine. I’m happy to be that. Come let’s eat. These muffins are still hot from the oven.”
That’s why they smell extra nice.
“Thank you. I will eat.”
She makes her way to join me on the bed and sets the tray down.
“I was thinking we could watch some films, just until we’re tired or fall asleep.”
I smile at that. “That would be cool.”
“Nothing takes your mind off like a little sugar and a great film. What do you feel like watching?”
“You pick. I think the average person would consider my choice of films boring.”
“I’ll have to raise you one on that since I’ve seen Gone with the Wind a hundred and one times and I could watch it again a few more times.”
I gasp. “What, you like films like that? That’s exactly me.”
“No way.”
“Yes, so you should know that I beat you because I’ve seen it two hundred times.”
She starts laughing. “This is gonna be good. I’ve never met anyone who was into classic films. I like anything though.”
“My mom got me into watching classic films. She loved all of them.”
“For me it was just something I got into. The older the movie the better. Look at as talking about films.” She beams. “See, good distraction, if only for tonight. Do you feel better for laughing?”
“Yeah, I do.” I reach for a muffin and start eating. It taste amazing and opens up my tastes buds to want more. “These are amazing.”
“Thank you. Eat up we have plenty. I thought it might help you to settle in, especially being in another strange house, and I … noticed you looked a little off all day.”
“Yeah… things are going to change again. In a big way.”
“Change could be good. Especially when it’s in line with your goals.”
“Yeah. I just wish…” I’m wary of how much I say. I can’t say much if anything at all.
She reaches out and touches my hand. “I’m sure whatever he chose to do was well thought out,” she says and I gaze at her.
She said he.
“Tristan,” she clarifies. “Tell me to mind my own business if you want but I sensed you must be sad because of him and not because of the situation. I guessed you stopped wanting to escape awhile back.”
I release a labored sigh and relax my shoulders. “It’s wrong of me to feel anything.”
“Why? Who says it’s wrong? Especially if you seemed to like each other before he took you.”
“I don’t know.”
“What did he say?” she looks curious.
“This week is goodbye. That’s basically it. It’s goodbye and I wish it wasn’t.”
“I know him Isabella and I assure you he would have thought about all sorts of things before he made that decision. I saw the way he looked at you and what I saw was his heart. I haven’t seen him look at anybody like that.”
It means a lot to hear that. “Thanks for saying that.”
“It’s true. Sometimes it helps to hear what others can see. That’s what I saw when I looked at him.” She gives my hands a gentle squeeze. “This week is going to be a very difficult week. We’ll