Halfway There | COMPLETE ✔ + Sequel

HWT Sequel - 06

For the first time in what felt like a really long time, I was actually completely alone with Nova.

    We walked side by side in a random direction away from the motel. He tucked his hands into his pockets and kept a watchful eye on the open sidewalk and road ahead of us while I focused on my feet. Our steps somehow managed to sync themselves to be in perfect time. I watched as his focused expression carried his thoughts somewhere else.

    It didn't matter how much you've been through or how strong you are, if anyone else had the same stress, responsibility and things to worry about as Nova they would absolutely crumble. It felt as if everyday that passed there was another thing to add to the already unbelievable amount of weight on his shoulders.

    In our past life we would have shared the burden. We would have found a way to distribute the weight with each other so that neither of us would drown. Now we were both carrying secrets that could only be compared to anchors tied to our ankles. He kept where he would go off to on his own a secret and I kept Bradley's phone call a secret.

    "What's on your mind?" He asked unexpectedly.

    I looked at him wide eyed, wondering if maybe he might have read my facial expressions. "I-Uh, what do you mean?"

    "The reason you're having trouble sleeping?" He clarified with a raised eyebrow.

    "Oh," I finally let out a breath of relief, "Yeah, uh, you know, just the usual. I was actually thinking about how this is the first time that we've been alone together since Monteclair." I played with the ends of my severely damaged hair.

    He looks down at me and clears his throat, "Is it?"

    "Yeah. Monteclair feels like it was forever ago. Like we've lived entirely different lives since then."

I'm looking down at my feet again but I don't need to look at him to hear him smile as he scoffs, "It's probably because you're not sleeping enough."

His attempt at a joke only irritates me. "You're one to talk." I mutter.

"I need to stay-"

I cut him off before he continues, "Alert. Yeah, yeah, I know. But how alert can you be if you only sleep 3-4 hours a night?" I look up at him.

"First you're keeping track of how much I eat and now you're timing how much I sleep?" He smiles but I can see the flint of annoyance behind his eyes.

"My bed is always the one closest to the door and you always put your cot in between any window and door. Sometimes, we're lying awake staring at the same ceiling."

He raises an eyebrow at me, "Do we?"

"I just..." I take a deep breath, "Sometimes I don't want you to feel alone. I don't want you to feel alone because I know that's when you think of Stella the most."

And just like that, with that one sentence, the entire mood shifted. I could see, even from where I was, his shoulder tense. His emotional wall immediately barricaded himself in. I sigh as he says nothing and continues to stare up ahead at nothing in particular.

"I love her, ya'know? I miss her too." I say.

He finally speaks, "She's safe."

"You can still miss her." He still doesn't look at me.

"I-She..." It's always a surprise to me when he stumbles over his words, "I don't want to talk about her."

I nodded, "I understand."

I press my lips together for a moment and before the silence can get too thick I speak again, "It just feels like... we used to be best friends. At one point we were each others rock. And I get that we're not," I gulp before getting the word out, "together anymore but we used to be the only people in the world we used to be able to talk to. I just miss my friend, sometimes."