“What’s going on, Micah? Is something wrong?”
“No. I’m fine. I’m almost finished.”
“Forget the stuff, Micah. Stop. Sit down. Tell me. What’s the matter? And don’t bother denying it. I can read you like a book.”
“It’s not...” Hanna’s eyebrow lifted up, halting her ensuing denial. “Fine. I did something stupid and now things are really messed up with Josh, and I just want to go home.”
“What did you do? Oh, please tell me one of you finally confessed your true feelings!”
“What?”
“I have been waiting for years for one of you to come to your senses.”
“Why haven’t you said anything?”
“Neither of you was ready to hear it. But stop avoiding the question. What did you do?”
“I realized...”
“Yes?”
“...that...I’ve fallen in love with Josh.”
“It’s about time.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“So what did you do?”
“I accidentally told him.”
“What do you mean, accidentally?”
“Well, I meant to text Sabina about it, but I had an oops moment and sent it to Josh instead.”
“Classic.”
“How can you be so casual about this?”
“Because you guys are meant to be together. Everyone knows that.”
“No. No one knows that.”
“So, what happened?” Hanna was relentless.
“He doesn’t feel the same.”
“That’s what he said?”
“His exact words were I can’t.”
“Aw, Micah. I’m sorry it went down like that. Give it time. I know you two are meant to be together, and it will all work out eventually.”
Micah stood, dragged her hands across her face and wiped the leftover tears on her jeans. She looked down at the things that still needed to be packed. “Let’s stop worrying about me and keep working on getting you out of here.”
“You’re right. I need to end this chapter of my life as soon as possible. Get back to work.”
* * *
Josh reclined on his couch. His once comfortable apartment now seemed barren and lonely. Everywhere he looked he was reminded of her. She had been woven into every area of his life. He just didn’t function without her.
It had been so painful to see her today and know that he was the one responsible for the hurt in her eyes. He wanted to hold her, to make it all better, but he couldn’t.
The pit in his stomach made itself known. He could remember that night so vividly, the paralyzing guilt from the part he played still fresh. The night he’d vowed to protect Micah. The night she’d permanently become off-limits.
Josh had just pulled into his driveway when his phone rang. It was Drew and he knew exactly what the impending conversation was going to be about. They had spent the evening celebrating Drew’s birthday before the rain had scattered them and forced them all to go home. By this point, Drew must have just dropped off Micah, finally freeing him up to call and let Josh have it.
He was tempted to not answer, but curiosity won.
“Hello?”
“Dude, what’s your problem?” Yup. He was mad.
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t pull that with me, Josh. You know exactly what I’m talking about. What the hell?”
This was a conversation they revisited every couple of months. Josh would forget himself and Drew would catch him staring at Micah. He couldn’t help it. She was a beautiful girl.
“I don’t see what the big deal is. I was only looking. It’s not like I’ve ever touched her.”
“And you never will. Get that through your thick skull. She’s mine! And she’ll always be mine!”
“I know. I know.”
“Oh, damn! No! No!”
Josh held the phone close to his ear, straining to hear what was happening, but the rain pounding on his windshield made it difficult. “Drew?”
Everything was muffled, but the sound of screeching tires was unmistakable. It all happened so quickly that Josh couldn’t distinguish one thing from another. The horrifying sounds of twisting metal and shattering glass pierced through the phone, like nothing he had ever heard before. His breathing halted, his heart rate plummeted. It was as if everything ceased to function in that moment. Then, just as suddenly as it had happened, an eerie silence filled the air.
Panic consumed him. “Drew! Talk to me, man!”
It was faint but he could hear a moan, a painful cry, something.
“Drew, where are you? What happened? Drew, talk to me!”
“Josh.” It was barely audible, but it was something.
“I’m coming, man. Where are you?”
“No.” The word sounded weak, a gasping sound rather than a command. “Promise...”
“Drew—”
Josh strained to hear around the pounding of his own heartbeat.
“Micah...”
“Anything. I’ll do anything, Drew. I’ll protect her, even from me.”
It was alarmingly quiet, except for a muffled gurgling sound and erratic heaving breaths. He didn’t know what to do. Drew was in distress and he had no idea where he was or what had happened. He would have told Drew anything at that moment just to keep him calm.
“I promise, Drew. She’ll always be yours.”
The silence that followed was deafening.
No!
The magnitude of what had just happened hit Josh with a leveling force. His head fell forward onto the steering wheel, a gut-wrenching cry of pain escaping from deep within.
