*Chapter 8: Upstairs*
345 Words
“I’ll be there in 20.”
Adrian hung up and drove.
The house was dark except for the porch light.
Lily opened the side door before he knocked. Sweatpants. Hair down. Eyes tired.
“You came,” she whispered.
“You said just to talk.”
She nodded, then closed the door behind him.
They stood in the kitchen for a minute. The silence was heavy.
“I’m leaving tomorrow,” she said finally. “To my sister’s. I can’t do this here anymore.”
Adrian nodded. “Yeah. Probably for the best.”
She looked at him. “Come upstairs with me. Not to— I just don’t want to be alone tonight.”
He should’ve said no.
He didn’t.
Her room was half-packed. Suitcase by the door.
She sat on the edge of the bed. He sat next to her, leaving space.
They talked for a while. Low voices. About leaving. About Ethan. About how tired they both were.
At some point the talking stopped.
One of them moved first. The other didn’t pull away.
It wasn’t about love. It wasn’t about the future.
It was two people in a house that felt too big, making one more mistake because they didn’t know how to stop.
After, the room was quiet.
Lily pulled the blanket up and stared at the ceiling.
Adrian sat up, elbows on his knees.
“This was a bad idea,” she whispered.
“I know.”
“Are you leaving too?”
“In the morning.”
She nodded. Didn’t cry. Just looked exhausted.
At 4am she walked him to the door.
“Don’t text me,” she said. “Don’t come back. Let’s end it here.”
Adrian nodded. “Okay.”
He left.
Didn’t look back.
---
*Two days later*
*Lily: I’m at Mia’s. I’m okay. Don’t come looking for me. It’s better this way.*
That was it.
Ethan filed a week later.
Adrian got his own place.
And at 1am sometimes he still woke up, listening for a knock that would never come again.
- Writer
