Facing Reality

by Sienna Atwell

“This is the second time you’ve had to provide medical assistance to me in less than a week. You must think I’m so high maintenance,” I joke. “Not at all,” he says as he rubs the alcohol over my cut. The sudden burning pain catches me completely off guard. I screech and yank my hand away. “Owwwww!” He glances up, not even trying to hide his amusement. “Okay, maybe a little high maintenance.”

“And for the record,” he turns to face me then, his turquoise gaze swirling with an emotion I can’t identify, “you don’t look ridiculous. I’m pretty sure you couldn’t look anything but beautiful, even if you tried.”

“Feel better?” One side of his mouth lifts up. And my eyes automatically zoom in on his lips. I bit that bottom lip last night. And he liked it. I feel a flush of heat rush over me. He leans down again, and I can feel his breath as he speaks. “You’re going to have to stop looking at me like that for this to work though.”

“The truth is I want you. Any way I can have you. And I was an idiot for trying to convince myself otherwise.” I close my eyes and lean my cheek into his palm. “I miss you, Elizabeth. So fucking much, it’s hard to breathe.” The desperation in his voice has my eyes opening again. I pull back to meet his tormented gaze, and all I want to do is make it better. “I miss your smile.” His thumb runs over my bottom lip, sending a shiver up my spine. “I miss your laugh. It’s the most beautiful sound in the world and I haven’t heard it in days. I hate that.” His eyes soften as they sweep across my face. “I miss the way you used to look at me. Before I fucked everything up. But most of all, I miss you. I miss your heart. I miss watching you pretend like you don’t have one, and I miss being the only person close enough to see that you’re lying.”