I think I fell asleep for a while though it hadn’t been my intention. When I woke, I could tell it was dark outside, early evening probably. I glanced at my phone for the time and didn’t bother opening Remi’s twenty or so messages. She’d called me a bunch too but I was too sleepy to bother calling back.
It felt colder than earlier so I decided to go find some kind of blanket. I didn’t want to sleep on the beds as we didn’t have any un-dusty sheets but I was sure I saw a few old, knitted throws upstairs in one of the cupboards. It would do for tonight.
As I walked through into the hall, I almost jumped in surprise as I heard a knock from the front door. Who in the hell was that? No-one knew I was here.
Actually, it could be that gardener guy. Maybe he lived nearby and saw the lights on. Or perhaps it was an axe murderer. It’d be great if the door had a peephole so I could see whether I was about to be killed or not but these old barn houses tended to not have small luxuries like that.
Frowning, I crossed the short distance to the front door and braced myself as I turned the lock and yanked it open. Apparently, I didn’t brace myself quiet enough, though, because it suddenly felt like I’d walked into a solid, iron wall.
It couldn’t be.
But how could it be anyone else? No-one looked like her. No-one else had those eyes, that hair. She was instantly recognisable even in a crowded room, hell a busy airport.
Raegan.
Standing right there in the flesh and blood and staring at me like I was the one who'd appeared out of nowhere.
Had I been asleep too long and began seeing things? It just wasn’t possible. Nope.
As I was having an internal battle with myself, my heart began racing in my chest as I looked out at her on the doorstep. She was staring right back at me and was apparently just as lost for words.
But if she was here, as in physically, really here, then that meant... meant she was alive and...
‘You’re-’ I began before breaking off. My mouth was too dry to even speak. It hadn’t been that dry before. It’s like my own body was betraying me. How could I have so many thoughts but so little words?
‘Hey,’ Raegan said before closing her mouth again with the tiniest of winces.
Her voice. I definitely wouldn’t be able to imagine her voice this clearly. It was right there in my ears. Then again maybe I’d just lost my mind. Crazy people heard voices. At least that's what they said in the movies.
‘Raegan,’ I said, surprised my voice didn’t break. I’d tried not to think about her name let alone say it out loud. It had been too long. ‘You’re here? Am I hallucinating?’ I asked myself, not realising I’d spoken out loud until I got a reply.
‘Unfortunately, for you, no. You’re not hallucinating,’ Raegan said quietly.
I hadn’t realised it but my fingers were biting into the door tightly and I had to force myself to loosen my hold else I'd have a handful of splinters.
This was most definitely real. I don’t know how it was possible but she was right here. After weeks of being gone, disappearing without a second thought, here she was right in front of me. I’d spent nearly every waking minute wanting to see her again and now that she was right here in front of me, I had no idea what to say.
Mind blank.
‘Why are you here?’ I managed to get out, straightening up now. My sleepiness seemed to disappear in an instant.
She looked down before replying unable to meet my eyes. It reminded me of the day before she told me everything. She hadn't been able to look at me then either. Was it shame? Sadness?
