Fractured

The Night We Met

Trixie stepped up towards the small pedestal-like stage that Violet had had set up at the front of the tea house.

She looked across the audience as she stopped before the mic stand that had been placed up there for her moments earlier, then she inhaled and held her breath momentarily as her eyes wandered past Katya who was now standing at the back wall next to pearl and had her arms crossed over her chest.

Meanwhile Jess had kept her spot at the picnic bench table and was tapping her fingers along the white table cloth.

She exhaled shakily and tried not to think about the conversation they'd had as a group earlier. Trixie put one hand around the base of the mic and proceeded to introduce herself to the audience:

"Good afternoon, uh - I am Trixie-"

she paused and laughed awkwardly as the back wall of her friends began to cheer and clap.

"This is my rendition of Lord Hurons song: 'The Night We Met'"

She smiled warmly and reached over to grab a guitar that was being handed up to her from behind. She thanked the person helping and turned back to the mic and spoke again:

"I hope you enjoy..."

I am not the only traveller
Who has not repaid his debt
I've been searching for a trail to follow; again
take me back to the night we met...

She sang softly as she strummed her guitar and looked across the room, she glanced at Jess who appeared to be listening but was still somewhat more enticed by the table cloth than the music.

And then I can tell myself
What the hell I'm supposed todo
And then I can tell myself
Not to ride along with you

Trixie looked over towards the back wall and found Katya still leaned up against the wall, her hands were dropped next to her waist now and she was gently tapping her foot along to the beat of the strumming.

I had all and then most of you
Some and now none of you
Take me back to the night we met
I don't know what I'm supposed todo
Haunted by the ghost of you
Oh, take me back to the night we met

Trixie smiled softly as Katya met her eyes briefly before looking down and then resting her head back against the wall, relaxing her whole body now.

Trixie closed her eyes and continued to sing along and sway slightly.

When the night was full of terrors
And your eyes were filled with tears
When you had not touched me yet
Oh, take me back to the night we met

Trixie thought back to the last moments she'd had with Katya:

When they were paired up as "buddies" on Katya's first day...

The monastery that one evening and talking about her mom, and the After Thoughts Cafe.

The drawing of her in Katya's sketch book...

When Katya willingly listened to Dolly's music for Trixie - when they had fries and ice cream at McDonald's and Katya kissed her nose.

The last text she had send to Katya before the accident...

Sitting with Katya in the hospital and speaking with her mom.

Trixie could feel the tears stinging at her eyelids now as she sang out the last part of the song - she tried not to let her voice shake as she reminisced on the memories she'd built with Katya.

Still trying to remind herself that Katya was no longer that person... that the accident had changed all of that and that it just didn't work that way and things just couldn't be repaired.

I had all and then most of you
Some and now none of you
Take me back to the night we met
I don't know what I'm supposed to do
Haunted by the ghost of you
Take me back to the night we met

Trixie finished singing and opened her eyes, she grinned as everyone clapped while she stepped off the pedestal area and begun towards the table Jess was sitting at, but before she could get to Jess she heard Violet yell along with a loud thud. She turned to see Katya collapsing onto the ground and Pearl getting down to help her and yell out:

"She's seizing! Call 9-1-1!"

Trixie froze and just stared for a moment, the feeling of being powerless overwhelming her now.

Jess jumped up and ran over to assist Pearl, while Violet pulled out her cellphone and dialled for an ambulance to be sent immediately.

Trixie stood still, everything was going by in slow motion and she couldn't manage to budge or move or do fuck-all but inside she wanted to,  desperately. She felt awful and was dreading any dirty looks that could've been directed at her - but all she could do was stare at Katya with her blonde hair and pale skin as she shook and foamed at the mouth while Pearl and Jess tried to hold her and calm her down... and inside all Trixie could think was:

Take me back to the night we met.