The Only Two Things

Run

The intercom buzzed, and Caitlin got up to answer it, before unlocking the door.

Kelly walked in, with a devastated-looking Liam in tow. They laid eyes on A.J. as soon as they walked in, and Caitlin introduced them.

"Kelly, Liam, this is A.J... my girlfriend."

Liam looked surprised, but immediately went to hug A.J. to greet her.

Kelly smiled at Caitlin, but Soph could tell there was something weighing on her mind that was too heavy to be happy for her. " I knew it. I picked it years ago. Congrats babe."

Caitlin blushed, as Kelly also hugged A.J. But almost as soon as they broke apart, the intercom buzzed again.

Soph already knew who it was, but she wasn't prepared for him to look like this.

As Caitlin opened the door, Soph's heart dropped, as into her apartment walked an extremely tired, dishevelled-looking Ciaran. He looked like he hadn't slept in days. He had dark circles under his eyes that destroyed her. His normal smart-casual work clothes were replaced by a hoodie. The same one she'd worn when he'd taught her to ride a bike. The memory of it, and the sight of him... she felt the tears well up in her eyes instantly. She felt her jaw shaking, and her chin start to quiver, as a cold chill ran down her spine.

She'd done this to him.

Kelly looked at her, and looked at Ciaran. And then she turned to Liam, seething.

"Look at them, Liam. Look at the state of both of them?"

"I don't know how many times you need me to say I'm sorry, Kel. I'm sorry. I didn't..."

"You didn't what? Think? " Kelly spat.

"No. I didn't think." Liam said, quietly.

"Neither did you, though, Kelly." Ciaran spoke, and it sent a stab of pain through her. She hadn't realised how badly she'd missed the sound of his voice. But it was bitter. Angry. Sad.

But before anyone had a chance to speak again, he looked toward her bedroom door, nodding his head toward it. He wanted to talk to her. His eyes were pleading with her.

She knew she wasn't going to be able to sit in the same room as him like this. The overwhelming urge to make him feel better, to make him happy, to do anything he asked of her. That urge was stronger than any uncertainty she felt.

She nodded, and stood up to join him, and he sighed a gentle breath of relief. The others watched in silence as they walked down the hall together. It felt so foreign to have such a coldness between them. Such a distance. They'd never known distance like this. It had been almost a week since she'd last seen him, but she'd never felt further away from him than she did in that hallway.

She sat down on her bed, bringing her knees up defensively in front of her. He closed the door behind them, and sat down next to her, facing her, his hand on the bed just next to her foot. He looked like he wanted to touch her, but wasn't sure if he was allowed to. Soph could read the torture on his face.

Why had she hurt him like this?

"Are you okay?" he whispered.

She gave him a small nod. "Caitlin's been a godsend, no pun intended."

Ciaran smiled a little.

"Are you okay? You don't look it." She whispered.

"Yeah... not really."

A silence lingered between them.

"Are you still coming on Saturday?"

Soph swallowed, her tears welling up again. "I didn't think you'd want me to."