Shot In the Dark

Talk

Lewis emerged into the kitchen where Mariana was making dinner with an unreadable expression on his face, she tilted her head in a questioning way trying to understand the confusion and understanding that clouded his face...

"Toto's lost his phone again I just tried phoning him about the hideous Renault in his garage that man is a billionaire honestly it baffles me, anyways I'm going in the movie room to watch Smokey & the Bandit its a classic you can't beat it... sorry I was supposed to be inviting you come watch with me when you've finished this house is scary in the dark man." Lewis evidently shivered before chuckling and walking up to the movie theatre in the top left corner of the house, Mariana sighed today had been so overwhelming but I guess that happens when you lock yourself away in a cottage high in the Austrian mountains for three months.

After reorganizing the kitchen to its former glory, much to the future dismay of Susie, Mari made her way upstairs with a tube of pringles that would serve as her dinner and Lewis's who she had not seen eating since this morning, and a maintaining of stocks in the kitchen suggested he too was functioning on a very empty stomach. Leaning against the soundproof padded door the darkened room revealed itself to her in all of its unseeable glory, little spotlights guided her down the three steps to the first row of seats where none other than Lewis was sat (wait sprawled is more appropriate) in a loose grey tracksuit, with a lazy smile etched across his face ,almost as if it was forbidden to be content in another's presence he straightened up at the sight of Mariana who lucked confusedly at the blank screen until a throat was cleared.

"you don't have to tell me anything we can just sit here" he whispered almost as if he was not quite sure where they stood with each other, and as she met his hazel eyes they pooled with a hidden sadness  that know she truly looked could be seen etched across his face, releasing a sigh Mari flopped backwards on the seat next to Lewis before looking at the ceiling.

"Jack always wanted the roof to have the little star lights like in a Rolls Royce he pestered Toto about it so much in 2018, I remember having to lure him out of the office Toto was stressed that year never seemed to sleep I used to arrive at half five in the mornings to find him awake already in the gym or working every waking moment, almost as if he wanted to escape something it never worked they left early that year... I haven't been back since decided Uni was the best place to be ,realizing at some point although I can't for the life of me pinpoint where that I was also running from something by staying deadly still, so although Toto's mindset scared me and Susie slightly he's my biggest inspiration beside my pa..." silence a shaky breath fell from Mariana's lips maybe she was not as ready as she thought she was.

Mari felt a tingle on her hand but as she looked down to itch it the tingle disappeared weird, glancing up at Lewis his head flicked away from her and towards the ceilings mirroring her position from mere seconds ago "I don't stay in the same place to run from my thoughts, I run to stay still, my biggest fear is that for some reason if I stop it will all come crumbling down around me it nearly did once just when I slowed down to reevaluate. With deceleration the lights are no longer streaks but all the painful things you tried to hide and they're trying to ram you down and the only plausible reaction I have is to slam the accelerator to the floor praying to god that nothing hits me head on cause I don't think I could survive..."

"you have"

"Have I though?"

Mari pushed the open pringle tube onto his lap and as Lewis looked down once more she rose brushed her trousers down catching his attention "I'm heading home see u tomorrow" bouncing up the stairs Mari paused as she opened the door "it's not how bad the car looks after the crash it is the willingness we have to escape to never give up"  and with that the door fell closed gently as Lewis found interest in the image of the ceiling with stars in it, a cool idea to be fair he thought, as his eyes fluttered closed.