The Tree Remembers

Unless

I kept repeating this mantra as I felt tears well up and I choked them back, desperate not to give into my sadness. I was going to be okay.

"Nephew!" Wayne called out. I cleared my throat.

"Yeah?"

"You've got a visitor."

"Tell Dustin that I showered, and I will see him tomorrow," I replied.

"Eddie, you've got a visitor!" he repeated. I groaned and got up.

"Dustin, dude, I love you, buddy, but I'm going to be okay—"

I threw my door open and froze when I saw my visitor. Wayne grinned at me.

"It was good to see you, Ms. Elle," he said, giving her a quick hug. She smiled and nodded as he stepped back. He looked at me and smiled. "I'm going to go to bed."

"I thought it was early?" I quipped. He grinned wryly.

"Good night, nephew," he replied. We both watched him go to his room, and I looked back at Elle.

She was in one of my favorite dresses – black with different cut outs and designs to where I could see her tattoos that I loved to trace. Her hair was pretty and curled, and she made my chest ache. She smiled shyly.

"Glad to hear you showered," she teased. I felt my mouth twitch into a smile.

"Yeah – it was touch and go for a couple of days," I said. "Dustin told me I needed to."

"He's a good friend to do that," she remarked. I nodded. She took in a deep breath. "I don't really know how to start."

"It's okay," I replied, jamming my hands in my pockets. She ran her hand through her hair, and I wanted to bury my face in her neck and smell her.

I shook my head. God, I was creepy.

"I...I miss you," she said awkwardly. I felt my chest tighten, and I had a glimmer of hope. "I miss our...I miss our friendship."

The hope was gone. She still just wanted to be friends. I sighed and blinked hard, trying not to cry. She took a step forward and I stopped her.

---

"Stop, don't, Elle," Eddie ordered, holding his hands up. I froze, suddenly petrified. His face was twisted in pain, and he set one of his hands on his hip.

"Don't what?" I pushed, suddenly feeling like Eddie probably did when he pushed me all of those times. He looked down.

"I can't...you can't get any closer," he insisted. I felt my heart stop and my face got hot. My eyes welled with tears.

"I can't get close to you?" I asked pathetically. He looked up at me, his mouth twisting.

"No, Elle. You can't get close to me. You can't get close to me unless," he started. He sighed and shook his head. I felt a glimmer of hope and wanted to chase it.

"Unless?" I continued. He looked me square in the eye.

"You can't come any closer unless you want to stop being friends."

The hope disappeared. I felt my shoulders drop.

"We can't be friends?" I asked, crestfallen. He shook his head.

"No. If you get any closer, we aren't friends anymore," he said. I blinked hard and kept telling myself not to cry. He took another breath. "We have to be more than friends."

The silence was tense, and he watched me carefully. I felt my chest burn and wanted to leap for joy. I kept my face trained and neutral as I sighed.

"More than friends?" I continued. He nodded.