Leap Of Faith

Twelve

Persephone had been crying for at least forty minutes before Spencer had come outside. She hadn’t even wanted to cry, she’d just wanted a few moments to herself. And then a shooting star had burst across the sky. The only other time Seph had seen one had been with Alex and that had been a few a years ago when they’d taken a beach holiday to Greece together. Seeing the star had just made her remember that holiday and all the good times they’d had together, and as Seph thought about her dead best friend, the tears had started to fall, turning into loud sobs shortly after.

Spencer had come outside and just been there for her. Without saying anything. This person who she’d known for a day, had bought more comfort to her by just holding her and letting her cry, than Seph’s family and friends had. She didn’t know how long she’d clung to him, but he never made her feel as though he was annoyed with her for crying on him. He’d just rubbed her back and smoothed Seph’s hair, wrapping the blanket that had slipped off her shoulders back around them both. When she was all cried out she pulled away from him and apologised, now exhausted.

“You don’t need to be sorry, Seph. Are you okay now?” he asked quietly, eyes full of concern.

“I think so. Thank you…. for that. It’s actually been so long since someone else has seen me cry but I seem to be doing it a lot around you.”

When he’d found her at the bridge, she’d been crying. It always seemed to happen outside, near large drops. Huh.

Seph thanked him again, reaching up and kissing his cheek lightly before taking herself off to bed, the darkness of sleep coming almost instantly.

…

When she awoke the next morning it was to the smell of bacon cooking and the sounds of clattering coming from the kitchen. Seph checked her phones quickly, seeing messages from her Mum, Edward, and Helen. She ignored the one from Edward, quickly replying to her Mother and then reading Helen’s.

Helen missed her and wondered when she’d be coming back to the city. She’d heard about Edward and was sorry he was such a dick head.

Helen was Persephone’s ‘sort of’ assistant. She’d started working at Lux when she was 17 to Seph’s 23, on a work based apprenticeship and she’d been placed in the Branding and Design department. Despite the age difference, she and Hels had struck up a friendship and she’d been taken on at Lux full time when her apprenticeship had ended.

When Seph announced she was leaving, Helen had begged to come with her and work as her assistant. But Seph couldn’t afford to pay her. So she’d remained at Lux, working her arse off there and then coming to help in the evenings and weekends, wherever she could. Seph had promised her that if TDDQ did ever take off then she’d hire her full time and pay back pay for all her help and efforts. She was genuinely as excited as Seph had been, wanting to be part of something new, and she had an eye for design and detail too, as well as a brain full of ideas.

She was another person who Persephone had shut out when Alex had died, and she knew she’d hurt her by doing so. Seph replied to her message telling her that she missed her too and that hopefully she’d be back in a few weeks. Hels replied almost immediately saying she couldn’t wait to see her and to let her know if she could do anything. Seph had forgotten how kind and caring the girl was, someone else she hadn’t really considered in her decision making process.

Pulling herself out of bed and slipping her shorts and t-shirt on Seph made her way into the kitchen, seeing Spencer plating up bacon and eggs, the bacon only slightly burnt.