Before Dawn: a Prequel Novella to Where the Stars Fall

12 Unfinished business ~ Brian

"Flying back tomorrow already?" I ask Olivia, trying to fill the heavy silence that weights the air as we head west towards Holland Park, to her uncle's. She's been mostly quiet, pensive, looking out the car window.

She hums in agreement, but neither looks at me nor makes any effort to engage in conversation and make the short ride a tad less difficult. In fact, not many words have been exchanged since we left the pub and I'm trying not to force anything.

I tighten my fingers around the wheel seeking to release the tension. Though my face gives nothing away, my head's a mess.

How come in a world of seven billion people I'm ending this sodding day with the one single woman I shouldn't be with?

I'm thinking straight, aren't I? I mean, lightning isn't supposed to strike twice in the same spot, everyone knows about that, it's common sense. Well, except when it forgets where it struck last, I guess. But I haven't forgotten. In fact, it struck so hard it almost knocked me down, and the damage it caused is still vividly imprinted in my memory.

"What time then?"

"In the afternoon," she murmurs so quietly, I can barely understand the words.

I turn on the radio, thinking to fill in the uncomfortable space between us with music. Only Love Can Hurt Like This begins to pulse through the speakers.

Great, as if the mood in here weren't odd and depressed enough.

I quickly change the station.

"No, leave it!" Olivia emerges from her thoughts, hovering her hand over the radio, trying to find the key to set it back.

I control the radio system directly from the steering wheel and do what she asks. She gives me a thin smile, which I half-heartedly return.

"Mind turning it up just a bit louder?" she asks, with her head leant back against the seat and her eyes closed.

"Sure. You like this one?"

It would be nice to get an answer for a change, but she doesn't say anything. Instead, she just hums the song, sometimes singing along.

I force myself to focus on the road, only on the road, but the truth is I'm losing it. It's sending me into a frenzy, the fact I'm running out of time and don't really know what to do next. I'm seriously thinking about pulling some crazy stunt, like... lose myself in the place where I've lived my entire life?

But isn't that the stupidest idea?

It certainly is, but I'm all strung out, barely able to get my emotions under control.

Damn it, I should just leave her at her uncle's once and for all and forget about it! When I see her again, maybe sometime around 2030, I'm certain I'll be over this sad episode.

I glance at her again. She's still singing with her eyes closed, on her face is the same enigmatic expression. And my mind starts reeling, imagining there's some sort of mutual electrifying tension, one that would make me slam hard on the brakes and pull over to the side. To kiss her.

Her temples, her eyelids, the cute freckled bridge of her nose. Her perfect mouth. Her neck, her shoulder.

The exposed shoulder that's been teasing me all day long.

I imagine my hands meandering down her body, her lips murmuring my name, asking me to take her home and–

Stop thinking about the 375 ways this could go badly and do something!