Billy's POV
In almost every letter I receive from Jo, there's a recurring theme. I want to see you.
I want to see her too. I want to brush her soft skin with my fingers. I want to look into those eyes. I want to hold her hand.
I want to do other things to her too, but that can come later. Josephine is.. different. I don't think she has much experience in that department.
I know I can't see her. I've realized that's impossible. But I want to give her something. Something more than a letter. I have an idea but I'm a little worried.
Jo says she talks to her tree.. whatever the fuck that means. Like I said, she's different. And I love it.
It was happening today. Our meeting. The plan was for me to sit on my side of the fence about thirty minutes before she comes out. I'll be out of sight.
Josephine will resume her usual position under her tree with a book in her arms. And we can talk. It won't send off a red flag because she talks out there anyways.
I can't wait to hear her voice again. To be able to respond immediately and get a response back instead of waiting for days. I hope this works.
Josephine's POV
Here we go again. I close my eyes. I try to pretend it's not happening. But today, something is different. I can't close my mind off.
I'm not floating and watching this horrid scene from above. I feel him. And I begin to cry. He hates when I cry. He says a few things to me. Things I won't say. Things so bad I want to die.
I want to die a lot. I think it would feel like freedom.
He turns my face to his. A punishment for crying. Normally I'm allowed to look away. Now I must stare into the black holes.
I want to slam my head into his. I want to push him off of me. His thumb comes near my mouth and I want to bite it until he bleeds. I want to make him feel pain.
Then I remember. I get to hear his voice today. I get to lean against the solid trunk of my favorite tree and listen to him talk.
I've never been so excited. I know it's a risk. But I think I'd risk anything for this. For him. For happiness.
O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?
I know it has a tragic ending but mine and Billy's will not. I will make sure of it.
I can't stop my tears from falling. I normally have a good bit of control. But today, I feel everything.
I won't tell my tree about the things I'm feeling in this moment. It's too dark, even for her.
*******
Billy's POV
"I need you to go to the store." I hear my dad call from the living room. "I have plans." I mutter as I dab on some of my favorite cologne. I know I can't see her, but I can still smell nice.
I hear him stomping his way down the hall as I straighten up my shirt. "I need you to go to the store." he says again. His tone is darker. I'm supposed to be at the fence in ten minutes.
Fuck, Billy. "I have plans." I say again, knowing it's the wrong thing to say. My dad steps closer to me and I turn to face him. "Are you looking for an ass whooping?" he threatens.
This one is gonna be bad. One of the worst. But it's worth it. I'm not missing my time with her.
I give him a cocky smile to speed up the inevitable. "I guess I am." I say.
SMACK
Josephine's POV
I slip on my white dress. I only have white dresses. It's all he has bought me. I wonder if Billy likes white.
I know he can't see me but I fix my hair extra special today. A little braid wrapped around my head like a crown. I look at myself in my broken mirror.
One day I couldn't take it. The feelings inside of me were too much and I shattered it.
Like he has shattered me.
I didn't mind. I don't like looking at myself much anyways. It only makes me sad. I don't think I'm ugly or beautiful. I don't care about that. My eyes made me sad.
I didn't like it because I saw the girl in the film. The one I told you about. The one I felt bad for. I didn't like to see her sad.
"Thirty minutes."
"Yes, father."
It's time.
I hurry to the fence and press my back against the tree. I open my book and glance at the glass doors. He's watching. I make sure to look up at my tree as I speak.
"Billy?" I whisper.
Nothing.
I try a little louder this time. Not too loud but maybe he didn't hear me.
"Billy?"
Again, silence.
Don't cry. Don't cry. My chest is rising and falling quickly. I needed this today. I needed him.
I hear a scuffle and then a "shit!" Billy.
"Jo?" Billy's voice comes through the fence and I laugh. I actually laugh. I don't know the last time I laughed.
"Hi." I whisper. Don't turn. Don't look towards the fence. But he's so close.
"I'm sorry I'm late. Ran into a little trouble." Billy says calmly.
"Are you okay?" I ask immediately. He chuckles and my heart starts beating even faster.
"I'll be just fine. It's.. um.. it's so good to hear your voice." he says softer this time.
I smile and I think I even blushed a little. I catch a whiff of something in the breeze. He smells delicious. I sigh blissfully and lean my head back against the tree, closing my eyes.
"I'm so happy you're here." I breathe.
"Josephine, we need to talk." Billy says and I know what he's going to say. He's going to ask me about the monster. I avoid it in our letters but there's no avoiding it here.
"Billy..." I start. Saying his name alone makes me giddy.
"What happens over there, Jo? Are you safe? I just.. I know you don't wanna talk about it but I worry. I've heard him scream.. is he like Neil.. does he hit you?" he rambles.
"Sometimes. Sometimes worse." my voice is barely audible as I speak.
Billy is silent on the other side. I hear him repositioning himself closer to the fence and my breath hitches.
"Jo.." he says softly and I glance down to see the tips of his fingers under the fence.
I scoot a little closer and slide my hand through the dirt. As our fingers make contact I smile. It's not a lot. Barely a brushing of fingertips. It's not enough.
I try to push my hand closer to his. To feel more. I'm frustrated and I start to cry. I sniffle as I see his hand scrape against the wood, forcing it's way under the fence.
Again, not enough but this time I was able to rub my thumb across his hand. "I want to see you." I say through my tears.
Maybe this was a bad idea. I am longing for a touch I can't have. I wanted his voice to be enough but it isn't. I need him closer.
*******
It's been three weeks of our meetings at the fence. It was hard being so close and so far at the same time but I was happy, though I craved more.
"Billy, do you ever dream of getting out of here? Going somewhere far away. I wish you could take me away." I say quietly.
"Where would we go?" he says, his voice is dreamy. I swear I can hear the smile.
"Anywhere, everywhere." I say quickly.
"No destination.. just us." Billy replies.
"Sounds like a dream." I say, biting back unexpected tears.
"What if it wasn't a dream, Josephine? What if it was reality?" Billy asks and I hear the flick of a lighter.
What does he mean?
Smoke wafts over through the tiny cracks in the fence. My nose used to scrunch up from the smell but now I welcomed it. It reminded me of him.
The glass door slides open and he's there. Time's up.
I can't say goodbye. He's too close so I stand up and make my way across the yard. The dirt soft under my bare feet.
I walk past him and try to go to my room. I feel his hand grasp my arm and he spins me around. "Father?" I say, there's something in his face that has me worried. Confused.
He yanks me closer to him and sniffs my hair.
"You smell like cigarettes and cologne." he grumbles. I look up at him and see that look. He knows.
And then I do the stupidest thing I could do. I try to run. I try to flee. I don't have a plan. I just want to get to him. I yank my arm free and sprint towards the glass door. It's still cracked slightly.
I grab the handle and feel his hand on my hair again. "Billy!" I scream as loud as I can before my face is slammed into the glass door and everything goes black.