𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙋𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝙏𝙒𝙊
—𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺—
𝙎𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙀 𝘽𝙍𝙔𝘾𝙀 𝘿𝙔𝙇𝘼𝙉 was a teenager, she had always found serenity in the quietness of small spaces. When she lived with her parents, it was her closet in which she spent most of her time. It was odd, but Bryce rigged it up with light garlands and pages of magazines she found interesting. Most of the space was taken up by books— piles of them that were packed away on handmade wooden bookshelves.
But since she had moved into a new home— her own— Bryce had a small office, designated just as her place for peace and quiet. It was less questionable when she hid away in there, and it was the perfect space for everything to fit. And now, as she packed up a few of her books from the office, she knew she was going to miss it.
Every day that she was in Hawaii, Bryce would dream about her home and all she had left behind, despite knowing that she would come back to it. Things like that didn't matter when she was away— when she would come back, or who was missing her. The brunette would be up to her neck in work, and wouldn't have time to sit around and think about how much she missed her cubby-space.
Bryce closes the door behind her, pulling her suitcase as she moved towards her bedroom. She had a plan, like usual, for her packing list. The brunette was going to pack enough clothes for two weeks, along with any other necessities she'd need for that period of time, and would bring her credit card along. And, after the two weeks was up, she would come back if she needed to. Since the letter didn't specify how long she would be staying, it seemed as though she had to guess at what to bring.
The woman glances out her window, the gleam of the sun catching her eye for a moment. But as she folded up her last dress, she dropped it back onto the silky sheets of her bed, and stepped over to the window.
Outside, the sun was peaking just over some buildings in the distance, preparing to fall from the sky. It had been a while since Bryce took the time to sit down and watch the sunset. So she decided that, since she would be gone for a time, she would abandon her responsibilities for a few short minutes to watch. Bryce fully parts the white curtains, opening the window to allow the outside breeze into the room. And, with a quick decision, she pulled her blazer closer to her chest, and climbed out onto the roof of the first story.
The sun was leaving behind a small wave of heat, which was quickly being washed away by a coolness that settled in with the oncoming night sky. But it felt good on Bryce's face, despite how much she wanted to feel the heat a little longer. Below, in the streets, two women were walking side-by-side. Bryce didn't think she recognized them at first, since it was just a short look, but then she found herself calling out to catch their attention.
"Evelyn? Candice?" Bryce raises her eyebrows as they look up in surprise. "What are the two of you doing here, shouldn't you be packing?"
"It's never too late for a sleepover," Candice says, giving Bryce a grin as she holds up a tan bag. "Mind if we spend tonight with you?"
"Of course not," the brunette hides her smile, glad to have company. "As long as you're up to climbing on the roof. I'd like to watch the sunset before packing the rest of my things."
"I brought some cookies, even though it has nothing to do with our current topic," Evelyn interjects, pulling a plastic container from her night bag. "So lets get started with this sleepover, shall we?"
Bryce chuckles as her friends bustle into her home, making their way to the bedroom with their bags. She wondered why they would make a trip here, even though they had so much to do in the morning. All of them would be leaving for Hawaii, and this would be a huge distraction. But, what Bryce realized, is that she really needed a distraction.
"We can pick up our luggage in the morning— before we leave for the train, that is," Candice says as she slips out of the window. "Good lord, Dylan, why must you climb from a window to look at the sun?"
"I haven't done it in a while, and I'm not opposed to watching the sunset one more time before we leave," Bryce shrugs, watching as Candice settles down beside of her.
"I'm sure the sunset in Hawaii will be just as beautiful," Evelyn chimes, not complaining as she climbs onto the roof. "If not, even more so. I can only hope we'll be positioned somewhere next to the harbor."
It wouldn't be the same, though— at least to Bryce. It would be the same sun, but not the same place. And that made all the difference in the world.
"Well, don't tell anyone, but," Candice pauses, leaning a little closer to the other women, "my letter was a little more specific than what you two received. Half of us will stay back to work on the hospital, and the other half will spend most of the day at a pilot sight nearby; to help with procedures of abandonment, of course."
As far as Bryce had heard, only eight nurses had been chosen for the repositioning. That meant four would be with the pilots, while the others would take on their usual routine in a different hospital.
"Procedures of abandonment . . . " Evelyn trails off, furrowing her eyebrows. "What exactly does that mean, Candice?"
"In case of an emergency, a pilot needs to know how to treat certain wounds," the blonde replies, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "Especially when they're in a tough situation, or only have limited time or supplies. Those nurses have the job of teaching them the simplicity of care."
"Why would they need us, then?" Bryce asks, her eyes stuck on the sun that was inching behind the buildings. "If they'll be capable of doing it after a few days, why are they having us move all the way over there?"
"We were recruited because of the nurse shortage," Candice explains. "Most of the nurses on the harbor are out with the pilots that left for Europe; we're there as extras. And since we're pretty high up on the medical and nurse field, we were a better option than most. Besides, Hawaii isn't that far, anyway."
Bryce found herself hoping that she, Evelyn, and Candice would be placed in the same group. It didn't matter which group they were in; as long as they were together, things would be alright. But what if they weren't? The brunette knew that, despite how much she wouldn't like it, she would survive while apart from the others. She'd have the chance to meet new people, and learn new things.
"I'm really going to miss the two of you," Bryce sighs, lying her head on Evelyn's shoulder. "Well, if we're separated, that is."
"We'll all be living at the same house, anyway," Candice assures her, nudging Bryce with her elbow. "You can't get away from us that easily."
Bryce hoped that was true. But for now, she wasn't going to focus on the small things. Her friends were here with her, up on the roof, watching the sunset together.
The sun finally disappeared from sight, leaving the sky in a bright pink of rays. Stars began to peak out from under the clouds, the wisps of white fading away. It was a gorgeous sight; to see the moon glow brighter than everything else around, the air growing cold and the sky going darker. Lights from the houses nesrby began to turn on, and Bryce smiled to herself.
"The two of you can't tell me that you won't be missing that," she lets out a breath.
"I know one thing you won't be missing," Candice giggles. "That pilot that came to the hospital today. He'll be joining us in Hawaii, and you can take up his offer for a date soon enough."
The truth is; Bryce had actually forgotten about Danny. And maybe it was because she was so worrisome, but she wasn't sure if they would actually get around to going out. He seemed nice enough, from what she could tell, and would possibly enjoy it. And one thing that had lurked in her mind since she first met him was his beautiful eyes. She hid the blush on her cheeks, deciding to be nonchalant.
"We'll see," Bryce rolls her eyes at their teasing. "We'll see."
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