When there's nobody left

“Rissy, come on. Lets go get you cleaned up. You can borrow some of Lucy’s pajamas after your shower.” He got up and walked to me, putting an arm around my waste and guiding me from the room.
I looked up at him, taking in his mahogany hair and clear blue eyes that matched my own. He was still wearing the clothes he had on earlier and his jeans now sported grass stains. He was tall and lanky, built but not buff. His face wore a mask of worry, brow knit in concentration. His full lips were pursed as his mind whirled. He was one of the most beautiful people I knew both inside and out. Cheesy as that sounds, it was unbelievably true. He had a gorgeous body, but his caring personality outshined his outside appearance.
“Rissa? What are you looking at?” Seth’s voice pulled me from my daze. He looked worried but calm, like he had reached a resolution to whatever was troubling him.
“You.” I answered truthfully, staring into his eyes.
His eyes bore into mine, daring me to flinch, blink, or back away. I only burrowed myself further into the crook of his arm as the silent tears continued to flow down my cheeks.
“Seth? Promise me something. Promise me that no matter what happens, you’ll stay with me. Promise you won’t leave me. Everyone leaves Seth, but you can’t.”
I looked up at him, my eyes staring into his. He held my gaze as he slowly raised his index finger and crossed his heart then held out his pinky for me to take. I took it in my own and shook them once.
“Cross my heart, hope to die.” He started our childhood swear.
“Pinky promise. Together for ever.” I finished with a watery smile.
“Now lets go. You need a nice shower. There’s still grass in your hair and you have dirt on your chin too.”
He laughed and pulled me up the stairs and into his bathroom. I took one look in the mirror and gasped. My platinum blonde hair was knotty, blades of grass sticking out at random intervals. Eye make up was smeared across my face and my cheeks were red and blotchy from the constant stream of tears. My blue eyes were full of emotion, sorrow showing through the outside layer of courage. My heart shaped face was crumpled in grief, my body curled in on itself, like I was trying to protect myself from things I could neither deny nor ignore.
“Larissa!” Seth pulled me from my thoughts as he waved a pair of pajamas in front of my face. I hadn’t noticed when he had left to get them from Lucy’s room. He set them on the counter then spun to face me. I turned my back to him and looked over my shoulder.
“Will you help me?” My voice was void of emotion as I stared at him blankly. He must have sensed a platonic urge within me because he simply did as I asked, unzipping the dress and turning around as it fell to the floor.
“Rissy, I’ll be in my room. Call me if you need anything okay?” Seth told me before leaving the room.
“Okay.” I said to the closed door, knowing he couldn’t hear me but needing to respond anyways.
The shower was nice. The scalding hot water felt good against my skin, breaking through the numbing sorrow that has been present since I heard those earth shattering words. I used his shampoo and conditioner, liking the fact that I smelled like him.
Once I was clean, I stepped out of the steamy shower. There was a bright white fuzzy towel waiting for me on the counter. I grabbed it and dried off, loving the feeling of the soft material against my skin. Next, I wrapped the towel around my head, trying to dry off my hair. I set the towel back on the counter and put on Lucy’s pajamas. After that was done, I brushed my teeth, ran a comb through my hair, and walked out the door.
“Seth? Seth?!” When I didn’t see him I became panicked. Where was he? Where could he have gone? He said he’d be right here when I got out!
“Rissa? What’s the matter?” Seth came out of the closet in a pair of sweats and no shirt, looking concerned.
“I-I didn’t know where you went! I didn’t know where you went.” I started to sob uncontrollably.
“I thought you left.” I dropped to the floor and curled into a ball. I was ashamed for acting like this but I couldn’t quell the terror I felt when I came out and Seth wasn’t there. My fear was irrational but I couldn’t quite care enough to stop it.
Seth came to me, sitting on the ground beside me and pulled me into his arms.
“I said I would never leave you Sweetie. I promised. I can’t break a promise, especially one I made to you.”
Seth rocked me back and forth like a sleepy baby, and like a baby, I fell fast asleep. It had been one of the longest days of my existence and I was glad for it to be over.
As I drifted into unconsciousness I heard Seth cooing to me. “I’m here Rissy, right here. I’m not leaving you. No matter what, I’ll be here. I’ll always be here. I love you, Little Sis.”