Status: started up! Thanks everyone for you're encouragement

Into Thin Air

Chapter 7

The apartment without Darcy was nothing.

I stared at the quilt that was draped across the top of the couch, remembering the nights that Darcy and I sat cuddled up in it. It seemed so long ago, yet too close. As if any minute, the door would open and Darcy would walk in, smiling and laughing so warmly it lit up the room.

And the porcelain vase in the kitchen, holding a ladle and a wooden spoon. I remembered her standing there, elbow on the table as she leaned over, stirring a pot of soup. I would come up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist and leaning back, lifting her off the ground and causing her to flick soup all over the stove.

All of that seemed to belong to another life now that I knew she was gone. As if I was on the set of my favorite movie that I had seen too many times-I recognized every item in the house, but it just wasn't the same without the cameras, the actors, the lights.

I sat at the kitchen table, staring at the seat where Darcy usually sat. The silence was interrupted by the sound of footsteps, drawing my attention upwards. Kristina entered the room, pulling back the chair I was watching so intently and taking a seat. She placed a first aid kit on the table, which I hadn't realized we owned. Gingerly, she popped it open, taking out its contents. I watched her hands as she rubbed a wipe across my knuckles, flinching when it stung. Neither of us said anything as she bandaged up my hand.

"Kristina, who's you're boyfriend." My tone did not imply a question.

"What?" She seemed taken back and confused.

"The man that you were going to introduce her too. Who is he." I watched her face as she realized what I was implying. She quickly shook her head.

"No, no. Its Robby, Rayden. We didn't want to tell any of the girls because he's the boss. It wasn't him." The idea was dismissed, and we stared at the table in silence, retracing our thoughts.

"Those men that came up to us after work." Kristina said finally. She didn't need to say anything else, our thoughts filled in the blanks in silence.

"I could have just told her I'd pick her up." My voice cut the silence. Kristina's blue eyes looked up at me, not understanding. "She wanted me to get more sleep. She kept saying she'd find a ride. I should have told her no. I could have just picked her up."

"No, Rayden. There's no way that we could have known this. We couldn't have stopped it." I didn't argue with her, but I just sat, letting my thoughts twist my stomach in guilt.

I don't know how long we were sitting there, maybe an hour, maybe two. Eventually, there was a knock on the door. I stared at Kristina, her eyes staring at me. We waited until there was a second knock, before standing and approaching the door.

Standing in the doorway was an older man. He was visibly aged since the last time I saw him, his eyes framed with tiny lines and his forehead showing wrinkles. However he looked better, a certain gleam to his skin that suggested he had left his office and entered the California sun. His hair was brown, mixed with a cool gray, hairline slightly receding. He was wearing an expensive, high end black coat over his button down shirt. He wore slacks and black shoes, carrying a small duffle bag. Our eyes met instantly, lighting up with recognition and giving me a small smile.

"Rayden, it's good to see you again." He said, shutting the door behind him.

"Yes. You look good, Dad."
♠ ♠ ♠
So Rayden called up his dad 0.0

opinions anyone? What will happen next?

You're feedback will most likely make my week, and I'd love for you to check out my other stories.

Also, for those of you who have read the prequel, I'm doing some minor editing on it so it's not weird anymore. I've also posted some of the rewritten chapters on Quizilla, where the story originated, although I don't believe I'll be posting any more because a whole 18 people read them.

Isn't it weird how so much of this website is fanfiction? I can't find any original fictions anymore

Much love and happy holidays :)

<3