Salt

I didn’t sleep easily that night. What I managed to scavenge, it didn’t bring pleasant dreams, often I woke up drowning in my sweat. Either way, it made me never want to fall asleep again.

Zoey left the house at seven, knowing fully well she’d be late to school. My mother was still asleep, and I didn’t hear my dad coming in at all.

Well, I suppose who would want to lie next to a wench like that, anyway?

An empty house made it the perfect opportunity to invite Lu over. Like most sensible people, he wasn’t too keen on my parents – although it was for specific reasons.

While I texted him to come over, I brewed us both up a steaming mug of hot chocolate. I could never make it expertly as Jesse, but I tried, adding more sprinkles on Lu’s mug. His sweet tooth was extraordinary.

When he arrived, he knew just to let himself in. We caught eyes as he strolled through the hallway, looking like the archetype e-boy. With his beanie hanging low on his forehead, it spiked his lilac locks out, each one begging to penetrate into something solid.

Giving me a kiss on the cheek, he dug his hand into the cookie jar before following me into the lounge.

I flicked on the television, which just happened to still be on the news, and left it. If Lu wanted a change, he was welcome of course.

“How are things?” I gently sniffed my drink, inwardly melting when the honey hit all my sinuses.

He laughed.

“That’s something I should be asking you, girl,” Bringing his knees up, and poking my thigh, his smile was soft… and all too inviting.

I hated this.

I hated that I drowned in that stupid lake and I hate that I woke up. Of course, being alive is great and all, but this? All this fretting, these suspicions and lying? It was killing me, I just wanted to think that all of this was a dream; anything, just so I wouldn’t have to do this, to think like this.

Lu was my best friend, my oldest companion. My constant in this lifetime. After all this was done and dusted, where could we go?

Ultimately, I didn’t answer, instead choosing to shimmy closer and rest my head on his shoulder. Gingerly, he lay his down too, abandoning his steamy mug of gooey deliciousness and running his finger through my knotted hair.

I’m not sure how long we stayed like that for, only letting go when the door chimed.

Sharing a brief look with him, I made way towards the front. Peering through the hobnail, I quickly distinguished that they were long gone, whomever they were. Alas, I still opened the door.

The street was quiet, the air calm and collected. Many of my neighbors were outside, huddled in groups, discussing the blood of the day, oblivious to the real-life tragedy happening only a few houses down.

I was about to head back inside when I finally saw the cardboard shoe-box sitting peacefully on my mat.

Bringing it inside, I searched for a recipient, but came out empty-handed. Flashing Lu a quick smile, I took it with me to the kitchen.

It was light, almost too much. Either way, I was reassured we hadn’t been dumped with a litter of puppies – despite how that would be the best probable outcome.

Thinking nothing of it, I tore into it with a knife.

The contents were small. A Ziploc bag stuffed with crepe paper, and a A4 sheet with clear printing on it. Picking it up, I placed it on the counter to read as I unbagged the Ziploc.

My fingers tore through the crepe, and out from it emerged a velvety material. It frayed at the edges, where I watched as granules dropped to the island surface.

Salt.

Heart pounding faster than an applause at the end of a fantastic theater show… I’d come face-to-face with the missing torn up shreds of my dress.

Was it good for you too?