Where The Dandelions Grow

22 - Swear?

Brandon's POV

"Please, say something," I beg her.

But she doesn't. Echo stays rooted to the floor, her face more expressionless than I've ever seen before, but her eyes are her. Those sad eyes, it's like they're talking back to me. I know they are.

She doesn't speak, but I don't push her to. I needed to tell her how I felt. I needed to tell her that I love her because even with how she stormed off, not answering my calls and making me think the worst was happening to her, I still love her. I've never loved someone as powerful as I love Echo. And nothing is making that change, not even her. I'm convinced she would do be wrong a thousand times over and I'd still fall her feet if she needed me.

I kiss her knuckles softly and nod. "I understand. You can't talk right now," I conclude. "I'm right here. I'll always be here."

Her tears are at full, but she only blinks.

"My gorgeous girl," My voice cracks. "Don't leave me here alone. Come back to me, come home with me, please?"

Silence. I think it's killing me for than if she were to tell me no.

I get up and take her hand with me. She gets up and I hug her.

"Everything's gonna be okay, gorgeous. I'm sorry."

She cries silently in my chest and me in her hair for minutes until I get her house of the apartment and in my car.

She hasn't spoken a word to me. It worries me. Her eyes are bloodshot red, and she looks like she hasn't slept in days.

Who am I to talk though, neither have I. I couldn't sleep, not when I didn't know where my girl was.

Not when I didn't know if she was okay.

I don't care if she broke up with me, ran off, and ignored my call. She'll always have my heart and I was worried as fuck with the entire and when Raven called me and told me to come over the biggest sigh of relief has escaped me. I drove here twenty over the speed limit in a hurry to get to her.

As I drive I give her quick glances. She sits with my jacket around her shoulders, her eyes staring blankly at the dark and empty streets of New York flying by.

"I bought more books," my voice raspy and shot. "I know you like to read my old ones sometimes." Silence. "God, Echo, please talk to me."

Silence.

I inhale, swallowing the pain of her silence. I'll wait for her to talk when she wants to. She'll come around. I know it.

***

I knew it would take her some time to get back to talking with me. But it's been a week since she's said a word to me.

She hasn't showered, left the greenhouse, or spoken.

I've gotten rid of anything she may need to harm herself in my house, but I presume if she really wanted to I couldn't stop her. And the fact that she's still here shows me she does want to stay. She wants reasons to stay. And I'll continue to be her reason. Hopefully not her only one soon.

She loves this greenhouse. The place where her dandelions grow. I knew she'd love having those flowers in here. It's like they're one with her now, she never leaves them.

She sits in the corner of the greenhouse on the dirt and I walk over to sit beside her, resting my arms on my knees.

"Today at work," I start. "I spoke to a caller. She was a girl, young, twenty-one to be exact. She had the most beautiful voice to me—" Echos head turns to look at me with the saddest eyes.