Tears In December

chapter eight.

ELIAS

I sat on the edge of my bed, staring blankly at the wall. My room was dark, the only light coming from the street lamp outside my window. I rubbed my eyes, trying to chase away the exhaustion that had settled deep in my bones. Sleep had become a distant memory, replaced by the relentless insomnia that had haunted me ever since the fire.

The fire. The memory of that night was seared into my mind, a constant reminder of what I had lost. I was out with my friends, laughing and carefree, while my family was trapped in our burning house. My parents, my sister, gone in an instant. The guilt was a weight I carried everyday, a burden that kept me closed off from the world.

I glanced at the clock. It was 2 a.m., and sleep once again eluding me. My mind wandered to December, the enigmatic girl who I seem to feel for, have a soft spot for. She was like me in so many ways, closed off, guarded, hiding her pain behind a tough exterior. I saw the same hurt in her eyes that I felt everyday.

But I had to keep my distance. She needed time, space to deal with whatever demons haunted her. I couldn't force my way into her life, no matter how much I wanted to. It was frustrating, this growing need to be there for her. She was mine, even if she didn't realise it yet.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand, a message from Reese. He was my only real friend, the one person who knew everything about my past and still stood by me.

Reese: Practice tomorrow? Need to work on that slap shot.

I typed a quick reply.

Me: Yeah, I'll be there.

Ice hockey was my escape, the only thing that made sense anymore. The physical exertion, the focus required, it was the only time I felt even a little bit normal. And I needed that now more than ever.

The next day, I headed to the rink early. The cold air hit me as I stepped onto the ice, and I took a deep breath, letting it clear my mind. I started skating, pushing myself harder and faster, trying to outrun the memories that threatened to consume me.

As I skated, I couldn't help but think of December. I wondered if she was okay, if she was managing to hold herself together. I knew she was avoiding me, and it bothered me more than I wanted to admit. I kept everyone at arms length, so I was used to people keeping their distance, but with her, it was different.

Reese joined me on the ice, his easygoing nature a stark contrast to my brooding silence.

"Hey, man," he called out. "You look like you didn't sleep again."

I shrugged. "Same old."

He nodded, understanding. "You gonna tell me what's really bothering you, or do I have to guess?"

I hesitated, then deflected. "Just trying to focus. Got a lot on my mind."

Reese gave me a knowing look but didn't press further. "Alright. Let's see if you can keep up."

We practiced for a while, the rhythm of the game providing a welcome distraction. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't shake the image of December from my mind.

Later that day, I decided to clear my head with a run. As I jogged through the town, I spotted December sitting on a bench, staring off into the distance. She looked lost, her usual cold demeanour replaced by something more vulnerable.