We Were

This close he could see the moisture gathering in her grey eyes- like the North Atlantic before a storm. She’d always been an angry crier- it was a fact that irritated her to no end. Her face was red with rage, and he knew she was desperately trying to reel in her temper. Her jaw was clenched so tight she thought it might crack, letting all the spiteful words spill out from behind her teeth. Before the tears could fall she turned, stalking towards the other side of the room and bringing a hand up to swipe at her eyes.

“Naed-” He had no idea what he was going to say, so he was almost grateful when she interrupted. 

“Don't.” She snapped, whirling around to face him. He’d forgotten how loud she could be, how sharp she could make her voice. It had been a long time since he was on the receiving end of her anger. If it weren’t so serious, he may have smiled. She had always been the fire to his ice- the only one he would melt for. 

They were mirrors, Yin and Yang. The reflection of each other's soul. Even their names were the inverse of the other. Naed and Dean- the dynamic duo. They were born within moments of each other. Had been best friends since childhood. She was loud and passionate, with a quick temper to boot. He was quiet and reserved, always level-headed. She had brought him out of his shell, while he had soothed her wild emotions. They had been a resting place for each other's secrets, dreams, feelings. They had understood each other better than anyone else. 

How had they become such strangers?

“I’m not leaving to hurt you,” He shoved his hands into his pockets, wishing he could remember how to reach out to her. “Things are just different now.” She took a deep breath, looking up towards the ceiling and blinking- something she’d always done to try and stop her tears from falling. 

“They don’t have to be! Things can go back to the way they were. Please. Please.” The desperation in her voice made him wince. She had always been the strongest of the two. The protector. Listening to her beg just sounded so wrong. 

“You know they can’t.” Because he couldn’t look at her the same. 

“I did it for you, you know. To protect you.” The fight had gone out of her, as quick as it came. The tears finally spilled down her cheeks, her hands coming up to wipe them away. He wished he could do something to comfort her. It was his fault things were like this, after all. 

~~~

He’d been seeing someone for a few months- Ayda. They’d met at work. He’d been infatuated from the start. He’d always had a hard time connecting to people, his icy exterior keeping them away. But Ayda had looked past all that. She’d welcomed him into her life so easily. If he’d only known that she just wanted a punching bag.

That night- the night that everything changed- had been the worst. He’d called Naed in a panic after locking himself in the bathroom. Blood was spilling from his head. Ayda was switching between screaming threats, and gentle coaxing. She just needed to get him within reach, so she could finish what she’d started.

“Naed! Please, I- I’m s-s-so scared. She’s going to kill me, she-she-” His voice was barely audible as he choked on his fear. 

“It’s okay, Dean, I’m coming. I’m on my way.” Her voice was so gentle, so soft. He heard her truck pull up to the house, heard the front door slam open. Ayda was stomping away from the bathroom, screaming as she went. He expected to hear Naed shout back, but he didn’t. The loudest person he knew, and he couldn’t hear her. 

He wasn’t sure how long he waited in the bathroom. Everything hurt, and he was so dizzy. Then Naed was there and she was pressing a towel to his head, calling an ambulance. 

“Where’s Ayda?” 

“She left. Don’t worry, I won’t let her hurt you anymore.” He was taken to the hospital, stitches put in his head, diagnosed with a concussion. The police asked him questions. They asked Naed questions. A few days later and they had even more questions when Ayda went missing. Of course, they suspected him. They found it hard to believe that a man like him was the victim. They suspected Naed, too. 

In the end, they never found Ayda.  

“Do you know where Ayda is?” The question had rested on the tip of his tongue for so long. Every time he saw her it got heavier, ballooning in his throat until it was all he could think of. Part of him was afraid to ask, but more of him needed to know. Naed had only looked at him, but it was all the answer he needed. He was supposed to be the quiet one. He’d never realized how good she was at keeping silent. 

There were so many ways that things could have turned out differently. If he had never dated Ayda. If he had been strong enough to leave her. Instead, he had stained Naed’s hands with blood.

~~~

“I know.” They were at a standstill. So close, and yet farther than they’d ever been. She had been a constant in his life- every memory was tangled up with her. He wasn’t sure who he would become, without her. But he knew he couldn’t stay. They stared at each other for a few moments, and he wondered what he should say. There wasn’t anything, though, that would make his leaving less harsh, so he turned away without a word. 

“I’ll never regret what I did. You are my best friend. Even if you don’t feel that way anymore, it won’t change that. We were best friends.” He paused, taking one last look over his shoulder. Then he walked out the door.