by Emma Cole
“Remi?” It’s Eli. “Can I come in?” I keep my voice steady. Enough with the crying.
“I don’t think so Eli. Can you just please go? I’ll see you later alright? I just want to be alone right now please. I don’t want to talk about any of it right now.” I hear him move away from the door. It hurts. I know I won’t see him like this again. I can’t. Not as long as he’s here. As long as they’re here. My plans with Alex seem impossible again. Just like when my life got postponed after my dad. I don’t want to think about seeing any of the three in public. I’m frantic and numb at the same time. I think maybe I’m in a bit of shock. I have the worst luck ever.
I go over the room and check that I didn’t leave anything. The only other places I need to check would be the living room or kitchen. After I hear it get quiet and several doors close I make my way out with the dirty bedding. I get to the laundry room and put it in to wash. I decide to leave the soap I bought. I can get more. The less to carry out of here the better. I want to be gone before anyone comes out of their rooms. I check the dryer and see I have clothes in there, taking them out I quietly head back to my room. I dump them in the open suitcase and quietly go back out. Grabbing the few things I see of mine, I take them into my room to put them in the totes. I decide not to worry about the clothes I took off in Eli’s room, no way am I going to go in there to get them. I can’t talk to him right now. I get the suitcases down to my car just as it’s getting light outside. I go back for a tote, I’ll have to make another trip for the last one. I write a quick note to Eli that I’m sorry, but I can’t stay here and that I left the bedding in the wash. I slide the note under his door on my way to get the last tote. There’s a package wrapped in bright purple paper on my bed. The tag says Love, Eli. He must not have been sleeping. I appreciate him giving me my space for now. I put the package in my backpack so I can open it later. He knows I’m leaving and being the sweetheart he is he’s not going to try to stop me. I don’t doubt for a minute that he won’t track me down soon, or maybe not depending on what the guys told him. I don’t know how this mess happened. There is no way this is complete coincidence.
As I get in my car, I turn to look up at the brownstone. I’m not sure how, but I’m going to have to avoid them as much as possible. I just need a few days to get over the surprise of it. I’ve gone without seeing them for years, it shouldn’t even matter anymore. I feel my bare neck. I haven’t taken that locket off except to swim or shower since the twins gave it to me. I left it laying open on the nightstand in the room I stayed in. On one side a picture of the twins on the other a picture of Ethan….
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Epilogue
Elliot
She’s gone. I know it as soon as I get to her door. It’s slightly ajar and I can see the bed has been stripped and the desk is bare. I don’t go further in, I don’t need to. I walk into the living area and see the note on the island. It’s about fucking laundry and that she needs to not be here. That’s it. No mention of anything else. I don’t understand. I mean I get that something is up with the other guys and that’s just surreal, but she could have stayed with me. I hear a noise behind me.
“She left?” I turn to see it’s Ethan. His hair is standing on end, probably a lot like mine and probably from the same reason of running his hands through it in irritation.
“Are you surprised? Should I be? Maybe you could tell me. You and the others seem to know her better than I do.” I’m bitter and I think I have every right to be. I knew there was a girl in all their pasts. I just didn’t know it was the same one and that it was going to totally screw me over. I run my hands through my hair again.
“Well this is a fine situation we’re finding ourselves in. Can’t ever say I expected to finally hook back up with Reese by finding her in my friends’ bed. I think we all owe each other an explanation. Let’s wait on the twins to get up. And to answer your question, no I’m not too surprised she took off, but you’ll understand better once we tell you our stories. Not sure how I didn’t piece together what I know of the twin’s story with mine either. Some professional I am.” Ethan links his fingers behind his neck and blows out a breath. I haven’t even asked how the assignment went. It can wait for now. I hear an exclamation from Remi’s room.
“Beck! She’s gone!” Dylan sounds upset. Usually the quieter and more steady of the two I’m surprised at the volume and panic in his tone. Beck is the one prone to dramatics.
I follow Ethan to Remi’s room to find Beckett and Dylan standing next to the night stand. “Beckett, she still had it.” He looks up at his brother with sad eyes. “Was she wearing this before?” The question is directed at me.
“Yeah, I never saw her without it. I asked her once about it and she said she’d tell me sometime. Really hadn’t gotten around to it I guess. What’s in it? I’ve never seen it open.” I peer over and see the twins and Ethan. Ethan must be looking as well as I hear him inhale sharply.
“She didn’t forget us brother. We shouldn’t have left her alone for so long.” Beck’s voice cracks on the end of the sentence. Barely a whisper to begin with.
“Hey, Dylan? Hand me that book please.” I notice the Alice book that used to sit on the desk as Ethan asks for it in the partially open nightstand drawer. When he gets it he opens it to the cover and runs his finger across something written there. Over his shoulder I see it’s an inscription addressed to Reece to always remember reading the stories together and taking the leap down the rabbit hole with him. It’s signed E-
“You’re the friend that gave her the book. I was worried she had been in your room when I first saw it. Explains a lot about yours though.” I think maybe I should have kept my mouth shut as Ethan throws me a look, but I can’t seem to stop it. “You’re also one of the one’s she told me about.” I think about my next words carefully, these are my friends here. “Straight up I’ll do whatever I can to get her back. She only left because you all showed up. You’re my best friends, but I love her and I’m not sharing.” They all look at me, but no one comments on the sharing thing, like I didn’t even mention it.
“We’ll get her back. We need to have a discussion and we also need to share our stories. Eli, how did you end up with her?” Ethan looks at me. I sit down on the corner of her bed.
“Remember the girl I told you I was seeing before you left? That was Remi.” I’m not sure how I’m going to deal with whatever the guys want from her, but I know I refuse to give her up. I finally just found my one person to be with and I love her, she was mine. A thought occurs to me confusing me further. “How did you not know she was around? Her best friend has been a student here for two years and I’ve never heard you mention her before..”
“We never met a friend and didn’t bother to look for one here. I guess we should start at the beginning. Beck, Dylan? You guys met her first I’m guessing? You want to start?” Beck takes the locket and closes it. Dragging the chain through his fingers he starts.
“Remi was fifteen, we were sixteen….”
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Adam
I ring the buzzer downstairs to see Remi. Her and Eli took off from the party last night and we didn’t get to hang out like I had hoped. I’m not sure if I have a chance with Eli in the picture. She seems really into him. The door opens and instead of me going up a man is standing there.
“Can I help you?” He has an Australian accent and doesn’t look very happy to see me.
“Is Remi home?” I’m hoping this is a roommate and not a new friend.
“She’s not here.” I frown. I was sure she had planned to stay in today.
“Do you know where she went?” I had already tried to call her and hadn’t gotten an answer.
“No, I have to go. When I see her I’ll let her know you stopped by.” He closes the door without even asking my name. Something’s off. I’ll send her a text and then get ahold of her friend Alex later if she doesn’t answer.
I pull out my phone to report in.
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Remington
I let myself into Alex’s apartment. I didn’t see her roommate’s car outside so I’m hoping she’s not here and that Alex is home. Alone preferably.
I make my way towards her room and drop my bags in the spare one on the way. I’ll get the rest of my stuff out of the car later. I get to her door and knock twice before entering. I open it and peek in when I don’t get an answer. I hear the shower running in the en suite.
“Alex?”, I yell.
“Remi? In here.”
At least I think she’s alone. I don’t think she’d invite me in if she had company. I go in the bathroom and hop up onto the counter.
“What’s up? I figured you’d be a little busy today with Eli?”
“So did I. Some people showed up last night.”
Alex pokes her head out, hair dripping on the floor. “People?”
“Yeah, umm, do you remember me telling you about Ethan?” Alex nods her head yes. “And Dylan and Beck?”
“Yes, but what do they have to do with you not being with Eli?” She looks confused
“Well, they’re all Eli’s roommates. That live in the same building. Together.” I’m waiting and it doesn’t take very long for the lightbulb to go off.
“Oh, shit. Did you and Eli?” I nod. I must look pretty miserable because she pops back in the shower without saying anything and a minute later is out wrapped in a towel and then engulfing me in a hug.
“I don’t know what to do Alex. I packed everything when they all went to bed and came here.”
“You can stay here. I’d imagine it would be uncomfortable with them all there. I’ll talk to my roommate and let her know you’ll be here awhile. Don’t worry about how long. I’ll deal with it.” I love Alex she’s always there, as I am for her. “You tell me all about everything and it’ll help you decide what to do with Eli.”
“Before we get to that. There are a few things I never told you about the others. I was kind of embarrassed and confused. I didn’t mean to hide anything, it’s just…I don’t know. Still confused I guess. Alex gets dressed, she looks a little hurt I’d keep secrets, but mostly curious. I start my story, this time leaving nothing out.
“It was the first year you were gone to your grandparents in Florida the whole summer. I was fifteen and they were sixteen…”
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