Faster We Burn

go to a dark place.”
    I sighed, wishing I knew what to say, what to do to change it. But we all had our demons, and we all carried them with us. That was just part of life.
    “He’s always going to be a part of you, of your past. It happened and in the absence of a time machine to go back and change things, that’s always going to be the case. The only thing you can control is how you respond to it. There are so many people that wouldn’t be able to pick themselves up after what you’ve been through. Those people wouldn’t even bother to get out of bed, let alone give their heart to someone else after what he did to it. But you did. You do. Every day. And that’s all you can do. Be strong, move forward.”
    “You and me,” she said, turning to give me a kiss.
    “Even without me. You are strong, and you will survive. Always.”
    “But I’d rather do it with you.”
    I kissed her back. “Me too.”
     
    ***
     
    The alarm rang much too early, but I did end up getting some sleep, wrapped around Katie. Both of us had class, but we skipped to go make her statement. She figured that was a valid excuse, and I concurred. We also dodged calls and texts from the group, asking how we were, and we were somehow able to sneak past Lottie and Zan’s new apartment without them being the wiser.
    “They’re so sweet, and they mean well. There’s just so many of them,” Katie said as we got back in her car after giving her statement.
    “I’ve never had this many people concerned about my welfare before. It’s stifling.” She nodded. “Hey, do you want me to drop you off at class?”
    She shook her head.
    “We’re just doing reviews in most of my classes, so I don’t really need to be there. What about you?”
    “Same.” A smile started growing on her face. “What did you have in mind?”
    “Just a little something. I’m going to be gone aaaallll weekend.”
    “I think I’m picking up what you’re putting down and I like it.” I smiled as she put her hand on mine on the shifter.
    We couldn’t get to the bedroom fast enough.
    Katie
    Mom’s reaction to my hair wasn’t nearly as dramatic as I expected. Before Dad died, it probably would have been. Her eyes just went wide and she sighed and shook her head like when I was little and I spilled something.
    I didn’t tell her about Zack showing up at my dorm, but she found out anyway through the grapevine. Her reaction to that was more intense. So much so that she installed a security system, including a motion detector that turned on the outside lights. I thought it was overkill, but with her living alone, it probably wasn’t such a bad idea.
    I emailed Kayla and gave her the low down, and she messaged back right away that she was coming home early for Christmas and bringing Adam, and that they were going to take some time off and stay with mom for a few months. At least until the next semester was over and I’d be home for the summer.
    Right. Home for the summer. I emailed Kayla back saying that was great. I had a whole other semester to figure out what I was going to do this summer. I’d worry about that later.
    The rest of the weekend I spent picking up on the slack, including paying bills and doing a few loads of laundry.
    I caught Mom crying over her wedding album just before I was due to leave and go back to school on Sunday night.
    “Mom?” Most of the time I pretended like I didn’t hear her crying because she worked so hard to hide it. I’d cried a little here and there, but nothing like I should be. Guess that denial thing was still going strong.
    “Oh, I’m sorry.” She shoved the album away and wiped her eyes with her hand.
    “No, it’s okay. You have every right to cry.” I grabbed the newly-replenished tissues and handed them to her.
    “I just keep expecting things to get better, you know?” She blew her nose and I sat down beside her, looking at the pictures of my then-young parents, gazing adoringly at each other. They’d had their tough times, but I never doubted their love for one another.
    “Everyone says it will get better, but I still feel like a part of me is missing.”
    “That’s because a part of you is. When you love someone, you give them a little piece of yourself to keep. When they die, or they leave, they take it with them.” Even Zack had taken a little bit of me with him. “When you lose someone, you have to learn how to live without that missing piece.”
    She sighed and blew her nose again.
    “When