Long Time No See
It only took a full hour to drive to his house, and yet my heart felt heavier than it ever had before. There was a weight on my back that I'd hidden from friends and family for too long. One that has been burdening me ever since I graduated from college.
Stepping out of the car, I gingerly walked up the porch steps, and upon reaching the front door, I took in a long sigh. I reached out my finger to ring the doorbell, but hesitation stopped it.
There were so many ways this could all go wrong. Would he still be mad? Would he forgive me? My questions would be answered once I rang the doorbell. Trepidation filled my body as my finger pressed against it, and the chime sounded.
A single minute went by, then the door opened. He stared at me, and my heart dropped at his appearance.
His hair was nearly shoulder-length and a bit unkept. He wore a grey-and-white striped sweater, black sweatpants, and white socks. Stubble decorated his face, and I could see that he had gained some muscle as well. But what really threw me off the most were his eyes.
They were the same shade of brown they always were, but at the same time, they almost felt empty. Like all the soul was completely sucked out of them.
"Come on in, Charles. It's been a while," he said, welcoming me inside with a calm smile.
"Thanks, Andre," I smiled, trying my best to hide my nervousness.
Upon entering his house, I was greeted by nothing but tidiness. Just from the state of the living room alone, I was surprised by how clean everything was. Not a single nook or cranny was out of place.
"I like what you did with the place," I complimented, then noticed the TV was on. A news story was being shown detailing how a man suffered a heart attack while attempting to rob a local convenience store. Before I could listen to more, Andre put a hand on my shoulder, and I flinched.
"We can talk at the dining table," he gestured towards it, and I nodded.
As I sat at the dining table, I felt my hands tense up. My eyes briefly turned to Andre in the kitchen, and he was humming away as he applied something onto what I assumed was my meal. He soon exited the kitchen with my meal in his hand and placed it in front of me.
Mashed potatoes, topped with meat, greeted me. A question appeared in my head as I stared at the food.
"You didn't make anything for yourself?" I inquired, looking from the food towards Andre, who shrugged as he took his seat.
"Already had my share, but I can promise you you'll love it," he smiled. I frowned. His friendliness was clear, yet it was having the opposite effect on me. Was he really going to act like...
"You lost your appetite?" Andre asked, causing my train of thought to falter. I shook my head and forced out a smile.
Using my fork, I picked up a piece of meat and chewed. The tenderness almost took me away immediately. The more I consumed it, the more I enjoyed the meal. It was so simple, yet it tasted so good. Before I knew it, I was halfway through the food when I paused. My mind was reminding me why I even chose to come here in the first place.
"Andre...I...I have something to tell you..."
"Go on, I'm listening," he said, still smiling.
"I...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry about how I screwed you over all those years ago. How I..."
I trailed off, the memories flashing through my eyes.
"I'm sorry, Andre! I'm really, really sorry!"
Andre just stared at me with a look I couldn't read. There was no rage, sadness, or understanding—just pure calculation. Finally, he broke the silence.
"Charles, can I ask you a question?"
"Y...Yeah?" my voice wavered.
"Do you remember how much I loved Bethany? ”
My heart skipped a beat.
"Now, let me ask you this: Is your apology going to undo me, having to drop out of high school and lose my chances of going to my dream college? Along with all the ridicule I endured before I left?"
"Andre, seriously, I-"
"Is it going to undo the pain that my parents had to go through?"
"Andre-!"
"Is it going to undo the lie that nearly ruined my entire life?" he dipped the last word completely in venom. My breathing grew heavy by the time he was done speaking.
"I cared about you two, I really did, and yet you went behind my back. You two fucked me over knowing I gave a damn about you," he chuckled.
"But it's alright now. Everything worked out in the end."
I tensed up as he finished that sentence. "What...do you mean you...Andre...what did you do?" I demanded. He only smiled at me, as if he was secretly mocking me.
As if the universe was in on a cruel joke, I overheard another news story on the TV, and the words made my entire body freeze.
"...Today marks the second anniversary of the disappearance of Bethany Henins, who went missing on her way to visit family. Police are still on the lookout for the young woman's whereabouts, and if you have any information that will help them find her, please notify them as soon as possible," the news reporter stated.
My mind begged for it all not to be true, that it was a dream. But Andre's smile only widened as I looked him in the eye.
“Andre...don't tell me you..."
"I wanted to make sure she tasted good, and turns out she did," he said.
Horror filled my eyes as I covered my mouth, looking down at the half-eaten meal in front of me, then at Andre.
"It's like I said, everything worked out in the end."