The bus ride home is uneventful, though my mind is anything but calm. I plug in my headphones and let the music drown out the world, but the quiet ache of my thoughts slips in between the notes. It's a short journey, but it feels like an eternity.
When the bus pulls up to my stop, I step off and head towards the house, taking the same route I've walked a thousand times. The driveway feels longer today, like it's stretching further away from me with every step. As I near the gate, I spot my dad locking the front door behind him, his face lined with tension as he looks up.
"I'm home... you don't need to lock it," I say as I approach, reaching for the door handle.
"Yes, Eden, I'm aware," my dad replies curtly, turning to walk toward the car, his keys jangling in his hand. "We need to pick your sister up."
"Can I just stay home?" I ask, frustration bubbling up, but I know the answer before he even speaks.
"No. We need to go to the cemetery to place fresh flowers," he says, his tone leaving no room for argument.
I sigh, the air around me thick with the heaviness that always follows my dad's orders. I let go of the door handle and trudge toward the car, slinging my backpack into the footwell before sliding into the passenger seat. The door shuts with a dull thud, and I instinctively buckle my seatbelt, my hands moving on autopilot.
I lean my elbow against the window, staring out at the world passing by as my dad starts the engine. The tension between us is almost palpable, a quiet storm that never seems to let up. I don't know when it started, but ever since Mum died, there's been this space between us, a distance neither of us knows how to bridge.
Millie's been quiet lately, withdrawing into herself more and more, spending time with her friends to escape the house. I can't blame her. It's easier to be anywhere but home, where the air is thick with what's unsaid.
We drive in silence for what feels like forever before my dad speaks again, his voice sharp. "Go and see if you can spot her."
I snap my head toward him, eyes narrowing. "I don't know where she is. She's always with her friends."
"Just look," he insists, his grip on the steering wheel tight as he glances over at me.
I roll my eyes, feeling the old irritation flare up. "Fine," I mutter, grabbing the door handle and slamming it open. I can hear him muttering under his breath, but I don't bother to listen. The car door slams shut behind me, and I walk toward the alleyway next to the shops.
It doesn't take long to spot Millie among her group of friends. She's standing near the corner, laughing at something one of them said. But when she sees me, her expression shifts. The smile fades, replaced by something more guarded.
"Millie, come on," I call, sliding my hands into the pockets of my jacket as I approach her.
She looks over at her friends and then turns to follow me, a reluctant look in her eyes. "Where's Dad?"
"In the car park," I say, my voice flat.
We walk back toward the car, and when we reach it, Millie gives me the familiar pleading look. She always wants the front seat, and even though I know what she's going to ask and she knows what the answer will be.
"Can I?" she asks, her voice soft as she bats her lashes in that way she knows always gets to me.
"If I'm in the car, you don't need to ask," I respond, keeping my voice even.
Millie slips into the back seat, and I take the front, buckling my seatbelt as the doors shut behind us. My dad starts the car, and we're off again, the town streets blurring past the window. The silence feels heavier now, suffocating in a way that makes me feel like we're all just pretending to be okay.
The drive to the cemetery feels too long, every second dragging as the memory of Mum's death creep into my mind. Thinking about the lorry that crashed into her car, it always resurfaces when I'm inside a vehicle. Her life ended in that tragic moment. It's hard to shake off those thoughts. And then, just like that, I'm pulled back to the present. My dad's voice cuts through the haze.
"Eden, look out!"
I snap my head up, but it's too late. The van in front of us swerves suddenly, and I barely have time to brace before we hit it. I hear crashing and smashing as everything goes black.