Four People. Three Clay Figures. I Stopped Being The One Left Out Chapter 02

Four People. Three Clay Figures. I Stopped Being The One Left Out Chapter 02

Next morning, damon knocked on my door.

He handed me a warm milk. His eyes paused on my foot.

“Still hurt?”

“Better.”

“Then let’s go to the pottery studio.”

I didn’t react. He explained.

“The bus to the next stop moved to noon.”

“I’ll help you finish the memory piece first. So you don’t feel off about it.”

It was the ten-year project i’d booked a month ago.

Two people press their palm prints into the same clay. Then carve their names.

After firing, it lasts for years.

At the studio, damon rolled up his sleeve. Pressed his hand down next to mine.

But before we could carve the names, vivian ran in with her figure.

“Damon. The dress cracked.”

The clerk checked it.

“We can still fix it now.

“Ten more minutes, and once the clay dries, we’d have to start over.”

Vivian’s eyes reddened.

“Is it ruined?”

Damon wiped the clay off his hands immediately.

“No. I’ll fix it with you.”

I stopped him without thinking.

“Our piece isn’t done.”

“Just two names. Carve them first.”

“But this is our memory.”

“Blair.”

He paused. Still patient.

“Your piece is fine. Vivian’s figure will actually be ruined if we don’t fix it now.”

“Just wait. Okay?”

Vivian dabbed at her eyes.

“Forget it. Don’t let me hold you two up.”

The second she said it, damon took the figure.

“Don’t say that.”

Then he went into the repair room with her.

Adrian passed me. Lowered his voice.

“She’s crying like that. Don’t push.”

Through the glass, i saw damon holding vivian’s hand.

He teached her to press fine clay into the crack. Bit by bit.

He didn’t look back once until the kiln bell rang.

The clerk held the carving knife. Asked me.

“Do you still want the names?”

On the clay, two palm prints sat close together.

The prints stayed. The people didn’t.

I pulled my hand back.

“No.”

—

Just as i reached the door, another clerk chased after me.

“Sir, your things from last year. You never picked them up.”

She pulled a cup from the storage cabinet.

Three names carved on it.

Damon. Adrian. Vivian.

At the bottom, a line.

[first trip, just the three of us. Next year, again.]

Thanksgiving day, last year.

My steps stopped.

That day, damon told me his father was suddenly hospitalized.

He had to go with him for tests.

I was worried he didn’t have enough money. I transferred him five thousand.

Adrian said he had overtime. Couldn’t help me move.

Vivian didn’t reply to my messages for three days.

So they hadn’t been busy.

They’d gone on a trip without me.

The clerk was still smiling.

“Didn’t you make a set of travel cups last year? Why didn’t you bring them?”

Adrian’s smile froze.

“What cups?”

“The ones you three painted together.”

The clerk turned. Pulled out a photo album.

“We took photos. I remember clearly.”

The album opened. First photo. The three of them.

Vivian at the wheel. Damon’s hands over hers from behind.

Adrian leaning beside them. Three painted cups in his arms.

A line on each cup.

Damon’s: [every year.]

Adrian’s: [the three of us can’t split.]

Vivian’s: [love being with you guys most.]

Below the photo, another one. At the inn.

The three yards next to each other. Vivian in the middle. Smiling.

Same as this trip.

Except last time, they didn’t need to prepare the far room.

Because there was no me.

Vivian slammed the album shut.

“The clerk got the wrong people.”

“How could i get it wrong?”

The clerk blinked.

“You guys even said last year—”

“Enough.”

Damon cut her off. Looked at me.

“Blair. That was a spur-of-the-moment thing.”

“You were preparing for a competition.”

“I didn’t want to bother you. So i didn’t tell you.”

I looked at the wind chime. Asked quietly.

“Your father wasn’t hospitalized?”

His expression stiffened.

“It turned out fine.”

“So you took the money i transferred you. And came here with them.”

“I’ll pay you back.”

His brow was already tight.

“It’s been a year. Is digging it up now really worth it?”

Adrian was impatient too.

“Damon hid it because he was afraid you’d overthink. And look.”

“Now that you know, you’re upset. Exactly.”

I didn’t ask again.

They hid a trip from me. Reason: Afraid i’d overthink.

The lie came out. And it was still my fault.

I nodded, soft.

“Mm.”

Damon probably thought i’d accepted the explanation. His tension eased.

He took vivian’s figure. Turned to go.

“Fixed. Let’s go. We’re behind schedule.”

The three of them walked ahead.

Vivian held the cup.

They laughed. Chatted.

No one noticed i’d stopped.

No one noticed i’d refunded my ticket home.

The new ticket’s destination: California.