Chapter 19: This was a bad, bad dream

[ Vince's POV ]

Looking at her grin at me was like sunshine to a perfect day. Her eyes looked glassy from where I was standing. Everything in me hoped that they were tears of joy.

I couldn't mess this up, I couldn't mess anything up with her. She didn't believe in love, but I wanted to show her that it's okay to give things a shot, to give love a shot.

She didn't believe in happy endings, but I wanted to prove to her that it might be true after all, that all this wasn't just in fairytales. That it happened in real life.

Lyssabelle was like the rare fish in the sea. Vanessa and her was completely different. Vanessa was way more out-going and open, while Lyss seemed to be shy and secretive, in a way where she built a wall around her.

After all, her parents did abandon her willingly. I didn't blame them though, because they had to protect their children from the cruel deaths done by the mafia.

I wondered how someone could be so cold-hearted to chop up their parents in front of their children slowly and painfully, piece by piece as they bled out with chunks out of their body. I wondered how someone could be so gruesome and not puke seeming the inside of the human body with the bones and veins, blood oozing out with every cut.

My thoughts were soon interupted as a loud honk echoed through the quiet night.

Everything happened in slow motion as I watched the scene unfold in front of me.

First, a white BMW crashes into the side of the cab, crushing it completely as pieces I couldn't identify flew out everywhere. Some broken glass scattered around where I was standing, but there was only one thing on my mind.

Lyssabelle.

The BMW had hit the side closest to where Lyssabelle was, and looking at the condition that side was on, my heart sunk completely. With a thousand and one bricks piling in top of it.

The taxi overturned once, now lying upside down. The driver of the taxi seemed to have placed a hand limply against the car door window, as if trying to push it open.

But there was no sign of Lyss.

The driver in the BMW looked paler than a ghost as he stared out at the damage he's done. He seemed to be doing fine, not even a fly seemed to have hurt him.

That made my knuckles clench as I stood still to the spot. My feet were not moving, as much as I begged them to.

Lyssabelle's alive, well and kicking.

Lyssabelle's alive, well and kicking.

I chanted this montra in my head as I felt a warm liquid on my cheek.

It wasn't raining, I looked up at the sky.

More started to fall freely, and when one entered my slightly agaped mouth, I knew they were tears as the liquid touched my tongue.

This was a bad, bad dream. There were no stars in the sky, which indicated that this was a nightmare instead of a dream.

In dreams, there would he stars shining brightly like diamonds, while a perfect cresent moon sat in the blanket or darkness. In dreams, there would be no car crashes nor tears, unless they were tears of joy. In dreams, I would be able to move freely, willingly. In dreams, I wouldn't be pissed off at the driver of the BMW who looked merely at the age of twenty-five, maybe younger.

But this wasn't a fantasy nor a dream, this was reality.

My feet seemed to have started to work as my brain took in the information and scene in front of my eyes.

I found myself rushing towards the taxi, searching for Lyss.

Extremely selfish I was, for I didn't spare a glance at the taxi driver who seemed to be heaving for oxygen.

Lyssabelle laid in the seat with her eyes closed, and for a second she looked almost peaceful, like the Sleeping Beauty. She'd never be on par with Sleeping Beauty however, because she was way more beautiful than a fictional character.

I forced open the door with all the strength I had left despite my heaving breaths for more oxygen as more tears escaped.

Pieces of glass crept into my knees as I knelt down and pulled her out, my hands under her arms.

She seemed to be coughing now, but people who were okay didn't cough out blood, in which she did.

Lyss had a major wound on the back of her head when I cradled her head on my thigh, wrapping my arms around her.

She started coughing more vigorously and I felt as though this was the last time I was going to hear her.

"Shh... You're okay," I cooed, somehow trying to ease myself out of the mental pain I was suffering.

I heard the frantic tapping of the driver tying away on his phone, and soon I felt his presence nearby.

"Yes.. Hi, there's been an accident on..." I tuned out his voice and focused back onto Lyss as I saw her flickering her eyes open.

"Lyss? C'mon, stay with me now," I prompted, moving her hair out of her face.

She looked at me for just a second, before slowly shutting her eyes.

"No... No, C'mon Lyss. I've got Fruitloops on the picnic mat and a bouquet of roses in the basket. You have to fucking stay awake and alive to see all those!" I sobbed, my tears now falling faster than a race car as I looked at her pale face.

The thick metallic smell entered my nostrils and stained my jeans. My white button up was now stained with blotches of bright red blood, as if I've just came out of a horror movie.

"For..." she started speaking and I snapped my head back to her. Her voice was lower than a whisper, so I moved my head in closer.

"For all m-my live, I thought... I thought I was a b-burden. To both my p-parents... And Zak-"

"No, you'll tell me all this another time because there will be another time. Don't you dare leave me!" I shouted, which made me myself flinch.

"Shhh..." she whispered, before closing her eyes and sighing softly, "I beli-believed I was not... not worthy of a-anyone's love, then I met you. You made me rea-realize that l-love does exist... And I hope that when I'm gone, you'll find more-"

"No! You won't leave! You won't fucking leave! You can't! We've not gone on a first date yet! It's right there waiting for you and you'll be up and ready in a few days to go on this date!" I screamed, sobbing into her hair and I cradled her in between my legs. Her back was rested against my chest now, and my face was buried in her hair.

The wound that what I think could cost Lyss' life was huge and profusely bleeding, and somehow I knew that all the words I had said earlier, about her being able to have this date, was a lie.

Guess it's true when they say the truth hurts.

"Maybe... Maybe I could be like one of the s-stars up in the sky.... Watching ov-over you, Zak and Summer," she gave me a weak smile as she tilted her head to face me. She winced when her wound landed on my shoulder but remained a good stance.

Her eyes were now glassy, filled with tears that were once joyful.

"I've not said it yet... But I am now... I l-love you Vince... And I alway will as I look over you up in the sk-"

Her head fell limp and her hand that was once reaching up to be placed on my cheek now fell against the rocky road.

My heart sank completely and crushed as if fallen off a thiry storey building.

My heavy-breathing chest moved Lyssabelle's body up and down, up and down. He lips were now a dark shade or purple and I grasped her icy fingers.

How will I live with knowing that she had died in front of my eyes and her blood staining my button up. How will I ever live with knowing I'll never see her past midnight grabbing a bowl of Fruitloops. How will I live knowing I didn't officially call her my girlfriend. How will I live knowing she died because of me. Because I was the one that gave her hope. She didn't believe in love nor happy endings, but I pushed her to believe in love, and now there's no happy ending.

"No...." I sobbed.

Soon, the wailing sirens could be heard, But they were no use now, they were too late.

She was gone.

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