I Love You to Death

RAINEY

^THREE WEEKS LATER^

~“Scout.”~

~Ansel’s attention whips to me, and I feel myself shrinking in my seat, my cheeks flushing. Our eyes meet for the third time today, and we hold each other’s gaze for a moment.~

~“I was talking about the book…” I rush to clarify, “…the one you’re reading.”~

~His lips curve into a smile, revealing deep dimples on both cheeks.~

~“I figured,” he finally responds, and I can’t help but smile a little, my eyes dropping to my tray.~

~“Have you finished it yet?” He turns to face me.~

~“Yeah, I have. About ten times.”~

~He laughs, a deep, melodic sound. “Well, I’m only on chapter twenty.”~

~“Oh, you’re close then.” I give him a thumbs up, and he shakes his head, smiling.~

~I look away, reaching for my apple.~

~“So, do you like it?” he asks again.~

~I nod. “I do, actually. A lot. It reminds me of myself.”~

~He tilts his head. “How so?”~

~“Well…I guess I can relate to the main character.” I give a half-shrug.~

~His eyes flash with curiosity, but he lets it go, simply smiling. “That’s deep.”~

Tears seep from my closed eyes as the memory of the first day I met Ansel plays out in my dreams.

His eyes are filled with admiration, something I didn’t notice at the time. It’s as if he had loved me from the start, from the moment our eyes met in my locker mirror.

His smile is brighter in the memory, so bright that I can practically see stars.

My dream fades into wakefulness, and I slowly open my heavy eyes.

Ansel’s bright smile was just the glare of the sun hitting my face through the light blue hospital blinds. My heart sinks.

ALARIC

“She’s awake.”

Riley’s voice, filled with relief, brings Rainey back to reality as she takes in the worried faces around her.

“Are you okay?” Alex asks. “You’ve been out for three weeks.”

“Rain, I’m so glad you’re awake.” Riley’s smile is tinged with sadness.

Rainey’s gaze moves slowly over the people standing around her: Riley, Alaric, Alex, Aiden, Arden… Where’s Ansel?

Her face crumples with pain, and she looks down at the IV needle in her hand, tugging at it as tears stream down her face.

Alaric rushes over, placing his hand over hers. “No, don’t do that, Rain. Your dad went to get you some fruit, okay?”

He sits next to her, and she tries to sit up, wincing as she finally manages to prop herself up on one elbow.

The brothers watch her with sad eyes. She’s lost so much weight that her collarbones have become prominent. She looks small in the blue pajamas, and her lips are dry and pale.

“Ansel…,” she says, and everyone tenses. “Where is he?”

She swallows, trying to moisten her dry throat. When no one answers, she looks at them expectantly. Their faces are all the same, filled with sympathy.

“Rainey, you should rest,” Alaric suggests. “You don’t look well. We’ll tell you when you wake up, okay?”

She shakes her head. Her breathing is shallow and uneven. She touches her bandaged head, and they watch as her small fingers tremble.

“He fell off the cliff, and I haven’t seen him since. I was supposed to save him.” She furrows her brow, trying to remember. “I—I just need to see him.”

Riley is on the verge of tears as she watches her best friend.

Alaric sighs and places his hands on Rainey’s shoulders, frowning at how thin they are. “Get some rest.”

She pulls away. “Just let me see Ansel, please. That’s all I want. Where is he?”

Grief settles in Alaric’s eyes, and he silently watches her as she waits for an answer. Her stomach drops at his expression, and she shakes her head.

“No,” she whispers. “No, just please let me see him.”

He bites his lip, looking down in despair. The tight feeling in her throat becomes unbearable, and she takes a shallow breath, clutching the sheets in her hands.

She looks at the five somber faces. “Why won’t anyone let me see him?”

“I’m sorry, Rainey,” Alaric murmurs, staring at the bed linens.

She looks at him, her eyes wide.

“We…buried him last week.”

Riley is now crying, and Alex wraps his arms around her, resting his chin on her head as she sobs into his shirt.

Rainey shakes her head in denial.

This has to be a joke, right?

“No…” Tears blur her vision. “No…don’t lie to me. Please.”

She looks at the twins, hoping they’ll say something different, but Arden turns away and Aiden keeps his head down.

“Rainey, you need to rest.” Alaric tries to lay her down, but she shrugs his hands off.

She starts to pull at the needle in her hand, trying to remove it as blood seeps through the white tape.

“Don’t do that, Rainey.” He frowns, grabbing her hand, but she pushes him away.

“Just leave me be!” she cries out. “He can’t be gone. I have to find him!”

She flings the covers aside, trying to rise, but Alaric’s hand is there, holding her back. “You need to rest. You’ll only hurt yourself.”

“Move…please,” she pleads, pushing against his arm. It’s like pushing against a wall. Her tears flow freely, frustration fueling them.

“I have to find him! I don’t believe you! I just need to see—Just let me…”

She pounds at his arm, then tries to slide off the other side of the bed. But he’s there again, his other hand blocking her escape.

She tries to pull his arm away, but it’s no use. So she beats at his chest with all the strength she has left.

Her blows land with surprising force. For a girl of her size, she hits like a heavyweight, not a five-foot-four woman.

Alaric closes his eyes, accepting the blows. He lets her vent her anger, her grief, on him.

“LET ME GO, PLEASE! HE ISN’T GONE! I HAVE TO FIND HIM! I DON’T BELIEVE YOU! WHY ARE YOU LYING TO ME?!”

Arden can’t bear to watch. He leaves the room, his own emotions too raw. Riley is crying too, each of her friend’s cries cutting her to the quick.

Rainey stops hitting Alaric, her hand moving to her own chest, as if she can physically feel her heart breaking.

Alaric tries to take her hand, but she pulls away. She curls up on the bed, her cries muffled by the sheets.

“I can’t live without him… I can’t go on without him… He’s not gone… Don’t lie to me…”

Alaric pulls his hands away, pressing one to his forehead in despair.

“Why did you do that for me?” she whispers. “Why would you sacrifice yourself for me?” Her words are barely audible, muffled by the pillow she’s buried her face in.

Alaric stands, running a hand over his face. Aiden takes his place, gently pulling Rainey into his arms.

He holds her as she cries, her tears soaking his black pullover.

The room is filled with her cries, her pain. She’s reliving the worst moments of her life.

She can’t believe he’s gone. He can’t be gone.

RON

“Looks like rain, sir.” Moscow glances at his boss in the rearview mirror. Ron Moretto looks away from the gray skies and nods.

“I need a background check on the man at the cliff,” he says.

“Which one, sir?”

“The one in the blue tux. He was with Austin and an Asian guy. The one who looks like Rainey Slate.”

“Understood, sir.”

“Did the men report back about Ansel?” Ron asks, playing with the ring on his finger.

“Yes, sir. His family confirmed he’s dead.”

Ron laughs, shaking his head as he looks out the window. The rain is starting to fall, tracing paths down the glass. He watches the droplets with a smirk.

“What’s so funny, sir?” Moscow asks, glancing at him.

“Ansel’s not dead,” Ron says, his smile fading.

The chauffeur looks confused. “How can you be sure?”

Ron gives him a look, and he quickly apologizes.

“Sorry, sir.”

“Don’t question my judgment.”

“It won’t happen again, sir.”

Ron takes a deep breath, stretching his neck. “You don’t know that boy. He’s too clever to die so easily.”

“Are you suggesting they’re hiding something, sir?”

Ron looks at the skull ring on his finger, deep in thought.

“Maybe. I’m pretty sure the King family is up to something. I’ll have to keep a close eye on them.”