Liora walked down the street, mindlessly.
A young teenage girl in a silky white dress, drifting like a ghost through the cold wind. Her face was blank. Her eyes, lifeless.
She had no will to live—but no will to die either. Alive, yet not truly living. Her chest ached so deeply she wished she could tear her heart out. But she didn't have the strength.
She would have cried... but her tears were cried out, drained by the endless ache of disappointment and loss.
Once, she had been a dreamer. A hopeless romantic, sheltered by her parents. Perhaps that's why her first heartbreak shattered her world.
Or perhaps it hurt more because she hadn't wanted to let go—of him, of them, of the dream.
She felt betrayed.
Ashen had shown her the world through a new lens—and then smashed it.
He had been her best friend. The one she trusted completely.
Now, his insults echoed in her mind like a broken record she couldn't stop playing.
As Liora wandered, she saw a child—a little boy—about to step into the street, right into the path of a speeding car. He was only a few steps away.
Without thinking, Liora rushed forward, pushing him to safety.
But it was too late for her.
Crash!
Liora flew several meters.
Thud!
Now she lay on the cold asphalt, unable—or unwilling—to move.
The car screeched to a halt, and a young man stepped out.
He rushed to her side and knelt next to her, speaking quickly with a hint of panic.
"Miss? Are you alright? Oh gosh! This looks bad!" He hovered over her, afraid to touch her. "Don't move, okay? Please, don't die on me!"
The young man grabbed his phone from his pocket, muttering a string of curses.
"911! I need to call 911!"
Ring~
"911, what's your emergency?" a woman's voice said.
"Hello? 911? Please send an ambulance quickly! A girl—she's bleeding—she was hit by a car! Send help immediately!"
"Sir, I need you to calm down. Could you tell me your address?" the woman replied.
"Yes! It's…"
As the young man talked to the operator, the little boy came over, shaking.
A few minutes earlier-
The little boy stood frozen in shock. A ball in his arms. Then fear overtook him and he started crying.
"Mommy! Daddy! Where are you? Help me!" The little boy said, looking around.
The little boy saw the young man and Liora. He was shaking in fear yet still wanted to see if the miss who saved him was okay.
"Miss! Are you okay? Don't die, okay? Help! Someone's dying!" the boy yelled.
"Hey! Boy, be careful! Don't move her too much!" the young man said. He had just finished talking to 911.
"Mister! Will she be okay? I just wanted to grab my ball, and then suddenly she came, and then—and then—" The kid started more shaking.
"How could you just run into the street, boy?! You could've died!" The young man shook the boy's shoulder.
"I—I—" The boy started crying.
She coughed up blood, her voice faint but calm. "Hey… d-don't scare the kid. It's okay. I guess this is just how things were meant to be… Maybe I'm meant to die early…"
She felt tired and wanted to close her eyes. Slowly her eyes started drooping.
"Hey! Hey! Don't close your eyes! You better not die on me!" the young man said.
"No! No! You're going to live! My house is nearby—I'll get my mom and dad!" the little boy said.
She smiled weakly and touched his hand. "Okay… be… careful. Don't… cry, little… one."
The boy slipped a pendant from his neck and placed it in her hand.
"M-Mom says this pendant keeps me safe. M-maybe it can keep y-you s-safe too… Hold it till I get back, okay?!"
Before she could respond, he ran off.
She remained still, lying in a pool of her own blood, breaths slowing. Her eyes drooped further.
"Hey! Miss! Stay awake!" The young man shouted.
However Liora zoned him out, lost in her thoughts.
So… this is how it ends? she thought.
Memories flickered behind her eyes—like fading photographs in dying light.
The happy moments, the painful ones.
She remembered how he greeted her the day they met, how his bright, outgoing nature drew her in and helped her come out of her shell.
They played in the water together. Took care of a child for the elders.
Laughed until their sides ached, collapsing to the ground, clutching their bellies.
She remembered the little gifts he gave her. The way he smiled.
And she remembered how it ended.
The rejection.
His words carved into her like glass:
"I treasure you as a friend too."
"I've never loved you."
"You're delusional."
"You're obsessed with me!"
"Don't bother me."
"How could I ever love a girl like you?"
"This is all your fault!"
She felt the sting of each line all over again.
She remembered the night they were by the pool under a sky full of stars.
They had seen a shooting star. She had wished, "I hope we can forever be happy like this."
Was it too much to wish to be happy? she thought. Slowly a tear slid down her cheek.
All I wanted was to be happy.
My only regret is falling in love with him.
I wish I had chosen someone better.
"I'm tired… I just want to sleep…" Liora said.
"No, no, no! Please stay awake!" The young man said. "I will give you a million dollars if you survive! A good position in my company! Just stay alive! Please!"
A Million dollars?
She laughed faintly- hollow, broken.
"Money… can't… bring back… color…".
Slowly, her world began to fade to black.
But just as the darkness crept in, the pendant in her hand began to glow—softly, gently—green.