CHAPTER 6
I WILL BE THE LAST
ARI
"At least the shitty bands aren't playing," Camila said, and I could see Ámbar roll her eyes at her.
After the talk, they tried to cheer me up a lot, and the peace in my being became more bearable.
They did my makeup quickly, but the finish was beautiful. I put my hair in a high ponytail, curling it, and letting a few strands fall loose on the sides of my face.
"Isn't Jeff coming?" Amber asked directly, standing next to me after waving to a group of girls who were walking by, chatting with drinks in hand.
"He told me he would let me know, since he was with his father, " I said.
Amber nodded, understanding that it was reason enough to say she was with her father. They were also friends with him because of me, and they know what her father is like, as well as how he treats him.
—But I have no doubt he'll come, you know he loves parties.— I said, remembering that he never missed an opportunity to go out.
"I already saw someone suspicious," Camila said near us, just as the music ended, leaving only the noise of conversations. "Someone's watching you, Ari."
"Who?" I asked, looking around, but I looked back at her without understanding who it was.
"He's at the bar with two guys, but he doesn't have any tattoos and his hair is kind of long, but not too long.
He's got a good build, and he's looking at you very closely," Camila said. "
Although I doubt that has anything to do with it. It seems like he just likes you."
I knew those characteristics, and while for some people they might be common, there was someone in particular whom I got to know a little, just a little.
I openly sought out the drinks area; it was the least of my worries.
When I saw someone wearing a white shirt unbuttoned at the top and baggy black pants, I looked up to see him.
Our eyes met, but he quickly looked away, pretending he hadn't seen me.
"Do you know him?" Amber asked.
I shook my head suddenly.
"No, I don't know him," I replied, also convinced of myself. Although I had met him before, I absolutely refused to associate with him. "It's not him."
"Of course it isn't, unless he's removed his tattoos," Camila said, looking him up and down.
I just looked at Amber, a little embarrassed, because I knew the boy would be embarrassed by our lack of tact in dissembling.
"Stop looking at the boy like that. Later, they'll think we're weird like you," said Ámbar, to which Camila frowned. "Let's see who we can meet to say hi."
We started walking through the party. I said hello to the few people I knew while feeling the boy's gaze following me. At that moment, I spotted Alexander, Dylan's best friend.
He approached drunk, with a noticeable smile and a red face. He moved forward to hug Camila, but she pushed him away. I thought he might stumble, but he managed to get back on his feet and, without hesitation, hugged me. I barely hugged him back.
"Don't even come near me, you smell horrible of alcohol," Amber said to Alexander, who waved his hand, as if she were too mean.
"Why is it that every time... I see you... you behave like this?" Alexander asked, his voice heavy with alcohol. He looked at Ámbar, frowning, but suddenly his expression changed and he smiled at Camila and me.
—How are you? Are my favorite girls doing?
"Alexander, isn't it a little early for you to be getting drunk?" I said, looking at him. He shook his head several times, as if I were a child.
It was past 10 p.m., but there were still people arriving, and he seemed to be the only drunk at the party.
Just when it seemed Alexander was going to answer, Dylan came running down one of the hallways. She sighed when she saw him and took his arm.
"What did I tell you? Not to drink from that bottle," Dylan scolded, not noticing our presence. "You told your mom you'd be fine, and you barely drank one bottle and you're already like this."
"A bottle? Really?" I asked, mostly to get his attention. I wanted him to look up, and he did, looking at me in surprise at seeing me at the party.
"I didn't know you were invited... well, invited," Dylan said, looking at my friends on either side.
Camila just looked at him indifferently, without much emotion, while Ámbar greeted him kindly.
"Hi, Amber," Dylan greeted, then looked at Camila. "Hi, Cam."
"I already told you not to call me that. You're not my friend," Camila responded coldly. "I'll go get us drinks," she warned me before walking toward the area where they were.
"She'll never like me, will she?" Dylan said to me.
I nodded at her assumption. I never understood why, she just told me, "He doesn't give me good vibes." That was her only reason for being that way with him, even when he was my boyfriend.
"Don't take it personally, he's not usually very sociable," I said, trying to make her feel comfortable. I got a look from Ámbar, who didn't believe my lie.
"Only with girls, and if he socializes with boys, it's to flirt," I added.
"Then I think I'd rather he keep treating me like this," Dylan admitted, looking at Alexander, who was silent, holding his glass, moving it back and forth as if it were a game. "I have to do something to make him go down before I take him home."
He said, referring to Alexander, who seemed to be about to fall asleep. I found it funny that he was looking after him, but that's just how they were.
They were always close, although Dylan hasn't told me he has other friends.
Alexander, on the other hand, is. I'm not saying Dylan is like Camila, who avoids socializing with others. Now that I think about it, it seems strange to me, because Dylan is so kind. Maybe he's embarrassed.
I simply stopped watching Dylan drag Alexander away to try to sober him up. My gaze shifted to a boy I didn't know.
Since I was talking, I noticed that he was giving me a few glances, although he tried to hide it.
When I looked at him, he wasn't looking at me; in fact, he was talking to his friends.
She was laughing along with them, and her smile, for some reason, made me smile. At that moment, she looked at me without erasing her smile, and I felt like she was directing it at me. I immediately avoided her gaze and shook my head.
The last thing I can do right now is flirt with anyone, especially when I'm not sure who my attacker is and he's still out there.
"Do you know that not all people are bad?" Ámbar asked me, looking at me with a smile when she noticed my embarrassment. "It 's also not a bad idea to give yourself a chance to get to know someone, at least as a friend."
"I don't even know how to flirt," I said, remembering I haven't flirted in two years. I do know I've had two boyfriends: I started dating Liam when I was 15, and it ended when I was 16, in mid-2023.
I wasn't long after breaking up with Liam and was with Dylan; it was barely two months. But I only stayed with Dylan for three months before breaking up.
I remember the date well because I broke up with him a month before my birthday.
I turned 17, and for that entire year, I wasn't with anyone; I decided to take my time. This year has been the same, although it's almost over. There are only three months left, and I'm almost out of age.
"So what? You're not going to lock yourself in your house without socializing. If he ever talks to you, try, even if it's just for today," Ámbar told me, then looked away. It was Camila who offered us glasses of alcohol.
—How much alcohol did you put in it?
"Not much. We shouldn't get drunk," Camila replied calmly. I took a sip from my glass as she added, "I put a lot less in yours."
I nodded. As I tasted it, I realized the alcohol was barely noticeable.
"It's okay, I'm not good at drinking anyway ," I said, shaking my head, still thinking about meeting someone else.
If the same thing happened to me as with Dylan, I would only end up hurting someone else because of my emotional block.
"Excuse me," said the boy who had been staring at me from a distance for a while. Camila and Ámbar looked at each other with a smile, and I looked into his eyes, noticing that they were shining.
"Yes?" I asked, and he smiled at me when he saw that I answered.
"Could you give me your Instagram?" she asked. I looked at my friends, who nodded happily.
-Yes of course.
He offered me his phone with the search bar open so I could type in my username. I searched for it and tapped my profile when it appeared first.
"I'll follow you back if you follow me back," I said with a small smile.
"I'm glad you didn't ignore me," he said with obvious happiness. He was acting differently than others in his situation would, as if he didn't care that I knew he was interested in me.
I laughed at her response, and Camila took Ámbar by the arm and walked away. I narrowed my eyes at her action.
"I made you laugh, I guess that's good," he said, and I stopped smiling, realizing it wasn't just because of his comment... but also because of someone who was watching us with great interest: Liam.
—Were you invited to this party too? Your group wasn't supposed to be limited.
"It can't be," I said aloud, but mostly to myself. The boy, who hadn't yet told me his name, looked at me confused, as if he didn't understand my change of mood. I looked him in the eyes.
— Excuse me , I have to say hello to someone.
The boy nodded immediately, and then I looked at Camila and Ámbar, who were looking at me confused.
I gave them a rather obvious look, as if they already knew I was heading toward Liam, who was yawning, pretending he was getting bored.
When I was in front of him , she straightened up to face him, arms crossed.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think I don't get invited to parties?" she asked, glancing at the boy I'd been talking to. After I walked away, his friends approached him.
"Can't you have better taste?"
"I just gave him my Instagram, it's not that big of a deal," I responded immediately, as if that wasn't important at that moment.
I wanted to ask him why he was there, so I looked around to make sure no one was watching us. Instead, I noticed him. I figured he wouldn't show up like he usually does, hiding his face, because everyone would look at him strangely.
—For him, yes. The smile he has after they spoke, no one will ever take it away from him.
"What did you come for?" I asked, ignoring his comment.
"We talked via text about the plan we have in mind," he replied.
"Here? Really?" I asked, as if I didn't believe him. I shook my head and looked at my friends, who were all listening intently.
Then they gave me a knowing look, and the two of them separated to stand far away from each other.
They greeted other people, but I knew they would be watching us from time to time.
—Yes, I think it would be perfect, but of course, you have to agree —Liam said, showing his watch with the time: 11:11 pm —It's not like they're going to expect it, besides they're stupid.
Of course, we were the only ones who knew the truth.
"Which part should we start with?" I asked him as a suggestion, to which he gave me a knowing smile.
I watched as Dylan fixed his hair and brushed off his shirt, then, as he passed us, he touched the wall and continued on his way, ignoring us without looking at us.
"You smell awful, dude. Go change," exclaimed a boy with curly, well-defined hair, despite its short length. "Don't tell me Alex threw up on you."
Liam looked at me. I remembered that, in another situation, this would have made him laugh, but now he was serious. None of us turned to look at them, since they were close enough to notice. At first, I only glanced out of the corner of my eye to catch a glimpse of who he was talking to, but that was all.
What's up, Liam?
"Of course he did, the jerk drank two bottles of vodka," Dylan said with some annoyance, and I felt his gaze, not directed at Liam, but at me. "But I guess some rest will do him good."
"Don't look at him, look at me," Liam said, which surprised me and drew my attention back to him. "I didn't expect it to work, but that will certainly piss him off."
"You idiot," I replied, to which he laughed. I pushed him, and he walked to the side, signaling us to stay away from Dylan's conversation.
"Getting angry has never suited you," he replied, to which I sighed.
"You're saying the same thing as Jeff," I said, and he nodded as if agreeing with Jeff.
—Well, he's not lying.
"Yes, I do get angry, but when I do, it's usually temporary," I confessed, admitting that my resentment toward people wasn't common.
Because of that, I was confused about who that guy was.
But I know very well that just because I don't hold a grudge doesn't mean others don't hold a grudge against me. Perhaps they didn't like some of my behavior, and I didn't notice.
I find it even stranger because I notice everything, even the smallest details.
I am a great observer, able to see what others cannot.
"Everyone's so distracted," Liam said, looking around as he walked over to the coffee table and grabbed some peanuts that were there. "Do you think something's wrong?"
We couldn't sit down, so we stood behind the living room chairs; couples occupied all the seats.
"Like, him showing up or trying to do something to us?" I asked, my stomach churning just thinking about it. "Let's not even think about it."
"But you have to, especially you," Liam said, to which I looked at him seriously. "Are you going to ignore what's happening?"
—Do you really think I'm ignoring him? Do you want me to spend my time crying?
—Instead of being here, you should take better care of yourself.
—Like this?! Stay locked in my house? I'm not safe anywhere anyway.
"Do you really think he'll hurt you?" he asked. I froze. Did I really think the attacker and stalker wouldn't be capable of hurting me?
—Why are you asking me that question?
"He won't do anything to you. He's obsessed with you. It's obvious he's in love with you," she replied.
I let out a sigh, as if it were absurd, as if the words I had just heard were so stupid.
"He's not going to hurt me? He tried to attack me outside my parents' apartment," I replied, reminding her that I could have gotten hurt that night, and so could Jeff. The fact that he knows where I live is too dangerous.
"The attacker was there for Jeff, he wanted to hurt him, not you," he said as if it made sense and I hadn't noticed.
"Why are you so sure? Why do you say that with such confidence?" I asked, and he lowered his hand, even though he was about to put another peanut in his mouth.
"What I needed was for you to distrust me," Liam said, letting out a bitter laugh. "I don't give a shit if you don't believe me, but I'm not behind this shit. Don't condemn me for my past; I'm not the same person."
"No, Liam, it's not that," I tried to answer, but he shook his head, and just when it seemed like he was going to answer me, one of the couples on the couch looked at us closely, especially the boy.
"Is everything okay?" she asked, sensing the tense atmosphere between Liam and me.
"Don't butt into what doesn't concern you, Henry," Liam replied, as if the fact that he was butting into the conversation actually bothered him.
"I asked her, you aggressive bastard," Henry replied, ignoring Liam's words. "Go take your fucking pills."
Did he just make a reference? He knew he was taking pills, but... why did he know? I was the only one who was supposed to know.
No, wait... I did tell someone.
"Are you friends with Dylan?" I asked the boy, who looked at me, confused by my sudden interest in a completely different topic. I avoided Liam's heavy gaze; he was judging me, probably disappointed.
"Of course, what kind of question is that?" he said, and my kind look disappeared and turned into one of contempt. "Are you mad because I told him the truth? No way, he's a fucking drug addict."
"If you're going to talk shit about something you didn't even experience, you better shut your damn mouth," I replied, to which the girl who was with him couldn't help but open her mouth, surprised, and he simply turned away so as not to see me.
"I didn't know Dylan liked fucking bitches," he said just as I turned around to go talk to Dylan.
At his comment, I was about to turn around to answer him, but Liam, who was standing while the boy remained seated, pushed him to the floor.
Henry stood up, his face completely red, and walked over to Liam, intending to hit him, but Liam's punch was faster, knocking him to the side. I moved in to push Liam away, but when he felt my hand, he slapped it away.
"I really enjoyed this like you have no idea, idiot," Liam said, looking at Henry, who was getting up with the help of the girl who seemed to be his girlfriend.
Jeff's presence was noticeable, facing us. His gaze was fixed on Liam, whose hand was reddened from the blow.
He approached us and took us by the arm to lead us to a room, locking the door.
"What the fuck are you doing? You weren't supposed to get into any more trouble, everyone was watching you!" Jeff said, complaining. "Weren't you supposed to stop being aggressive?"
—If you mean I'm always angry, no, I'm not. Stop treating me like I'm a fucking lunatic. I still have that feeling of anger, I'm not all flowers and daisies all the time ,—Liam replied.
"Henry insulted me and defended me," I said to Jeff, who seemed to have arrived when they started fighting. "You would have done the same thing or worse."
"Violence isn't always the solution," he replied, to which Liam looked at me as if he had just heard the joke of the year.
I raised an eyebrow at his comment.
—I mean it.
"And I'm the Tooth Fairy. Do you believe your lies?" Liam replied, laughing.
"What do you think, we're friends? I didn't give you permission to make fun of me," Jeff replied, to which Liam raised his arms as if he simply accepted and wasn't bothered.
"Whatever you say," I replied to Jeff, and he looked toward the window. I turned around, startled, thinking someone was watching us, but he just came over to close the blinds and turn on the bedroom light.
I wondered if we could be there, but I figured we needed privacy.
"They'll shut up and let me talk," Jeff said, looking at both of us. "Stay there too, Liam. I think you should know."
"Are you sure?" Liam asked, to which Jeff nodded.
"Don't make me say it again," he replied. I shook my head at Jeff's attitude; I knew he didn't fully trust Liam, but at least he was trying.
"Have you talked to Ian yet?" I asked, and he nodded, although I could tell he was unsure about something.
"That's what I wanted to talk about... plus something else. But I'm not sure it's right to say it here," Jeff said, taking out his cell phone to type something and show it to us.
"Someone is listening to us."
He raised a finger and pointed toward the closet, which was half open. Then he pointed at the door. Neither Liam nor I had noticed the shadow, nor the faintest glimpse of shoes on the other side.
We looked at him, and he made the number two with his hand: two people were watching us.
Liam motioned for me to come over to Jeff, who offered his hand for me to take and hold close to him.
Liam inched closer to the closet and yanked it open. The person inside immediately ran out: a girl. Liam grabbed her by the blouse, easily pulling her toward him to prevent her from escaping.
immediately covered her mouth, causing her to squirm to try to get out of my grip. Jeff moved away from me , signaling me not to talk. He went to the door, unlocked it, and still I could see those shoes, he opened it , showing how the girl ran towards the hallway, her footsteps echoing, Jeff ran after her and I lost sight of him immediately.
"Close the door, quickly!" said Liam, who was struggling against the girl who was trying to hit him. She wasn't using much force, hence his desperation in asking me to close the door so he could let go of her without her escaping.
I walked over to the door, quickly closed it, hoping no one would come in, and locked it. When I looked back, I saw Liam let go of it. The girl fixed her hair, annoyed, looking at both of us. She had her cell phone in her hand.
"Did you record the conversation?" I asked. She touched her hair in frustration, not answering me.
—We'll call the police.
"They won't do anything. He'll kill me anyway," she said as if she'd already resigned herself to it. She wasn't angry, she was sad. "It's nothing personal with you, but that idiot is forcing us."
"Who? Who are you talking about?" Liam asked, approaching her. She shook her head, as if she could barely get the words out.
—Please, he should be in jail.
"But he won't be. If I tell them who he is, he'll do something to my family," she said angrily, putting her hand to her head. I looked into her eyes... Was she drugged?
—I got myself into this fucking mess, but I didn't want anyone to get hurt.
"Your family? Is it someone older or younger?" I asked, trying to find more clues about the stalker.
But it wasn't just a stalker anymore. It was something more. And not knowing who he was... that was what terrified me the most.
"Older, but not an adult. He's 19," he replied. I nodded, understanding.
So I was wrong? He wasn't from high school... he should have graduated by now.
—I can't tell you anything else. I don't know anything else.
"Don't lie. What do you mean you can't know more? You're supposed to talk to him," Liam demanded.
Then he looked at me, as if he wanted to make sure I was okay. Everything that was happening was starting to make me dizzy.
"He blackmails me via text, and I see him sometimes, but he never takes off that damn hood and that disgusting mask. He uses that fucking voice distortion," she said, her hands starting to shake.
He was even sweating from his face, which was strange considering the weather was cool, let alone being inside a house with the air conditioning on.
"Are you saying you never saw his face?" I asked, as if I couldn't believe it. It seemed impossible; we had a chance to know who was behind it. But he seemed to be smarter.
No one knew his face, but we all agreed on one thing: he wasn't just screwing us all over, he did it in a way that seemed to anticipate our every step.
Always one step ahead.
"I'm sorry to say this, but it'll be difficult. The police didn't believe me, even when I showed them the conversations," he said, looking down. "They told me to block it, to not pay attention to it, that false threats abound... but afterward, I didn't even know how it got into my body."
He lifted his sleeve, revealing his arm. The veins were clearly visible, and around them, a purple color seemed to spread with a sickly hue.
"Do you remember that color?" Liam asked, looking at me. He seemed to be taking a deep breath, and he avoided looking at the girl's arm.
He was scared. He touched his arms, as if the feeling had come back to him, as if it had returned to him two years ago.
Of course I remembered him. When he was at his lowest point... that aggressive boy who sometimes still wandered through my mind. I looked at him, and he seemed to be struggling with his own thoughts.
"It controls me, and I can't help it," the girl said, tears streaming down her cheeks. " My family kicked me out of the house because I'm dangerous. I'm not! I'm not!"
"Calm down, breathe. What do you need? I'll get something to make the pill not work," I said, slowly approaching her. She was completely devastated. I touched her arm, and although she didn't push me away, she didn't seem to pay attention to me either.
"There are no pills to reverse the effect," Liam said, knowingly. He looked at the girl sadly, but kept his distance. "Stay away from her."
"We have to help her! Do something! Give me some medicine... you were hospitalized to recover, there must be some way," I said desperately, as I looked at the girl.
But Liam came over and took my arm to pull me away.
"No! Don't you see this is wrong?" I yelled, unable to control my anguish.
"I'll call the hospital. We have to find a way to get her out without everyone staring at us," Liam said, to which I nodded, agreeing with the plan.
I took a deep breath and let it out before approaching her again. Her legs seemed to be giving way, and she ended up sliding down the wall until she was sitting on the floor.
"You're going to be okay, help is coming," I said, approaching the door to open it and look out into the hallway.
There was no one there... and no sign of Jeff either.
Suddenly, a group of boys and girls ran past us in the direction where we had been before: the main hall, where almost everyone was gathered.
"He'll kill us, he'll kill us..." the girl's whispering voice sent shivers down my spine. I begged my mind not to hold onto that phrase, to ignore it.
"I already called the ambulance and Officer Garcia," Liam said, and I turned to try to help the girl up, who was still repeating the same thing, completely lost in her own world.
"What's your name?" I asked, but he shook his head and pushed me. I lost my balance and fell to the ground. Liam ran toward me, but I got up quickly.
"I'm fine," I said.
The girl looked like she was about to pull her hair out, the way she was holding it so aggressively.
"We have to do something," Liam said. "She could hurt someone... or herself."
Suddenly, the screams of several people rang out. We left the room to see what was happening. Everyone was gathered together, recording something. I could barely see through the crowd, but I hoped with all my might it wasn't Jeff.
I begged him.
"Let's take her outside. They're distracted," Liam said, and we went back to the room. The girl couldn't stand anymore.
Liam easily took her shoulder to help her walk. I held her left side.
"I'm Nay," she said very quietly, almost inaudible. "Sorry."
"It's okay. It's not your fault," Liam replied with a gentleness that surprised me.
We walked outside. We were close to the crowd, and at first, no one seemed to notice us... until I saw them.
The girl who had run out earlier and Jeff were standing in the center, facing each other. My heart stopped when I saw that she was holding a knife.
Jeff was in a defensive position, ready to use his self-defense skills. If he was doing it, it was because he knew she would act. Not like before, when she hesitated. This time, he knew she would. She was ready.
"What the hell is going on?" asked a guy who was recording just like everyone else.
"She's crazy," a girl commented, to which her friends nodded, looking at the young woman with the knife, completely serious, without hesitation.
"I'm going viral, dude," I heard someone say, not knowing who among so many raised cell phones.
I sighed.
Nobody was helping Jeff.
"What?! Are you just going to stand there staring? Call the fucking police, you stupid pieces of shit!" I yelled, my voice cracking with rage and fear.
They all looked at me as if I had just broken the spell that had paralyzed them.
—They only record with their damn cell phones! What if it was someone they knew? Would they also watch?
I let go of Nay, my heart pounding, and walked straight toward one of the boys. I snatched the phone out of his hands and threw it with all my might.
The sharp blow against the ground resounded.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?! It was the latest model!" he yelled at me, but it didn't matter anymore. Because the girl with the knife... was looking at me now.
And he didn't look away.
"Ari," she said. My name, like poison on her lips. I... I didn't recognize her, but she recognized me. "It's your damn fault... this happened to us."
Everything stopped. The murmurs. The nervous laughter. The sound of cell phones recording. Nothing existed but her... and the knife in her hand.
She started walking toward me. Slowly, determinedly. Each step made everyone around me step back, as if her shadow frightened them. But I didn't move. I couldn't.
The blade gleamed in the hallway lights. His gaze was empty.
"Ari! Get away!" Jeff shouted, running, desperate. But she took another step, and he stopped as if an invisible barrier had stopped him.
"Do you want me to kill her?" she asked, her voice broken but steady. "If I kill her... this is all over."
And then, from behind, Nay's broken voice rose:
—You know very well that's not the case.
Still barely supported by Liam, Nay took a step forward, trembling. He carefully released her.
—We're done... rotten.
"That's not true! Shut up, Nay!" the girl screamed, as if she were in pieces. "He promised she'd be the last!"
The last one.
She was referring to me.
My whole body tensed. I could feel the pounding in my ears. Nay was still trembling, but her voice was firm:
—Leave them alone. They're not to blame for our decisions.
But it was too late.
The girl's gaze clouded. Her lips trembled. She looked around, and all she found were eyes of fear, contempt, and rejection. Then... she looked at me again.
And he raised the knife.
"No!" I shouted.
I took a step back, but she was already moving. Her arm rose, the blade pointing straight at my stomach.
Everything slowed down. I felt the air shatter around me. His face... was empty.
And just as the steel was about to touch me...
The shot was so loud the world went silent. A ringing filled my ears. I saw the blood before I understood what had happened. She brought a hand to her chest, staggered... and fell to the ground.
His body hit the floor like a toy without strings. The knife bounced, spinning once before stopping. His eyes... were still open.
I put my hands to my mouth. I screamed.
I screamed like never before in my life.
My legs were shaking. I wanted to run. I wanted to throw up. But my eyes couldn't leave his body.
I looked for Nay. He was standing... with a gun in his hand.
At what time?
He looked at me. He tried to smile.
"Take care of yourself, Ari... you deserve to live," he said, with a sweetness that broke my heart.
And before I could move, before I could run towards her...
The second shot was even more devastating. Nay collapsed like a wilted flower. The gun fell beside her body, her face still serene, her eyes already closed.
"No! Nay!" I ran to her, tears blurring my vision. She was screaming, pleading, and I knelt beside her body. "It can't be, it can't be!"
But it was real.
Two girls. Two gunshots. Two lives stolen by pain, fear, and something darker... something we didn't yet understand.
Someone grabbed me from behind, pulling me away from his body.
"Leave me alone! Leave me alone!" he shouted, shaking his head again and again.
The world was falling apart.
And this time... it didn't seem like it was going to stop.