“I can’t lose him. Oh god Ari… I can’t lose him, too. ”
Jeff picked me up and put me in the backseat of his truck.
Ari jumped in next to me and held on to me. She just kept repeating herself. “Baby girl, everything’s going to be okay. It’ll be okay. ”
It was my parents’ car accident all over again. Images of me in the backseat of my uncle’s car while Ari held me flashed through my mind. Even then, she did the same thing, telling me everything was going to be okay.
But it hadn’t been okay. My parents had left me.
If I lose Josh…I’ll lose my whole world.
EPILOGUE
HEATHER
It was just supposed to be another day at the lake. I knew he was bringing her. Ari told me. I watched as they laughed and kissed each other.
Each moment that passed, I died a little more inside. Every now and then, he would look at me. I tried to smile when he did, but it took every ounce of energy I had to smile at him and act like I was happy that he was with her. When I did manage a forced smile, he would give me a weak smile in return.
***
As the day went on, I hated her more and more. She did this. She knew that he was mine, but she went after him with everything she had.
She won.
When I walked up to the bon-fire, Ari reached out and grabbed my arm.
“Maybe you and I should take a walk, Heather. ”
“Why? It’s getting cold, and I just want to sit by the fire. ”
Ari looked back over at the fire. I followed her eyes and saw Josh and Victoria hugging. My stomach turned, and I wanted to throw up.
Then, it happened. He dropped to one knee and held out a ring box. Victoria’s hand flew up to her mouth as she let out a small scream.
My eyes moved from looking at her to looking at Josh. When he glanced over at me, I wanted to scream no.
I couldn’t move.
The next thing I knew, I felt my legs going out from underneath me, and all I heard was Ari calling out my name.