Halfway Gone

Kim was never the type of person to forget about a huge event. It was something she’d mark in her calendar, and strike off the days before the day of the big event. She was excited about these things, as her life was usually quite dull. But for some reason, the biggest event of the year that was a legacy to the school, she’d forgotten all about until Nick reminded her about, earlier that day.

Kim quietly sat at the table as she waited for everyone else on the table she was assigned to sit with came. She patiently waited as she replayed the scene at Ivy’s over and over again. It’d been a couple of days since what happened at Ivy’s house, and she was still horrified from the event. She had to be careful who she could trust.

The blonde could remember, after escaping from Ivy’s house, she managed to run to a crowded park not far from Ivy’s house, where she phoned Nick up, to meet up with him at the park she was at. There, she told him what happened to her as Nick drove Kim back to the hospital.

She couldn’t quite believe that it was only a couple of days ago when she’d thought Chris killed Rosie, but after today, that thought changed. It was amazing how things changed after a certain amount of time.

Eventually, Kim managed to convince herself she’d been too distracted with Rosie’s death and now the killer, Ivy, and that was why she’d forgotten about this annual event. Yet, Kim felt guilty for not remembering the date. She remembered she’d agreed with Nick that they’d go together to commemorate Rosie as she was one of the people from the school committee who took the time and effort organizing a legacy event like this, each year.

“How are you holding up?” Nick’s voice came from behind as she saw his figure move himself onto the empty chair besides the blonde. “Did you get discharged from the hospital yesterday?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Kim managed to answer. “I hope she doesn’t come tonight though.” She was referring to Ivy, and just thinking, being in the same room as Ivy sent chills down her spine. Especially after knowing what she was capable of.

“Don’t worry, if she comes tonight, we’ll get her,” he comforted her.

“We better not end up like her,” Kim sighed.

“I promise you won’t end up like her,” he assured.

It was only then when Kim realized what he’d meant. He meant he’d take the fall for her if anything got out of control in the worst case scenario. “Nick…” she began. She wanted to tell him how grateful she was for him doing that for her, but she didn’t want him to. She’d feel much too guilty if he did that – it was just too much. She wanted to let him know that if death faced her, then let it be.

He shook his head. “Forget it,” he muttered. “Forget that I ever said anything.”

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

“I hear Rosie’s body is going to be discharged from the morgue tomorrow morning,” he informed. “The Fowlers are going to have a funeral within the next few days.”

“Yeah, I got a letter about it in the mail,” Kim remembered.

Suddenly, the beat from the dance floor slowed down, and Kim noticed the small grin growing on Nick’s face.

“I like this song,” he smiled.

But Kim knew better. Nick only liked this song because Rosie liked it. It was her favourite song when it first came out. Kim could remember Rosie singing it non-stop for weeks, and soon enough, Kim even began liking the song herself. To Nick, the song was the closest thing he had to Rosie.

“C’mon, let’s dance to it,” she chuckled as she got up from her seat.

For a moment, Nick hesitated not wanting to dance with his girlfriend’s best friend. It didn’t seem right at all but soon decided he needed to move on. “Sure, why not,” he nodded as he got off the chair.

The pair approached the dance floor and Kim placed a hand on his shoulder and the clasped the other hand with his in mid-air as he placed his other hand on her waist.

She’s a good girl, loves her mama
Loves Jesus and America too

At first, it was awkward between the pair, as the only thing the two had in common was Rosie. To Kim, it sounded pathetic if anyone were to say it aloud; the dead girl’s best friend and boyfriend are dancing together. Personally, the blonde didn’t feel comfortable dancing with her best friend’s boyfriend, so instead, she ignored the feeling, and tried to enjoy the moment where she’d finally get some peace.

Shes a good girl, crazy ’bout Elvis
Loves horses and her boyfriend too

“Remember when Rosie would sing to this, day and night?” Kim said as she gazed up at the dimly lit ceiling. “She’d have this song on repeat no matter where she was.”

It’s a long day living in Reseda
There’s a freeway runnin’ through the yard
And I’m a bad boy ’cause I don’t even miss her

“She gave me the music sheet to this once,” he admitted. “I asked her what she’d want for her birthday and she gave me a sheet of the guitar tabs to this song.”

I’m a bad boy for breakin her heart
And I’m free, free fallin’
Yeah I’m free, free fallin’

“So you played this song to her?” Kim asked, confused.

All the vampires walkin’ through the valley

“On our eighteen months,” he answered.

Move west down Ventura boulevard
And all the bad boys are standing in the shadows

“I bet she would have loved it.”

All the good girls are home with broken hearts
And I’m free, free fallin’

“She did,” he confirmed. “I ended up playing this song to her twice on that day. First was when I showed her, and the next time was when she going to sleep.”

Yeah I’m free, free fallin’
Free fallin’, now I’m free fallin’, now I’m

“I remember when she first heard the song,” Kim reminisced. “She fell in love with it, but I reckon it was only because John Mayer sang it. His covers are brilliant.”

Free fallin’, now I’m free fallin’, now I’m
I wanna glide down over mulholland
I wanna write her name in the sky

Nick let out a small chuckle that made Kim grin a little. “She loved it because it was different from what she was bought up listening to,” he said. “This was the first song she listened to that wasn’t the kind of music her parents would play around the house.”

Gonna free fall out into nothin’
Gonna leave this world for a while

Eventually, Kim finally felt her shoulders relax a little as she continued to slow dance on the dance floor in Nick’s arms. She couldn’t believe this moment. She loved it. But she refused to admit she was enjoying herself, as she knew she’d felt guilty for doing so. It didn’t seem right.

As Kim gazed around the room, she spotted a familiar figure, dressed in a royal blue dress that stopped at the floor. The familiar figure was looking over her shoulder every few moments as if she was checking if anyone was following her, as her black curled hair flung out from behind her every time she did. It was obvious the girl had dyed her hair from dark brown to black.

“Nick, I found Ivy,” she said, whispering in his ear.

And I’m free, free fallin’

Nick turned his neck to the side and spotted the dark haired figure, rapidly walking into a room connected to the large room they were in. The door was left a ajar open, and it seemed as though Nick seized the moment.

“C’mon, let’s get her,” he said as he held the blonde’s hand. He led the pair across the dance floor and into the room Ivy entered only moments ago.

And little did the two know that whatever was behind that door was coming for them.

Yeah I’m free, free fallin