Love is a Pretty Tragedy

The car was almost completely full, and we had only collected about half of the things I needed for college. Maybe we should have invested in something larger than a Honda Fit for my birthday present. Aly and unfortunately Ethan were joining me as I packed up the car. I had barely said a word, and thankfully moving all the boxes was a perfect excuse to be silent. "I think we deserve a break." Aly sighed as she tried to cram the carpet into my backseat. I looked at my own hands and could already see blisters forming from packing and carrying all the boxes.

"Couldn't agree more," Ethan agreed, "and it is so muggy out here from the rain. Let's go inside."

Aly was glad to see she wasn't the only one that was tired and hurried inside my house, most likely to pick up some of Marie’s famous lemonade. "Coming, Estelle?" Ethan asked.

I was disgusted in the twang that his voice had when he said my name, but I couldn't show it. "In just a second." He nodded and headed out of the garage.

I couldn't believe that I was going to be stuck with them from now on. I love Aly, but when she is around Ethan, she is a different person. I would try to meet as many new people as possible, but it would be difficult to be away from them all the time, as she was my roommate, and her and Ethan were only becoming closer each day. I couldn’t tell her the truth about him. She just wouldn’t understand. I closed the hatchback and leaned against the back of my small car as I looked out at the pouring rain.

It had been a little over a week since I visited Henry's apartment, and it had been pouring ever since. I accepted that this was the end for us. Of course, I had not wanted to believe it for all this time, but now I had to. The summer was over, our three months of bliss didn't happen. For reasons I still couldn’t figure out, our fairy tale never happened. I guess as most fairy tales don’t. He knew that I had made the effort but was too cowardly to leave me more than just a dress, a symbol of bad memories. Not even an explanation when I went to his house practically begging for one. However, I just couldn't stop myself as I grabbed my keys from my pocket and started the car engine.

The rain was still coming down in torrents. Reluctantly, I opened my car door and stepped into the knee-high grass. I had to come back; I couldn't leave before seeing it once more. My pace was leisurely to the deck, all the memories of the summer running in my mind creating a slide-show of events. Abruptly, the tall blades stopped tickling my knees, and I had finally reached the old wooden deck. Moss was almost completely covering the deck making it difficult to keep my balance on the slippery surface. I gazed out along the lake to the thick rows of trees, which were barely visible through the heavy downpour. For a moment, it seemed like his smell still lingered, the smell of aftershave and ice cream. I could almost feel those familiar arms around my waist, and a soft but strong voice whispering something sweet into my ear. Gently, a tear drop fell from my cheek onto the deck.

I edged to the side of the deck, seeing my own reflection surrounded by the rain pelts, how much I had changed personally and my life in general. Caught up in the moment, I barely realized that I had lost my footing until I fell into the chilly water. Once, I had gotten over the initial shock, I opened my eyes to view complete darkness, before panic started to spread throughout my whole body. I attempted to swim to the surface, however no luck. Something was pulling me down and away. Maybe an undertow, from the storm but there was no possible way to tell. I was in such a panic mode; I had no idea what to even do. No natural instincts were kicking in like they were supposed to. Then, it hit me, as I was struggling to retain consciousness by helplessly sinking that this was it. I was about to perish, with so many regrets. Without saying good-bye, thinking that I should have tried harder, I could have explained more. There must have been something else that I could have done.

I shook the horrible thoughts of dying from my mind; he wouldn’t want this to be my end. I had to keep some hope. I attempted again to reach the surface, but it didn't help. Consciousness soon left me, and it felt as if those arms were once again embracing me.

Henry's POV

She will be leaving in one day. One day until I was sure that I would never see her again, and one more day until she was safe. How badly I wanted to go to the door when I heard her ask for me, wanting to see me as desperately as I had wanted to see her all this time. Keane stopped me, and it was for better. Waiting was not made any easier by knowing that she wants me too. Even after all I have put her through; our love is so strong that she wanted to try once more. I wanted to tell her everything, but I know I can't. So seeing her again should be enough, she deserves at least that. She deserves the closure that I never gave her to begin with. She needs reassurance that her future is much brighter than her past.

That is the only way I can explain me driving over to her house right now. I know I shouldn't be. I know how much danger I am putting us both in. Keane would not have let me go, and that is why I had to wait until he left. Hopefully, she will be able to move on in college if she can just put us behind her. It isn't what I want, but it is what I know has to happen. So when I bravely pulled into Estelle's driveway, I wasn't sure if I was seeing correctly through my windshield wipers. It seemed that only Aly and Ethan were there piling boxes in the driveway. They also seemed to be laughing and flirting with each other. I didn't want to get out of my car, but I hoped to get this over quickly.

Aly finally looked up, and her jaw dropped in awe to see that I was still alive. I'm sure all the rumors that she had heard about me where flying in her head. I knew that she would instantly have to text all of her friends in disbelief that Henry Owens actually showed his face. Even more so, at Estelle’s house the day before they leave for college. I pushed those thoughts out of my head, and I stepped out of my truck. Before I could get any words out of my mouth, the rain began to drench me. "Hey, can you tell me where Estelle is?"

"Henry?" Aly said squinting. She had to make sure her story would be correct.

I wished she would just tell me. I glanced toward Ethan to see him sizing me up. It was funny to me that he had never seen me, when I had shifting into him so many times. I still did not know too much about him, but I already had a hatred for him. However, my mind went back to why I was here. "Aly, please tell me where she is."

"We're not sure. We were helping her pack up the car when she drove off. She seemed so determined that she didn't even hear us talking to her. I wish I could help you..." Aly kept rambling as I tried to think where she might be. It didn't take long. I don’t know why I didn’t try there first. Estelle would never leave without going to our spot, especially after the scene last week. I quickly got back into my car and speed over to our spot.

Once I got there, I quickly saw Estelle's car with the door wide open getting the new fancy interior all wet. "Estelle!" I called out, but I didn't see her anywhere. I went to her car and searched all through it. There wasn’t much space to search as it was mostly filled with boxes and clothes for college. I glanced around the familiar surroundings. The tire swing slightly swinging in the wind, but she wasn’t over there. Then I saw a hand. It took a second for my brain to register what I saw. She was drowning in the lake. Our lake. Even though we spent hours on end beside it, the lake she never felt comfortable being in even though I would push her in occasionally.

I sprinted over to her and dived into the chilly, murky water. I instantly found her limp body in the pond but felt a slight tug pulling us downwards. Thankfully, the pills were still in effect, and I was able to pull us both up. I don't believe that I could have if I was my ordinary lacking-powers self. There was something down there that I wasn’t sure of, but it was incredibly powerful.

I quickly put her on the dock. Her lips were blue, and she seemed to be unconscious. I pumped her chest hoping to get the water out of her lungs. My mind was in a million places at once, but at the same time was completely focused. "Estelle." I whimpered. I didn't know whether to do mouth to mouth in this situation. I wish I had paid more attention in the safety class we had to take in ninth grade health. "What if this doesn't work?" I questioned as I continued to do my best. "I can't let her die." I concluded. I put my ear to her mouth and could hear that she was barely breathing.

I knew that no ambulance could get here in time. If only I had still had my ability to teleport, I thought. "Estelle you can't die on me." I whispered. It seemed as I was beginning to lose hope as I continued to pump her chest and trying to give her air, but nothing seemed to work. I knew that there was no way I was giving up. No way she was going to die in my arms. The third option loomed in the back of my head, and I knew that I would go through with it instead of letting her die. I knew that I would have to hurry too, as it wouldn’t work if she was already dead.

"Estelle, I'm so sorry." With all of my willpower, I transformed. My teeth pierced my lips as I picked Estelle up closer until the warmth of her neck was felt in between my lips. The blood lust was so strong, pent up for years now. I could finally let it free.