‹ Prequel: Shattering Crystals
Status: Active

Twisted Returns

the one that I love

Dean, Lorraine and I sit at a table in the dining room. Though we are back in Crystallaria, we all came from the same place on Earth. The original three. Because of this, we still share something special.

"I have to meet Cody soon," Lorraine says between sips of her lemonade. "It's his day off. Plus I'm pretty sure this kid is going to come out of me soon... We won't have much time together."

"What are you going to name her?" I ask.

"Nicole," she says. "Nicole Veronique, for my two mothers. I feel they should both live on, in a way."

"You scared?" Dean asks.

Lorraine looks over her shoulder, as if she fears anyone hearing her answer. When she sees no one else around, she bits her lip and nods.

"I act like nothing scares me," Lorraine says. "And usually nothing does. But I don't know... I'm not who I used to be, back on Earth - never worried about anything."

"It's okay," I say, reaching out to comfort her. I imagine the pain of it all and wince. "I think everyone would be scared."

"It's just the fact that I'm scared that makes it even worse."

I look in her brown eyes and I can't find the confidence that was there when I first met her. And just now I realize that every time we faced a problem, it faded a little.

"I just don't know if I can do this," she continues. "It's not the birth that I'm afraid of - though that seems a bit... painful. It's the responsibility. I don't know if I'll be a good mother."

"Well, think of it this way," I say. "You've been taking care of us for the past three years, and we turned out okay."

"Yeah... 'okay'." The clock chimes three times and Lorraine gets up from her seat. "Gotta go. See you guys later."

She slowly walks away, leaving me alone with Dean. Somehow, half of me was dreading this and the other half was hoping for this. I fear the reasons.

In order to fill the awkward silence, I blurt out the first thing I think of. "I feel bad."

He stirs his drink with his straw, the ice clinking against the glass. "Why? You shouldn't."

"You heard. This is all my fault."

"How?"

I open my mouth, but then shut it. I don't really know what anyone wants with a powerless girl. What good does it do if they get me? "So what? Is it not my fault then?"

"No, it's not your fault. But I'd be lying if I said it wasn't because of you. If that makes sense."

"Kinda, in a way. But I don't really get what you mean."

"There are books in the library that might help. Come."

----Image

The library is a room I never visited, located in the left wing. The proper name is the Crystal Library, since the General Library was in the destroyed right wing (which is invisible to everyone, since apparently the ruins may upset some people).

Walking through the heavy doors, the first thing I do is look up at the ceiling. It's about fifty feet, and there are books on shelves reaching all the way to the top. The whole room is a calming beige color. The shelves are made of dark wood. Tall ladders lean against them. Books fly around, shelving themselves.

"This is beautiful," I murmur. "Like an enchanted library in movies. Except... real."

"This is all related to Crystallaria and Glitteria."

"I didn't know there was that much to write about."

"Oh, there is," Dean says. "And there's a whole section on you."

"How come I never knew this?"

He shrugs. "You were too busy at the pool, I guess." He leads me to a corner of the room. A huge shelf leans against a wall. Across the top, written in huge curly gold script, Diana Crystal. There looks to be well over a hundred thick books.

"How much is there to know about me?"

"A lot," Dean says, picking a book off the shelf. "But a lot of these aren't fact. Some are theories about your magic."

"I wouldn't know where to start."

"Here," Dean says. He flips to a seemingly random page. He points to a line and I lean over to read it.

"Diana possesses the most powerful magic this universe has ever seen," I read. "One can question the difficulty of controlling such magic."

"That's the most related thing I could find in a day."

"So what does it mean?" I ask. "My fault, right? I couldn't control it..."

"No, I don't think so. I think they are after your magic, even if you don't have it anymore."

"So should I just surrender? There's nothing to fight for, anyways."

"They could kill you out of rage. Even without magic, you're still a symbol. People will react badly if something happens to you."

"I still feel like it's my fault," I say. "I can't explain it, it's just this feeling..."

He must notice the frown forming on my face, because he reaches out to hug me. "Whatever it is, I'll be here. Best friends forever, remember?"

I do remember. My memory carries me all the way back to when Diana was eight. I remember a tree. I remember Charlie carving our promise into the bark. Best friends forever and ever.

And then I remember when Dana was fourteen. Finding some drinks that Chelsea had stashed in Lynda's house. Trying them and cringing at the taste, but continuing anyways. Everyone was a bit tipsy, laughing obnoxiously at nothing. But even then, Dean made his promise. I didn't understand it at the time, and I thought it was just the alcohol speaking. But it get it now.

"Best friends forever," I whisper back, wrapping my arms around him.

We're friends, just friends. But then, why does this feel like more? My memory brings me back to that tree, six years later, to a hug just like this.

Tears well up in my eyes, because I wish it was someone else. That someone who will forever hold my heart.

This feeling, the feeling of his body against mine... It feels so right. We were made for each other. But that was then. Before Earth, before Connor. He's the one that I love, the one that I want to be with. I wanted to spend forever with him. Yet I still can't shake the feeling of this being perfect.

And it feels so wrong.
♠ ♠ ♠
I really like this chapter. What do you think of it?

Fun fact - Aaron was not from Crystallaria or Glitteria, and had no family. How he became friends with Diana will come up again later.