Jinxed Things Ringing

"Sit down, sit down. It's been a while. You haven't aged a bit, darling,"

Brendon flinched but stood his ground. I reached for Brendon's hand and my fingertips brushed against his.

"I'm Michelle," Michelle finally stepped forward.

"It doesn't matter," Adriana shrugged. I watched her movements. Careless. Incredibly juvenile. She looked like your middle aged school teacher, with the attitude of a child.

Michelle let out a shaky breath. She was probably on the verge of punching this woman.

"I'll respect the elderly this time," Michelle said in a sickeningly sweet voice.

"That's right kid. Cool off. Maybe go get some milk while the grown ups talk," Adriana replied in a careless tone. Michelle fumed.

"Adriana?"

"What?"

"Fuck you," Michelle said calmly and walked out of the room. Brendon motioned to look where she was going, but I placed my hand on his arm.

"She'll cool off," I said to him. He reluctantly nodded.

"So Brenny-" Adriana continued. Brendon's muscles tensed as he visibly stiffened. "How are you? Last time I heard...you were dead,"

Brendon just stared at her.

"I mean...how is eternal life so far?"

He didn't blink.

"Break the curse yet?"

"Bitch," I hissed and pounced forward. I would have landed on her, if not Brendon held me back. He wrapped his right arm across my chest, holding my shoulder. His left hand wrapped around my stomach. I seethed at this woman.

How dare she. I was willing to find Michelle and tag team this jerk of a woman.

"Meow," Adriana said in a catty voice. I glared at her with all the hate I could muster.

"I'm good, I'm good," I breathed out quietly for Brendon to hear. He clasped my left hand with his right, as I straightened myself out.

"We need to talk," Brendon finally said. Adriana's lips curved upwards the slightest bit.

"I have all the time in the world," Adriana said leaning back into her pillows.

"Why'd you...why..wh-"

"Why did I do it?" she asked with such a casual tone it almost scared me. Brendon only stared.

"Why couldn't you love me?" Adriana asked him as if she were asking him what one plus one was.

"I don't even know you," Brendon replied icily.

"You could have," Adriana said almost in a pleading voice.

Nothing good can come out of this...

"You were a fan,"

"Am. I know everything about you. How long would it take for you to learn about me?"

"I traveled,"

"I would wait,"

"You were ages younger than me!"

"Age is only a number!"

"You're possessive!"

"Only when I didn't have you!"

"You're violent,"

"To protect you,"

"You hurt my friends," Brendon said darkly. "You killed my friends..."

Adriana looked like a lost little girl at that moment. Like a child at the fair.

"N-n-no-"

"They're gone...all because of you," Brendon spat. I touched Brendon's shoulder.

"Let me talk to her," I said to him quietly. He furrowed his eyebrows at me. I nudged him on, and he stumbled out of the hospital room. I closed the door behind him and turned to face Adriana. She looked up at me with a stony face.

"Why'd you write the letter?" I asked simply taking a seat in the chair perched at the edge of the bed. Adriana looked annoyed.

"Who are you?"

"You and I both know that Brendon doesn't belong here. He should have moved on 20 years ago," I continued to talk in a calm manner.

"What happened to your face?"

"There's a reason he's still here. The curse,"

"Where are you coming from?"

"It was obviously documented," I said crossing my legs. Adriana didn't say anything.

Bingo.

"Would you like to tell me what it said?" I offered politely.

"I don't remember," She muttered.

"No matter," I said with a shrug. I pulled out the camera from my back pocket and went to the specific picture.

"Dear Brendon," I started after clearing my throat. Adriana's breath noticeably hitched. "Words cannot express how devastated you've left me. Our relationship was a-"

Adriana's mouth contorted into a frown as she let out a sob, tears streaming down her face. She clutched the sides of her head and rocked back and forth.

She didn't stop me though.

"La da da...a road with obstacles....love me....had so much...yada yada yada...aha, here's something interesting," I said reading the zoomed words of the small screen of the camera.

"Not until you cherish somebody else's life more than your own, you'll never find contentment. You will-"

"Die alone and live miserable for eternity. You've killed me Brendon. You've taken my happiness. I hope-" Adriana cut in saying in the most far off voice anybody could muster.

"You never live to love," I finished the part of the letter as if I were telling a happy ending to a children's fairytale. After tucking the camera in my pocket, I folded my hands in my lap and looked up expectantly.

"So that's why you're here?" Adriana said slowly staring off into space. With a crooked grin, but unwavering eyes, she continued. "You're done here,"

"What do you mean?" I asked suspiciously.

"You read the reason," She said meeting my gaze. Reflecting back, Adriana wasn't an adult at that moment. She was the cause of a threat.

"Where?" I asked.

"I'm tired," Adriana said lamely and flopped back into the bed.



"I'm dying. I'm done now,"

Brendon raised his eyes to look up at her.

"I finally got what I wanted..." she chuckled sorrowfully. "This time you came to me,"

Brendon look back down to his shoes. He finally stood up and walked over to Adriana's side of the bed. With one big swoop, he grabbed her face and kissed her passionately. Visibly, tears streamed down Adriana's face as she was being kissed by her former and current love. And it would be her last kiss.

I couldn't help but let out a tear, as I bit my lip trying to control myself from crying.

When Brendon pulled away, she fell into his chest sobbing hysterically. Brendon held her and stroked her hair.

"I'm so sorry," She sobbed over and over again. "I'm sorry,"

Brendon kissed the top of her head and a small wet teardrop fell onto the bed sheet.



I sighed as I closed the newspaper after reading the obituary. Of course she would be put under a false name. Not too false. I won't ever forget how Brendon put his arm around my shoulders as we walked out of that hospital room. I turned to look at her. Sitting on that bed. Young as ever. Tears still fresh in her eyes.

We exchanged a look.

I knew it was the right thing to do. She wanted it.

The next morning, the obituaries read:

Adriana Urie committed suicide December 14, 2029 while admitted in the Arizona Hospital for the mentally ill...