The Moon Is Beautiful

Chapter 28

Silence.

As I feel my life flashing before my eyes, everything becomes silent. I await the impact of the truck crashing into me, fear seeping into me like blood would out of a deep wound.

I'm not sure what I was thinking. No, I wasn't thinking. At that moment, all I wanted to do was save Kaden, no matter the consequences or costs I may have to pay. I couldn't stop thinking about how vulnerable he is, and how that puts him in so much danger. We are not close yet, yet I had such an overwhelmed urge to save him.

Now it's costing me my life. Maybe he will survive, or maybe he will die with me. I'll never know.

I regret. I regret not reaching out to my mother sooner. I regret being so stubborn and prideful. I regret not trying to mend my relationships with others. I regret not telling Raine how much I want him. It's strange that as I am about to die, I'm thinking about him.

Do I have feelings for him? No. But do I want to be with him nonetheless? Yes. Am I going to regret it? Most definitely.

But I'm going to die now, and so it doesn't matter.

Much time passes by, and I still don't feel the truck crashing into me. Is everything happening in slow motion because of my overactive imagination of this situation? Probably. But I can't help but want to open my eyes despite all my fear.

Biting the bullet, I slowly open my eyes. They widen when I see the situation.

The truck has stopped, merely centimeters away from me. I'm not sure how the driver managed to stop the truck in time, but I'm glad that he did.

Shock mixed with relief creeping into my body, I fall to the ground, a relieved breath escaping my lips.

I'm alive. I took a chance, and made a very dangerous and life-threatening decision, but I'm alive. I'm still alive. I didn't die.

"Hey! Are you crazy? Why in the world would you jump in front of an incoming train like that?" I hear Eliza scold, pulling me at my arm.

However, I can barely pay any attention to her. All I can think about is how after all of that, I'm alive. I've never been more relieved to be alive than I am right now.

"Are you alright?" I hear Kaden ask, pulling me out of my state. My eyes snap to his, and I quickly scramble to my feet.

The moment I am up, my hands grab onto his sides, moving up and down his sides. "What about you? Are you okay? Are you not hurt anywhere?"

"I'm okay." he says and I release a breath of relief.

"What a relief." I breathe, my hands dropping from his body.

"Rosie, did you just save me?" he slowly asks.

I nod. "Yes. Yes, I did."

He smiles, the look in his eyes softening as he stares down at me. He doesn't say anything, merely staring affectionately at me. What's with that look? I've never been looked at like this before.

I'm not sure whether it makes me feel appreciated or uncomfortable.

Either way, it's strange.

Kaden opens his mouth to finally say something, but Eliza cuts in. "Who is he?"

Her question reminds me that there are others here right now, and not just Kaden and I.

"He's...a friend." I slowly say, hesitating as I'm not sure if I can call him my friend just yet. I might be counting my chickens before they hatch right now, but when I look at him for a brief moment, he seems unbothered by what I just said, his smile remaining on his face.

"Just a friend? Someone who you just ran into open danger for?" Eliza questions, disbelief evident in her tone. I believe in her reaction. Never before in my life have I ever put myself in danger for another. I wouldn't even share my answers with a friend during the exams in fear that I would be caught and severely punished.

And so I understand why my actions shock Eliza. It's so unlike me. And yet if I were given another chance to redo things, I would do it again. I would still jump in front of that incoming truck knowing that I may die.

Why, is another question that I don't know the answer to.

"Guys, this is Kaden." I decide to introduce instead of trying to explain myself.

"Is there something wrong with him? He doesn't look too okay." Eliza says and my eyes widen at her words. How could she say that?

"There's nothing wrong with him. He's just-"

"I do not appreciate you saying that about me when I'm standing right here." Kaden cuts, his voice suddenly deepening for some reason.

Turning my head to look at him, his eyes is the first thing that catches my attention. His dark, soulless blue eyes. This isn't Kaden. Well, technically, it is still Kaden, but just his other personality. This is something I was trying to avoid having to deal with.

"Kaden." I whisper.

"It really isn't okay, and so I'd appreciate it if you keep those words out of your mouth when speaking about me." he says, the formality in his voice sending shivers down my spine. It's quite obvious to anyone who has spoken to and gotten to know Kaden that this isn't him.

But Eliza, Raine and Flynn don't know Kaden, and so their first reaction of him may be that he's a jerk.

His eyes are stern, and judging by the annoyance on Eliza’s face, there is going to be a big argument here right now if I don't do something.

"Kaden," I whisper once more, tugging at his shirt sleeve. His gaze moves down, meeting mine, and I can be imagining it, but I swear his gaze softens when it lands on me. "Please stop."

A few moments passes by before he reluctantly nods, taking a step back.

"Eliza," I say, turning to her. "You guys go on ahead. You know where Ms. Anderson's shop is. I'll be right there."

Her eyes narrow at Kaden, glaring slightly at him. But finally, after what feels like forever, she nods and walks away with Raine and Flynn, and I can't help but notice the way Raine stares at Kaden and I, more so on Kaden, as if he doesn't want to leave, and instead wants to pull Kaden away from me.

It may just be my imagination once more again. I won't be surprised if it is.

Only when he looks away do I turn back to Kaden. I can't help but narrow my eyes on him. This isn't the Kaden I know, and so I'm not sure how I am supposed to act.

"You...you are Kaden's other personality, aren't you?" I slowly ask, treading cautiously with my words. I don't want to trigger him, if there is such a thing.

His eyes flash in surprise, before his gaze meets mine. "How do you know?"

"You appeared before me last night too, remember?" I say, crossing my arms on my chest.

It dawns on him. "Right. I was hoping you wouldn't remember that." He whispers the last part, as if he doesn't want me hearing him.

"You...who are you? I mean, I know that you are technically Kaden, but at the same time, you are not him." I say, unable to make sense of any of this. This entire thing is so confusing to me.

"No, you're correct. Yes, technically, I am Kaden. However, at the same time, I'm not Kaden." he says, and it feels like he just repeated what I said to him.

"Then who are you?" I question, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Sin."