KILLSHOT // [H.S]

053. POOLSIDE // FAINT

 AN (oct 8/22): just want to say a HUGE THANK YOU FOR 10-FREAKING-K!!!!!! i can't believe it. there's still lots of this story left to tell so I hope you all stick around <3 

as always, if you have any questions, wanna chat, or just say hi, hit me up on twitter (@  normiesandwich) or tiktok for edits/chapter teasers (@  normalsandwich69)

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053. POOLSIDE // FAINT

Rory never thought she would be face-to-face with a dead girl. There was a first time for everything.

"What's wrong, little Ro? You look like you've seen a ghost!" Juliet laughed - a sound that was sweet like honey. "Oh, you poor thing. You look frightened! Don't be scared!"

Juliet was shielded by a golden aura, making it impossible for Rory to make out any of her features. In fact, her golden glow shined so brightly that it forced Rory to squint her eyes. "Are-are you real?"

"Am I real?" Juliet repeated. "Why would you ask such a silly thing? I thought you were a smart girl." Her hand reached forward, twirling a piece of Rory's hair around her finger. "Such a pretty thing, aren't you? I can tell why he likes you... and you're such a good distraction for him."

"Distraction?"

"From me!" Her head cocked to the side. "Oh, Ro... did you really think he would ever get over me?"

Rory always felt it in her heart to be true - that Harry would never get over her. But hearing it from her mouth was far more painful than Rory had ever imagined.

"We're opposites, Ro. That's how it's always going to be." Spotting a pair of saddened doe-eyes, Juliet pouted her bottom lip and added, "I'm the girl he's willing to die for. You're the girl he's willing to let die."

Facing the water, her attention fixated on the blue in front of her. But it quickly became impossible to do so as a string tied its way around Rory's lungs, constricting each breath she tried to take. Her hands were slick with a sheer layer of sweat, and her body felt so light that she thought a single gust of wind could send her tumbling over.

"You should escape," Juliet whispered from behind.

"H-how?"

"Jump!"

Jump!

A hand went to her shoulder, "It's your only way out."

Toes curling over the edge, Rory nodded in agreement. Juliet was right. Rory believed it. It was so easy for the poor Bambi to believe her. Her voice was so kind and genuine. Juliet would never steer her wrong. Juliet was a golden angel. An angel that would never cause her harm. Right? Why would Juliet want to hurt her?

"Jump," Rory whispered, "It's my only way out."

"Don't do it, Aurora," her father's voice warned.

"Stop it," she muttered, shaking her head.

"Rory-"

Rory tore her eyes away from the water. "No! I need to get out!"

"Listen to me, Peanut. Just step away from the edge and-"

"Jump, Rory!"

"Don't-"

Be free, Ro!

"Escape!"