But Why Not

Chapter Twenty-One

Ryder and I had been gone for three days. We were having an amazing time. I hadn't thought of what my parents or Zach would think.

We were halted at a red light. Ryder suddenly stared intently at the radio, which we had turned down so we could talk a couple miles back, then grinned. He turned the dial and Shut Up and Dance filled the car.

Ryder looked at me. "It's our song."

I grinned and leaned across the center console to kiss him. We kissed until cars behind us began honking their horns to let us know the light was green.

Ryder bit his lip and glanced at me as we started forward. I grinned and turned to look out my window and my stomach dropped in a split second. An eighteen wheeler ran its light and was barreling towards us.

"Ryder!" I screamed.

Ryder looked out my window, eyes wide, he tried to swerve but it was too late. The eighteen wheeler crashed into my side of the car so hard, I'm pretty sure I felt the car bend in half. Everything went black so quickly. I could only hear. And all I heard was constant crunching and grinding. It sent shivers up my spine. I tried to move but couldn't. I tried calling out for Ryder. I couldn't. All I could feel was pain. Pain everywhere. I felt something wet and sticky on my legs, dripping down my face, on my stomach.

I heard Ryder scream my name over and over. But I couldn't respond. The pain became too much to bear. I realized in that moment, I was dying as I gladly gave into the tiredness and fog that was quickly coming to consume me.