Love, Dahlia // B2

[49]

Jake's P.O.V.

Sometimes I wish my dreams weren't so vivid. It makes it even harder to understand what has actually happened and what hasn't. I'm back in that ring of trees, but Mitchell is with me this time. He was dead months before I ended up in this place. He didn't say anything, we just laid on the ground on our backs, our heads turned and looking at each other. I wanted to talk to him, but I didn't know what to say.

He opened his mouth, like it was his turn to talk, but he didn't say anything. Blood just dripped from his mouth and started to pool on the leaves below us.

"Jake!" Someone shouted. "Jake, wake up!"

I open my eyes to see Rayna standing above me, holding my wrist. "Jesus Christ," she sighs.

"Nope, just me," I say, shaking off the dream.

"I'm supposed to remind you that I'm taking you to therapy in an hour," she sighs, sitting in my desk chair. "Your mom wants you to take a shower before we go."

"Tell her I can handle my own hygiene," I reply. "I'm almost an adult."

"You try telling her that," Rayna jokes. There's a minute of quiet between us and the only noise is the squeak of my desk chair as Rayna twists back and forth in it. "Can I ask you something, Jakey?"

"Of course," I nod. "What is it?"

"What do they tell you?" She asks, wiping her hands on her pants. She looks nervous, something I don't see from her often. "In your head I mean? What are they saying to you?"

"Oh," I think, resting my head against the wall.

"Sorry. I shouldn't ask that," Rayna shakes her head.

"No, it's alright," I assure her. "I just - uh - haven't told anyone what they say except for medical personnel."

Rayna nods, looking away from me. I can tell she feels guilty for even bringing it up.

"They usually tell me how ridiculously I'm behaving, how awful of a person I am, reminding me of the terrible things I've done," I answer. "Sometimes I can tell when they're lying to me, but it still hurts. Especially because it's all in my own head. It's better when I can recognize that it is all just in my head though. When it gets really bad, I can't tell what's real. Sometimes, I'm not sure if you're real."

"I assure you I am very real," Rayna replies. She stands up and walks over to my bed. She holds my shoulder and smiles. "And I can also assure you that you are an incredible person Jake. You always have been. You're intelligent and kind," she nods before standing up and walking back toward the door. "I'll let you get ready now."

*****

Luke's P.O.V.

Time moves in slow motion. I can feel myself drifting through nothingness. Behind my eyelids, there's something bright. I'm scared to look and part of me feels like it's right to keep my eyes closed. Then there is something warm against me. It makes me want to follow it, play into it. I want to stay. I want to know what it is.

It starts against my lips, like I just took a bite of sweet apple pie. Then it fills my body, moving down my neck and across my chest and into my fingers and toes. My whole body tingles for a moment and then I suddenly feel heavy. There is the feeling of a tether that stretched out too far snapping back and the light disappears.

My lips still feel warm and something is pressed against them. It's the feeling in my chest that catches me off guard. I quickly open my eyes to see Dahlia standing in front of me. I quickly pull away, realizing I was still kissing her.

"Luke?" She asks, opening her eyes. "Luke!"

"I'm here," I laugh, hugging her tightly.

"I-" she pauses, putting her hand against my chest. I can feel my chest flutter before returning to the ba-bum ba-bum ba-bum rhythym. "Luke, you have a heartbeat?"

"I guess I do," I laugh. I turn, looking to Alex and Reggie. "Guys, I-"

But there's no one standing there.

"Where's Reggie? Alex?" I ask, looking between Julie and Dahlia. Julie slowly shakes her head, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"No," I shake my head. "No, no. I need them."

"Awe, you mean that?" Reggie asks, holding his hand over his heart.

"Reg!" Julie calls, crashing into him.

"Reginald," I smile, letting go of Dahlia and rushing toward him. He hugs me, holding me tightly. I can feel his heart beat against mine. "We're back."

"Where's Alex?" He asks as we pull away. I look at the ground and Julie shakes her head. "Well, he's just not back yet. He's just taking a little more time. Right?"

I wanted to believe that too, but I knew if Alex ended up drifting in the same nothingness that I had, he might be stuck there for 25 years crying all alone. Alex also had more too think about in that bright white nothing than I did. If he lives, what happens to Willie? If he disappears, what happens to Dahlia and Julie? He didn't know what Reggie and I had chosen. Could he handle it if either of us had left? Could he handle it if either of us stayed?

"He'll show up," Dahlia nods. "I can feel it."

"Dahlia?" I turn to her. "Is Willie here?"

"You can't see him?" She asks, pointing toward the drumset. Everything looks normal, but there's no boy with longhair and a skateboard. "Luke, focus. Standing next to the cymbals."

I concentrate on the spot, letting my eyes drift in and out of focus. Eventually, I can see a thin, white outline wavering around the cymbals. The figure looks almost human, but not enough for me to know that it's Willie. "You can still see him?"

Dahlia nods, walking over to the cymbals. I watch as the white outline crumples and turns into a blob on the floor. Dahlia kneels next to it, rubbing her hand over its back.

"He's not coming back is he?" Reggie asks quietly. I turn and look at him. He already has tears streaming down his face and he wipes his nose with the back of his hand.

"Give him time," Julie says quietly, hugging him.

 I can feel my eyes watering and my face getting hot. It's getting harder and harder to believe that he might appear.

A.N.

AHHHHHH! We are so close. Thanks everybody for hanging in there!

-Redd

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