𝓜𝓲𝓷𝓮

25| marshmallows

DIANE

The sun was setting over the lake, the sky turning a beautiful shade of orange and pink. The fire was crackling in front of us, and the smell of roasting marshmallows filled the air. I watched as my marshmallow turned a perfect shade of golden brown, and I carefully removed it from the fire. Blowing on it to cool it off, I took a bite, the sweetness exploding on my tongue.

"I've got a signal," Luka announced, turning his phone around to show me. "I've got a ton of missed calls. Some of them are from Viktor," he said, his voice serious.

His words caught my attention and I furrowed my brows.

My stomach dropped. Why would Viktor be calling him? Was it something to do with Diane? I was on the verge of panic, my mind racing with possibilities. "What did he say?" I asked, trying to sound casual. Luka studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable. "He wants us to come inside," he said finally. I felt a pit of dread form in my stomach.

"I bet he wants to ask where I am," I said, trying to keep my voice light, but my heart was racing. I was starting to remember more about the night before, but the memories were still hazy. "Maybe it's nothing," Luka said, but even he didn't sound convinced. "We should probably go in, though. We don't want to anger him." I nodded, my heart thudding in my chest. We stood up, brushing the dirt off of our clothes. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves.

"Are you alright?" Luka asked, looking at me with concern. I could tell that he had noticed my unease. "I have a headache," I admitted. "I think we should head back to the cabin." Luka nodded, not pressing me for more information. We made our way back to the cabin, the silence between us heavy. Once we were inside, Luka handed me a glass of water and I downed it in one gulp. I could feel his eyes on me.

I made my way to my room, determined to lie down for a while. As I opened the door, my gaze landed on my ball gown, still hanging in the closet where I had left it. And then it all came rushing back to me - the party, the dancing, the gunshots. I sank to the floor, my mind reeling. It was all coming back to me, but it still felt like a dream. Or a nightmare.

Isaak.

"We left him! We left Isaak, Luka!" I yelled, my chest burning. "Shh, calm down," Luka said, cupping my cheeks.

"We have to go back, now." I insisted, my voice shaking.

"Okay," Luka said, his voice calm. "Let's go then." We headed towards the Jeep, my heart pounding in my chest. Luka started the engine and we drove in silence, the events of the night before replaying in my mind. I had to get back to Isaak, I just had to.

My mind was racing, trying to understand how I could have forgotten about Isaak. Why had I done that? Luka seemed to sense my turmoil, his voice low and reassuring. "Don't worry, Diane. I'm sure he's fine. Trust me, he always is." I nodded, trying to believe him.

The car began to slow down, and I felt my heart sink. Luka let out a curse under his breath. "We're out of gas," he said, frustration clear in his voice. "Looks like we're going to be stuck here for a while." I sat back in my seat, trying to figure out what to do. It was starting to get dark, and I didn't want to be stranded here all night.

Luka's phone started ringing, the sound cutting through the silence like a knife. I felt a wave of relief wash over me - at least we had cell service here. Maybe we could call for help. I watched as Luka answered the phone, his voice calm and collected.
"Hello?" he said. "Hello? Can you hear me?" I leaned in closer, hoping to hear the voice on the other end of the line.

But just as the conversation was beginning, the line went dead. I felt my heart sink as Luka looked at me, his face a mask of disappointment. "The call dropped," he said and I let out a frustrated groan, not sure what to do next.

"I'm thirsty," I said, my throat feeling dry and scratchy. Luka reached into the back seat and grabbed a bottle of water, handing it to me. I took a sip, the cool water feeling like a godsend. I looked out the window, taking in our surroundings. We were in the middle of nowhere, with nothing but trees and dirt roads for miles.

"I'll go try to find some help," Luka said. "You stay here, okay? I don't want you wandering off alone." He handed me his phone. "Take this, just in case." I took the phone, my hand shaking. I didn't want to be alone, but I knew he was right - it was too dangerous for me to go wandering off on my own.

Before I could even respond, he was out of the car and running down the road. I watched him go, my heart pounding in my chest. I knew he was doing the right thing, but I still felt anxious and afraid. I climbed into the driver's seat and waited, hoping he would find someone who could help us. We were so close to the city, so there had to be someone nearby who could help us, right?

As I sat there, my mind kept wandering to my little sister, Roseline. I couldn't reach her, and I had no way of knowing if she was okay. My heart felt like it was being squeezed into a vice, and I struggled to catch my breath. My mind was racing, filled with worst-case scenarios. Had she remembered to take her medication? Was she scared and alone? A million thoughts were running through my head, and I was struggling to keep it together.

Were the others okay?

I took a deep breath, trying to push my fears aside. I had to have faith that everything would be okay. I just had to.
Suddenly, a notification pinged on Luka's phone. I looked down, and my heart sank when I saw the sender's name: Viktor. I stared at the message.

My brows furrowed, why was Viktor texting Luka? I sighed, ignoring it as it was none of my business.

Despite my best efforts, my curiosity got the better of me and I picked up the phone again. I stared at the message, my eyes widening as I read the words on the screen.

"Isaak being responsible for Diane's sister's state is the key to my daughter getting married to him," the text read. I felt like I couldn't breathe.

What did this mean? Was Viktor talking about my sister's accident? And what did he mean about his daughter and Isaak getting married? None of this made sense.

I felt the tears welling up in my eyes, threatening to spill over. This couldn't be true. There was no way that Isaak could have had anything to do with what happened to my sister.

I refused to believe it. But at the same time, the doubt and worry were gnawing at my insides. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. I had to focus on the facts, not my emotions.

Not you, Isaak. Not you.