Alice

Goodbye

She sat back and stiffened. As much as Johnathan denied it, Jeremy died, and it was all her fault. She ran him out, and now he isn't coming back.

"Well," John started after he pulled himself together, "You should be getting back to class."

"I can't, i-" Alice couldn't face all of her friends after this. She wouldn't.

"Alice," Ms.Beryl appeared in the doorway, "I know this is hard for you. You're welcome to call home,"

"My dad's at work."

"Wouldn't he understand?"

"He can't leave today."

"Well, i wouldn't normally do this," Beryl suggested, "but I'll let you drive Alice home, if you can Johnathan. I trust you, and it doesn't seem like she's going to be up for much else."

He nodded, and they signed out.

She stepped into the dingy pickup and slammed the door. She was afraid she's broken it, it was so beat up. The engine revved and they drove off.

"Where's your house exactly?"

"Turn here, it's down this big hill."

"That one?"

"No, that's my uncle's. Just a bit up the road," she wiped away a tear she didn't want John to see.

He nodded at the next house and gave her a questioning look. She confirmed it, so he pulled into the next driveway of the little white house.

"Thank you," she stepped down.

"No problem," his smile was half hearted but his eyes were empty.

She meant to say more but only looked at him, choked up beyond belief, and then she ran into the house. She saw the truck wait there for a while, checking to see if she'd come running back out, but in she stayed, and he finally pulled out.

She flopped into the easy chair and just sat.

"I'm sorry," she cried into the air, "i didn't know you were going to die!"

'But would it really have mattered?' Said a voice deep within herself, 'Is his life coming to an end, some thing of affect to your feelings? Would you really have said anything differently?' She realized her conscious was right. No, she wouldn't have. She didn't love him anymore, and she wouldn't lie in his last moments.

"Jeremy," She spoke softly, as if he actually were to hear her, "You'll always be very special to me," she sniffled, "but i have to move on," she burst into tears, "no matter how hard it is," she thought of will, "or how easy."