One Day Too Late

Saviour

 Harmony's P.O.V.-

BUZZ

BUZZ

I pick up my vibrating phone, glancing at the lit-up screen. Brandon, it reads. Immediate guilt kills my smile, and forcing a cheerful smile, I answer.

"Hey, can you come over?" He asks. He sounds nonchalant, but I know Brandon better than that. He's going to say something important. I head out the door, phone in hand.

"Sure, I'll be right over," I agree, matching his casual tone. I don't want to go over, but I owe it to him. The world doesn't stop because I'm a horrible person.

We all live in the same neighborhood, we have since. . .I don't know. I guess forever. Only now, it's just me and Brandon. When we were younger, we would always talk about how much we hated him, Echo most of all. The whole 'cooties' thing was still around. I remember how it had evolved, from 'he has cooties' to 'he's a dumb jock who screws everyone and has no soul'. 

The good old days. . .

I'm shaken from my thoughts by a car horn, I stepped too far into the road. Now, unsteadily, I jump out of the way as the driver shouts at me.

"Are you trying to die or something?" He screeches, face purple with rage. I walk quickly away, deciding that he was asking a rhetorical question. But, what answer would I have given? What would he have done if I said yes? 

I could never commit suicide like Echo, I've seen the damage it does to people. She may have thought people wouldn't care, but I know better. Yet, if I were too, accidentally of course, step in front of a moving bus. . .Or if I got 'caught in a current' and drowned. . .

Brandon opens the door, a lazy half-smile on his face. I wonder what he would do if he knew what I was thinking right now. Probably try to stop me. 

"Do you want to come in or are you just going to stand there the entire time?" He teases. Something in his eyes makes me want to stay forever in this moment. I shake away the thought, annoyed at myself for letting my guard down. 

I stick my tongue out at him and follow him to his room. He sits down on his bed, and his expression becomes serious.  

"Harmony," he begins, "I know about the scars." 

"Oh," is all I can get out, he going to tell me that he doesn't want to be with a freak. I just know it. 

"I'm sorry, I-" 

"I know what you're going to say ok? Save yourself the trouble, I know when to get out of someone's life," I cut him off. At least this time I was prepared.

"What? No!" He sounds shocked, appalled even, "I was going to tell you that I'm sorry that you're suffering this much. It's all my fault, for letting Echo kill herself." 

"Really?" My eyes fill with tears. Conflicting emotions war within me. Self preservation versus wanting to let go and be loved. Self preservation, which wouldn't have stood a chance if Echo were alive, wins out.

"Look at the way that made you light up," he smiles, "It's a strange feeling, being loved. Not the feeling of a girl wanting me for my popularity, but someone actually wanting me for me. It's amazing. How could you love me like that?" 

"You're kind of my saviour, Brandon. You helped me get through what I thought I couldn't survive. You're. . .everything to me now. The shoulder I cry on, the hand I hold when I'm lonely, and best of all, the boy who can make any day feel like the best day of your life," I confide. I almost slap myself, how could I care about him that much, I doubt he even thinks of me as more than a temporary distraction. 

"I never knew," he murmurs, eyes solemn, "I never meant to be the person who held you up, but I'll do anything to stay that way. Harmony, I think I'm in love with you. You say I'm your saviour, but I'm done nothing to deserve that title, I'm completely unworthy. But if you want, I can be there for an infinity. I can't promise it'll be the best infinity, but I can promise I'll never leave," he pauses, looks me dead in the eye and asks, 

"Harmony, will you be my girlfriend?"