Forever

The right words

"What is it?" Izzy whispered. "How can I get you out?"

I explain it exactly the way Moira did to me. I tell her all the necessary items she needs and I watch her with sad eyes as she rushes around her room to get them. Is this how Moira felt? Did she feel even one little dash of sympathy for me? But then I realized she couldn't afford to. And neither can I. My eyes turn cold again as they follow Izzy around the room.

She walks up to the mirror holding everything I told her to get. She starts to put everything in place, but I stop her. "It has to be done at night." I say. She hangs her head looking like she can't wait that long. The guilt in my chest is practically choking me. I look away from her kind hearted eyes. She's only doing this so I can get out. She doesn't deserve what I'm going to give her... But it has to be done.

I wait in dreaded anticipation for it to turn dark. Izzy and I sit back to back against the mirror, and I can feel her warmth radiating through the glass. Just as I could with Moira. I squeeze my eyes shut and try to get all the thoughts out of my mind. Just to have those last few minutes with Izzy, without her hating me.

And then it's over. It's completely dark outside. Izzy gets everything ready, but of course this time it's her old clothes.

And then she grabs the knife. She holds it up, and I watch as it catches the glint of the moonlight. She presses it against her hand.

"Wait." I say. "Are you sure you want to do this?" I look at her, my eyes absolutely begging her to back out.

"Yes I'm sure." She says returning my begging look with a defiant one.

She raises the knife again and brings it down on her hand. I almost need to look away as she brings her hand up to the mirror, and wipes her blood all over it.

The last step. Words.

"I love you." She whispers. "I... Love you." I whisper back.

The words catch in my throat. I try to step out of the mirror, but am only met by solid glass. "No!" I yell. "I don't know what I did wrong!"

"Let's try the last step again." Izzy suggests. "Our words weren't said together." "Okay." I agree. And then I think I might know what went wrong. The words have to be true in order to work. I decide to try it.

"I love you." She whispers at the same time that I whisper, "I almost loved you." And then I step forward right out of the mirror.

I turn to see my new reflection. I have Izzy's light brown hair and pale blue eyes. And right next to my reflection is Izzy herself.

"What happened?!" She yelled. "Nolan help me! Get me out of here. Please!!" Both of us have tears running down our faces.

"I heard what you said." She says in a low voice. "You mean our friendship was a lie too?" "No!" I exclaim. "Not our friendship just... I just never liked you beyond friendship."

She falls to her knees and puts her head in her hands. I can tell that I've broken her.  She's more broken than I was. She won't hold out for as long.

She gets back up and glares at me. "Get out." She whispers. "Get out and never come back." I touch the mirror on the outline of her face. I run my fingers down it and whisper, "goodbye Izzy... I'm so sorry."

She glares at me again. "Get out." She whispers one last time.

And I walk out of the room with tears streaming down my face.