Please Don't Set My Heart Aflame

Chapter #16: Her Story

Ryan POV

"Dammit! What have I done?!?" I punched a tree again, my knuckles now bleeding severely. "I CAN'T EVEN KEEP HER IN MY LIFE!... I'm such a failure..." I sat down, burying my face in my knees. "Maybe I'll do it tonight. Maybe I'll finally take my life..." I shook my head. "No... I need to stop with that. Shut up, idiot! Dammit... I can't..." Tears rolled down my face faster than ever. "I'm such an idiot..." I then began to walk home.

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I sat on the couch across from the TV, digging a razor into my arm. "Ngh..." I winced as it hit a nerve.

The news was playing in the background as I made myself bleed. "... Everyone in the area take shelter due to the severe storms that are brewing right now."

"Thank you, Bill. In other news, regarding last summer's big house fire, the investigators have concluded that there are no living members of the Laylee family. The daughter, Jessica, has been confirmed to have died along with her parents..."

I accidentally stabbed my wrist harder than I intended. "Jess...?"

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I ran as fast as I could through the rain, only a sweatshirt covering my bloody arms.

"JESSICA?" I cupped my hands around my mouth, yelling as loud as I possibly could. "JESSICA!"

I began to choke up as my hope faded.

"JESSIE!!!" My hair covered my eyes as the harsh rain weighed it down. I was relieved when through my obscured eyesight, I saw a shivering girl in the rain, sitting in a corner, head between her knees. "Jess..." I frowned, lightly touching her back before sitting by her side. "It's me..."

All she did was turn her head up to face me with her weeping eyes. She was beautiful.

"I'm so sorry... I didn't know..." I played with a strand of her hair, only for her to hide her face  again. "Don't cry..." I pulled her onto my lap in a tight hug. "You'll be okay... I know you. You'll pull through."

"But... I—"

I couldn't take it anymore. I tilted her chin up and kissed her gently. "You'll be okay." I smiled sadly.

She bit her lip and stared at me with a confused sadness, but then leaned into my chest. "I'm here... I promise..." I gently kissed her forehead before pulling her closer and keeping her warm. "Don't question anything. Please," I said as I took my jacket off and wrapped it around us, leaving my new scars exposed. Luckily, with only a single nearby street light, it wasn't bright enough to see anything but each other.

Just how I wanted it to be.

Before I knew it, we both fell asleep in the rain.