Reasons I Can't Forget You

Chapter XL: Keep Living

POV: Daniel

The day after we got home, my dad told me I had to go out to dinner with him. I groaned, "Ugh why?"

"You know the woman I've been dating? Lisa?"

"Yeah dad."

"Well tonight I'm going to propose, and I want you to meet her."

I stared at him in shock, "You're going to marry a woman that I've never even met? HOW?"

"Calm down! I have a feeling you'll get to know her right away, and I promise that you'll love her. If somehow you don't, you're moving out in a year or so anyway."

Has my dad gone crazy? Whatever, who cares. I just went along with it, April Fool's Day was coming up soon. Maybe this was an elaborate prank. Somehow I doubted that.

We were seated at the table, waiting for my dad's date. He gestured at an extremely pregnant woman and winked.

Before I could process the fact that she was pregnant and looked really familiar, I saw who she had come in with. Avalie!

No. Fucking. Way.

Avalie met my eyes and did a double take. I saw both our parents smile at each other and to us.

Avalie rushed over, "This is too weird!"

I laughed robotically, "You're telling me sis."

Her eyes grew bigger than Saturn, "You don't mean..."

I nodded and cringed.

"Well, that's a plot twist! I guess my mom will be excited."

We took our seats at the table with our parents, trying to adjust to the weirdness. We pretended to be surprised-and not weirded out at all-when my dad got down on one knee and proposed.

I guess I was truly happy for them. My dad hadn't had a lot of luck with women after he and my mom had gotten divorced. He obviously really liked Lisa. Not to mention the relief I felt about Avalie. I couldn't crush on her as my stepsister, not really. It would make things so much easier. I had really started getting over her, but it was still hard. This made it simple.

The rest of the night was fun. We talked about things that would change now as a family. And even though it was weird and sudden, it wasn't bad. It was just a new step.

POV: Char

I had only spent two days back in school before my life came crashing down around me. In the middle of class I was called to the office. I slowly pulled away from Zach's shoulder. Little did I know what kind of news I would receive when I got down there.

The desk lady looked at me with slight sympathy in her eyes, "Your mother's on the phone."

I snatched up the receiver, "Mom?"

"Charlotte," her voice cracked.

"What is it?" I could feel my heart rate speeding up.

"It's Mike," she choked out. "He killed himself this morning."

I felt lightheaded, and everything seemed to be amplified. I heard my mother's hand cover her phone, and the quiet sobs she was trying to hide. I could hear the ticks of the clock, each marking another second that Mike had been gone. How could this be happening?

I dropped the phone onto the desk and ran out of the office. I wasn't sure what I was doing, but I was running faster than I had ever ran in any race. I sprinted past Zach on his way to the bathroom. I heard him call after me, but I couldn't make myself care. I finally stopped running when I got to my locker. I frantically spun the dial, kicking my locker when it didn't open the first time. I could hardly feel the pain in my foot, it was drowned by the aching in my heart.

When Zach caught up to me I'm sure I was a mess. I slumped to the ground and let him slowly open my locker. He took my stuff out for me and tried to ask what happened.

"We have to go!" I yelled. I couldn't bring myself to explain right then.

"Where?"

"Home! Take me! Pleeeaase!" I pleaded, my voice breaking on the last word.

He just nodded and took me to the car.

The drive was mostly silent, and pretty blurry to me. I was able to tell him about Mike, but not much more. By the time we got to the rehab center's hospital, there seemed to be no tears left.

They rushed back the minute I saw my family. All of them so sad and defeated. I don't think any of us ever really thought this day would come. We had wanted him to get better so bad. I had always tried to maintain hope. But sometimes once that light is gone, it's gone.

My family explained to me how Mike had jumped off the roof of the building. I cringed and cried into my father's shoulder. I couldn't get the images out o my head. Him standing on the roof, bending his knees to jump. The few seconds he spent in the air, and him laying broken on the ground. I hoped it had been painless, that he had finally felt peace. How could he have hated his life that much? Now his family was left here, not knowing where to step next.

Zach came to talk to me later when I was in the waiting room alone. "Char." It was all he said, my one syllable name. But they way he said it, so full of love. It gave me just a little ounce of strength, but that was all I needed. He held me in an embrace and whispered, "I promise it will get better."

I just nodded and cried and waited until it was time to leave. I drove home with my family, but told Zach to come later. I couldn't bear to be without him right now.

I hugged my family goodnight and told them I loved them. I'm sure this was the closest I had ever felt to my family, and a piece of us was missing.

My family went to bed and I called Zach and told him to come soon. I brought him up to my room, and he promised to stay all night. That was how I fell asleep, laying next to him, heartbroken but strangely calm.

~~~

When I headed downstairs there was the smallest wisp of a smile on my mother's face, "The lady from the rehab center found letters for each of us in Mike's room." She carefully handed me mine.

I took it up to my room, Zach was still asleep. I read it;

Char,

I know you never wanted this. Out of everyone, I knew you had the most hope for me. Char I love you, little sister. I know you wanted me to stay, but it was too hard. I didn't love life the way I used to, and I had already wasted mine. But you haven't. So I need you to do something for me, never stop living. Every second, every moment, make it something. And hopefully, after you've done that, I'll see you again someday. Until then, I love you.

Love,

Mike

The letter didn't explain everything, but it explained enough. I knew eventually I could move on with my life, just like Mike wanted me to. I looked over at Zach, still asleep. I just hoped that he would be around to help me do it.

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This chapter started out happy, but took a sad turn. I know, I know, I'm sorry. It wasn't ideal for both of those things in the same chapter, but the book is almost over. Still, there are a few big things that need to happen. I never thought this book would turn out like this, but I love the way it did. 3k reads is amazing, thank you! I hope you like it. Keep reading :)

-cc