Insane?

Chapter 42:

*SHAWN'S POV:

I dropped to my knees and covered my head. I couldn't hear anything but the sharp ringing in my ears. My hands shook against the sides of my head and my heart was racing.

"Please, no. . ." I whispered to myself, trying to find the strength to look up.

She's not gone.

She's not gone.

She's not gone.

She's not gone.

She'll grab my arms any minute now and hold my face gently, telling me that everything's okay. She's done it before—she'll do it again. Any minute now she'll do it. Any minute now.

Any minute.

My nails dug into my head. Please, Sophia, please grab my arms and hold my face and tell me that everything's okay. Let me look up and see your eyes one more time; let me run my hands through your hair one more time; let me see that beautiful smile of yours one more time; let me feel the warmth of your skin one more time; let me hear your voice one. more. time. That's all I ask.

I heard the sound of that bastard gasping and choking. I looked up and saw my replica drop to its knees, releasing the gun from its hands. He looked straight into my eyes, a small croak escaping his throat. Fuck you. Fuck everything you fucking did. You took her from me.

But what I didn't notice at first was the small gaping hole in his chest. "This isn't the end!" he spat, dropping to his side and convulsing.

I saw someone standing a yard or two away, a gun in hand. She had the same garments as the girl on the ground did. She put her hood down and removed her mask. I didn't know what was happening.

Noken eventually disintegrated into tiny particles and whirled around with the breeze. A few specks collected together to form a single firefly, which the girl on the ground trapped in a small jar that she got from her hoodie pocket.

"Shawn?" the figure now standing in front of me said, putting the gun down and gently holding my face.

"Sophia?" I asked softly, gripping her wrist, "Are you–is this–you're alive?"

"Yes, yes I'm okay. We did it." she replied.

"Did. . .did what?"

"We won! We beat him!" she smiled, pulling me up to my feet.

"We. . .won?" I questioned, a smile spreading from ear to ear on my face. "We're alive?"

"Yes, Shawn! We're alive! The both of us!"

I couldn't do anything else but grab that girl's face and smash her lips against mine. I never wanted to let her go again. I ran my fingers through her tangled damp hair as I held the back of her head. Her warmth was gracing my skin as my other hand dug into her lower back. I felt, saw, and heard nothing but her. She's all that mattered in this moment.

"How come I don't get a congratulatory smooch?"

I pulled away, heavily breathing, to see Morgan standing behind us. "Wait, so what actually is going on?" I asked, draping my arm around Sophie's shoulders. Both girls were dressed exactly the same.

Sophia took a deep breath before explaining. "I woke up early this morning so I could leave a little birthday surprise in your room. When I was leaving the candies, I saw the letter on your desk and read it. It. . .it really hit me hard–"