G O L D E N | why don't we |

│F I F T Y│

"he's out his head, i'm out my mind. we got that love, the crazy kind. i am his and he is mine, in the end, it's him and i, him and i" - halsey & g-eazy

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Leylah sat in the cold dirt, her knees aching from it digging into her skin, her head throbbing mercilessly and yet she couldn't even move. She knew she would complain about the dirt getting on her black dress but it was a far away thought at the moment. Her fingers traced Andy's name on his tombstone, wondering how someone could be right next to you, laughing and smiling then gone in only seconds. How easily life rips people away was something Leylah could never understand.

Feeling a hand clench her shoulder, Leylah jumped from the contact and looked up seeing Zach standing there, his hand hovering where he touched her shoulder before he pulled his hand back to his side.

"We have to get going, you need rest."He said quietly, his voice carrying smoothly through the wind. It was a surprisingly sunny day for such a tragic event, the wind was blowing, the sun was warm and not even a cloud in the sky.

"Zach, was I close to him?" Zach stared down at her for a moment before bending down and playing with a few pieces of grass in a nearby patch. "You use to constantly tell me how you wanted to be just a loving as him one day. Every time he was around he had such control and yet had you laughing all day." Leylah couldn't help her eyes beginning to burn and she looked down at her hands now balled in her lap, hot tears falling onto them steadily.

"Why can't remember us laughing together? Why can't this block in my head just go away? I want to remember him. I want to remember every thing but the fact I can't hurts so fucking much."

After the accident, it was no surprise the so-called 'Miracle Five' were never the same. Leylah's coma had lasted almost an entire week before she finally opened her eyes but they couldn't recognize anyone past her mother. For months, through therapy and spending endless time with her family and friends did some memories resurface but her memory wasn't as permanent as it had been. But with every memory that did resurface, good or bad, she always felt the effects of that day, like when Zach had kissed her for the first time since before the accident, she had cried because of the happiness that swelled her healing heart.

Every month, Leylah visited Andy's grave, wanting more than anything to at least remember what it felt like to see him smile. Zach had never left her side, after the accident, there was nowhere else he wanted to be. He stayed up countless nights to assure she was safe, his nightmares had become constant that he would lose her and after their tragic past, he knew if he did lose her one last time, his young, torn heart wouldn't be able to handle it. He saw his future with her, every single time he woke up to her face, he could see their future stretched out before them and he was planning on spending the rest of his life waking up beside her. It was the only time he felt at peace.

Zach offered his hand to Leylah, who grabbed it tightly. She brought his hand to her lips and pressed a tender kiss there before letting him pull her to her feet, dusting off her dress and then leading the way to the car. It had been only four years since the accident and those four years was long but worth every second. The engagement ring on Leylah's finger shimmered beautifully in the sunlight, a constant reminder of her promise of forever to him that she didn't even remember.

Leylah had gone on to study American Sign Language in college, already training to be an interpreter for music shows and events. Though dancing was still a major passion for her, she only did it when the stress became too much and she couldn't handle her own mind. She accompanied Zach as much as she could to his tours and even interpreted a few tours when she could. Of course, they had their times when they fought like they were twelve years old again and he would stomp off, but something was brought them back to each other, no matter how big the fight, because their love had defeated worse and they took that to the heart, for the rest of their lives.