My Fiance is a Ghost

Chapter 4

        We stood gathered around the kitchen table, Colin, my mother & sister and I. We were relaying the proposal story to them. Colin explained how he had set it all up, paying the man to come a long at the right moment and how he kept worrying I would catch on. My sister commented she was surprised I hadn't, because usually I am on top of things. My mother had known he was going to propose though. Since my father had passed, Colin had asked my mother. "Let me see it again" my sister said grabbing my hand. She peered really closely at it, "Damn Colin, seriously not too shabby!" she said with admiration. Colin knew he did good because he got rewarded once more before we left! We had discussed it for awhile on the way home. We wanted to have it June 9th of next year and we wanted it to be big but not too big. I was already figuring who in my head would be my bridesmaids. My sister would be the maid of honor, obviously and then probably my friend I met through work Julie and my friend since middle school Elizabeth would be the bridesmaids. My mother and sister were insisting on including a dress looking session when we went to Lunch wednesday. "Oh there is a cute little boutique in the mall, it is beside Victoria Secrets, just around the corner! I say we should look there first!" my mother said excitedly, clapping her hands. I had already declared I was limiting myself, I would not buy a dress that was more than 1500 dollars. 

      Wednesday morning came in a flash, I rolled out of bed and 8:30 am and went to my 9 o clock English class. I scribbled down study notes and whatnot but my mind couldn't focus. I kept staring at my ring. I even had a girl who was sitting beside me comment on it. My phone blew up with text messages during the whole class and I had an urge to check but I held out. When the teacher dismissed us, I whipped my phone out. I had 3 text from my sister, 2 from my mom, and 1 from Colin. My sister's read as followed.

" Morning! Can't wait to meet up later"--  "What time are we meeting up? I don't think we established that!"  --- "Hellloooo??? Lunch or shopping first?"

My mother's read as following.

" Hello sweetheart, hope your morning class goes smoothly. Textbook me when you get out, let me know a time"  --- " *whoops I meant text me! My phone likes to tell me what I should say"

And Colin's.

"Hey Hey what is shakin bacon?? ;) so my business relations teacher canceled afternoon class, I guess he got the case of the shits (or so I heard)... not to intrude on you ladies but mind if I join you for lunch? Minus the dress shopping, ill fly away for that :) call me when you are done with class! I love you"

I told my mom and sister I would like to do lunch first and Colin was joining us and then we could go dress shopping. I told them I would meet them at the mall at 12 so it gave me time to run home and spruce up.  I texted Colin, " I love the shits, good excuse to get out of stuff lol :) yes you can join us, just meet us at entrance A at the mall, 12 o clock! Cya soon and love you too <3"

       We settled on a little cafe shop inside of the mall called JuJu. My mom were already rambling on about ideas for the wedding and I listened with a little smile on my face. I was glad they were so enthusiastic. Colin and I played footsie under the table, stopping when my sister and mom looked at us suspiciously. "So how about it honey?" my mom said with expectant eyes. I shook my head, I really hadn't been listening! "Ummm...wait what?" I said with my best apologectic look. "Crystal Waters..honey..I think itd be a fabulous place for your reception!"   I scrunched up my nose, "My old boss had her wedding there, she said it is gorgeous but it cost her like 3,000!"  My mom protested, "Yes but that is catering and cake included! And I have some money set aside so I don't want you to fret about the cost of things so much honey!"  I know this is what parents are supposed to do but I felt bad and it mustve registered on my face too. Colin stepped in first, "Annika, even my parents have offered to pitch in so it isn't going to burden us or your mom or my parents, lets just be grateful we have so many kind people in our life" he said earnestly. I swallow my pride and just nodded and whispered "ok". I made a mental note to call Colin's parents to thank them and discuss details. They lived about an hour and a half away from Princeton so I didn't see them often. "So who are the groomsmen?" Miranda asked Colin.  He listed his Cousin Daryl who had been his best friend growing up and his two roomates Evan and Justin. When the check came my mom snatched it up, "I have this!" she practically demanded. 

     We exited JuJu and walked halfway towards the bridal shop, I turned to Colin and gave him a kiss. "Enjoy the rest of your day and I will text you when we are done here! You get done at 4 on Saturdays right? Maybe a movie night afterwards?" I asked. He worked at Rent a Center has a manager. He told me that'd be perfect and we departed with a final kiss. I turned to my sister and mom who looked like they just saw an amazing display of love and sacrifice, I raised a hand and waved them off, "Ok ok keep it moving" I said starting to laugh but it was cut short. I heard someone scream and I looked behind me and a few teenagers were bolting past people. My initial thought was they were just being stupid but then I heard a loud bang. I had never heard a gunshot up close but it was definitely a gun I just heard. My mom's face was pale and I turned to find shelter, motioning for them. A hand landed on my shoulder and my heart jumped. I screamed and was about to punch whoever it was but it was Colin. His hands were shaking, "There is a guy with a gun running around this mall, we have to hide now" he shouted at us. I saw a man running in a hurried state and we bolted back into JuJu because it was the closest. There was minimal space to hide and we were panicking.

     And then I saw him. He was about 6 feet tall and he held an Ak-47. He wasn't bad looking with jetblack hair and nice clothes on but what scared me about him besides the fact he held a gun was the look in his eyes. He had bright green eyes that werescanning the perimeter in such a crazied state that I thought they might just fly out of his eye sockets. Then our eyes click and my heart stopped, "Dear God Dear God" I mummered feeling myself panic. We crouched as if it would protect us. He stormed over to us and kicked the table nearest causing it to knock over, "Get the fuck up!" he spewed.  We slowly stood up and that's when it all became like a slow motion film. You know, I used to watch movies and when something dramatic happened and they would slow down the film to make it more intense, like what was going to happen...I would sneer at the idea in my mind, like I'm sure that isn't how it is for the character though but I'd still be clutching at my sides, my heart thumping outside of my chest because I wasn't 100 % prepared to know what was going to happen. Well, yeah, I was in that movie, my only wish is that when time slows down, it actually slows down that way you have more time to make it right before the moments of impact hits.

     The man had pointed the gun at me and I was prepared to die, I shut my eyes and was ready to accept death but I opened them last second and saw Colin's form closing in over me and I wanted to push him away but my arms didn't have a chance to move. And then the shot went off and Colin's body jerked and his weight was bearing down on me. I saw the man over Colin's shoulder making a dash for it and to my left my sister screamed. I heard Colin weeze and I could feel my body shaking. I was so scared to look, I lower him to the ground. It was so hard for me to see past the tears but I continued to brush them away. I squeezed his hand and applied pressure to the wound in his abdomen and keep telling him, "You are gonna be ok baby...stay with me" but I knew, I just knew. The twinkle in his eye was gone and when he looked at me and his other hand clutched at my hand that was at his side, he held it so gently. Between breathless breaths he told me he loved me. I told him I loved him too and not to give up. They were lost words though because in seconds he was gone. His eyes shut and his hand went limp in mine, and when he died I felt a piece of me die. At first I couldn't cry, I just knelt beside him stunned and then I began to sob. The kind of sobbing where you feel like you are going to pass out because you can't breath, the salty tears cascade over your lips and you don't care who hears or sees this unattractive sight, because you hurt so much. Colin was gone. I couldn't imagine I would ever stop crying or hurting.