Dangerous Illusions

Chapter 40

Daniel p.o.v

Two hours. She has been in surgery for two hours. She took a bullet for me! I was supposed to protect her! Not the other way around...

I paced up and down the hallway anxious for the doctor to come out. Anxious for him to tell me how Elna is doing. It has been the longest wait of my life. We were all worried about Elna. Me, her dad, her uncle, Hendrick and his wife, Chelsey and Abrianna, Jax and Jade, her brother and her sister...

When the doctor finally walked out after two and a half hours, all of us stood up. He was one of the best surgeons in the country, so she had to be alright, right?

Nothing could have prepared me for the words that came from his mouth, it shocked all of us,

"I'm sorry, she put up a good fight, but unfortunately she didn't make it. I'm so sorry for your loss," He said informing us. I swear my world stopped right there and then. I bolted out of the room and into the room we shared for so long. The room where she agreed to be mine, to be my bride in white as she called it,

I heard a ding on her laptop and it took everything I had to open it. When I opened it, I wiped my tear-stained cheeks and saw it was from school. I read it and smiled sadly afterward. She made it. She passed. She graduated with flying colors. Not that I doubted her for a second, but there is something different about seeing it in black and white,

*****

The past few days went by painfully slow. It was like the world found my pain amusing like it wanted to watch me suffer.

I took my time to put my tux on and brush my hair. I walked up and down in the room when I stopped and saw a photo of us just laughing, unaware that the picture was being taken. I took the frame into my hands and stared as I smiled at her beautiful pearly white smile, and her long healthy hair that fell over her shoulders as she hunched over.

Today was Elna's funeral and we were each asked to bring something that represented her in a way, I was taking the photo. It represented her more ways than one, more ways that anyone could understand and in more ways than she knew... It showed sides of her that some didn't know she had,

Squeezing my eyes shut, not wanting to cry again before the funeral, I took a deep breath and decided to leave for the ceremony.

*****

It felt like it was never going to stop. People giving sympathetic looks my way, people looking sad, others crying. Each of us had brought something and had put it by her casket for a memory of her. Some people gave speeches about Elna, about how amazing she was, about how she was brave, courageous and that the world took her away from us to young. She had an entire life to live and yet she wasn't here to live it. She left, and she wasn't coming back...

I started drowning the people out, not wanting to hear more, but when her sister finished it caught my attention, "-I hope you like it,"

The music from her party that we danced to started playing at the same time photos started to appear. She made a slideshow...

Photos of Elna started to show how she changed from when she was only a toddler. There were pictures of her and her sister, her and her brother, only her, or where she would be hanging like a monkey upside down on a jungle gym with her friends. And then there were photos of us.

Where we had our first encounter with each other on campus, where we danced on her birthday, where I gave her the knot ring, all sorts of photos, and I soon felt something wet that I have become so used to these past few days, rolling down my cheeks. I wiped the tears away as the slideshow ended along with the music that was fading out.

We started saying our goodbyes after a while before we left, and to say that it was hard, was an understatement.

"Elna, I don't exactly know what to say... I have never really been good at goodbyes. When you left that year in high school, I was so upset, but I knew that one day somehow I would see you again. But now, now all hope I have had with that had left along with you when you saved my life. I never got to thank you, so thank you, Elna, I love you, always have always will..." I said as my hand fell from the coffin.

*****

"I guess I should be headed to my own house huh?" I asked and smiled sadly at Jack and Rob when we walked back to the house. Elizabeth and Nathan had a bit of a head start. We wanted to thank everyone that came and help clean up the area. Her family wasn't taking it much better than I was.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked brushing off what I said when we approached the front door only to see Elizabeth and Nathan staring at a package and a page in shock,

"T-This was taped to the door," She said handing us the paper and small package. When I opened the envelope I saw the knot ring I gave Elna. And after looking at the letter, my heart stopped...

To my beloved everyone,

I'm sorry. There are no other words. Seeing you all so torn up isn't a sight I enjoy. Thank you for the funeral, but as you can see-or read, I am not dead. When I was rushed into surgery I gained consciousness and asked the doctor to tell you that I didn't make it, no matter the outcome. The reason for this is because I want to make sure Paul and his gang are gone for good and to ensure that you all are safe. I had to make it look convincing so please don't be mad at the doctor, he was just following orders...

To my dad and uncle,

Thank you for kidnapping me that day, if you didn't I probably wouldn't have been on the journey I have been these past few months. I'm sorry I couldn't stick around much longer but I have a few things to tie up...

To Liz and Nathan,

Thank you both for being the best siblings ever. And Nathan please just go back to your ex, she has been tormenting me for years about you and I know you deserve a bit of happiness, and that goes for you too Liz. Go and find yourself a guy that can cope with your crap and outbursts and that will like you for you...

Then to Daniel,

What can I say to the 'Bad Boy' except that I am sorry? I love you with all my heart, but if I had the choice I would do it again. Like I said it is in the best interest for all of you. Looks like the proposal will have to wait for a bit, huh? But Daniel, you made me a promise to let me be your bride in white, so now I am making you one. I promise you I will return to make sure you keep your word. After all, I always wanted to go to Bora Bora for a honeymoon, don't you think? I love you, always.

P.S

Open the envelope. It gives you my promise. And I will want it back, It looked nice with my neckless,

Love always,

Stutter Girl...