Love is blind

Babysteps, Sticks and Stones

Kira
Rain pitter-pattered on my windshield. I drove down the highway with my best friend, Zack in the passenger seat. We were both laughing at a hilarious joke he had just made. Pop music was blasting from the radio. It was the first time in forever I could just spend time with him. At the time, I had a bit of a crush on him so anytime with him was a good time. I had just gotten back from my tour all over North America and I was just happy to see his face. His hazel eyes sparkled at me as he ruffled his rusty red hair.

"I'm so glad your back. I missed you so much! Please don't ever do that again! You were gone way too long," he said, turning off the radio.

"Aw, I missed you too," I replied, smiling at him, " and don't worry! I'm definitely not doing anything like that again anytime soon."

"Good!"

Zack fidgeted in his seat and looked nervous. He looked up at me and his freckled cheeks began to blush.

"Kira," he stuttered, leaning closer, "I...I need to tell you something."

I stared at him, wondering what he was going to say.

"When you were away...," he gulped, his hands shaking, "I realized something. I...I realized that...I like you more than a friend. I..like you like you. Do you feel the same?"

I stopped breathing. Did he just say what I had thought he said or was it just my imagination?

"I do," I exclaimed, "I really do! I can't believe you...I..."

We both started laughing again. I couldn't believe it! Zack liked me back!

"So," he asked, his eyes and mouth smirking, "will you go on a date with me? This Saturday?"

Before I could answer, the car began to speed across the lanes, uncontrollably. I tried to swerve out of the way of cars but it wasn't working. I latched onto Zack's arm not knowing what else to do. He squeezed my arm back. I closed my eyes as I was shaking with the impact of the side of our car violently crashing into another car. A loud crash in the distance filled my ears. Another crunch came from right beside me and we were sent sliding into the ditch. I blacked out before I saw what happened next.

I woke up, the car leaning on its side. My ears were ringing and a stinging ache in my head made it hard to process what was going one. Everything seemed like it was moving in slow motion. I turned, remembering Zack. He was slumped on the dashboard, smashed windshield above him. He was surrounded by shards of glass and his forehead was bleeding. I tried to dive to towards him but I was yanked back by my seat belt. My head smacked against the headrest causing nausea to bubble up in me. Head filled with fog, I struggled to unbuckle my seat belt. Soon, I heard a click and I was free. I rushed towards him and grabbed his arm. He didn't squeeze back this time. All I felt was cold and lifeless flesh. I'm a panic I slid my fingers down to his wrist, searching for a pulse. The wasn't a single beat. He was gone.

My heart was ripped into shreds as reality hit me. Everything became clear. I gasped, barely able to breathe. I collapsed back into the chair, making the car tremble. A tear trickled down my cheeks as violent sobs racked my chest. He was gone. He was gone. He was gone.

I woke up, gasping, tears streaming down my face. Once again, the nightmare of my accident haunted me. The tears continued to flood my eyes. I sobbed into my hands, my heart aching from the memory. I should have been over it by now. I did have the dreams almost every night since the accident. It was like not even my brain could forgive me. It insisted on tormenting me day and night!  At first, I had been torn apart by it. I wasn't able to sleep alone or look at articles about it! Now, it was just an ache in my chest that never went away.