ONCE UPON A TIME ✨

17. Always be happy

Tasha's pov :

"Hey girl, wake up" i heard someone talking and shaking my shoulder softly. I opened my eyes to see a happy-faced Betty. She was smiling at me.

I was getting scared at this point because the last thing i remembered was falling down to the ground at the sight of Elijah who lied in a pool of blood, unconcious. My eyes teared up automatically at that thought. I looked around to see where i am. I was in a space, an endless white space. Its more like a huge void. What is this place? Is this heaven? Am i dead?

"No, you are not dead" Betty chuckled and answered as if she could heard my mindvoice. She stood up and gave her hand to lift me up.

"Then what is this place?" i asked her while standing up.

"Hm, i don't know. You can call it whatever you want. The void in your brain. The space in your mind. Anything you like" she told me.

"So, if im not dead, then why am i here? Look, i really had to go back. I need to be with Elijah" i said with a cracked voice.

"You can't" she said plainly and walked away.

"What do you mean 'you can't'.Am i trapped here?" i followed her.

"No, you are not trapped. You can go back whenever you like. Its just that you can't be with Elijah. He is no longer there".

"Wh- what? Is he .. is he.. ?" i couldn't continue because the thought of Elijah being dead really made me to cry harder. How am i supposed to live with the guilty feeling that Elijah died because of me? He was just trying to save me.

"i am not sure, Tash. I don't know what really happened to him, but i only knew he will not be there when you go back" Betty simply said. Her answer panicked me even more. I love Elijah and i couldn't live without him.

"Why were you there? You were the reason why this happened at the first place. You were there. On the road. I saw you with my two goddamn eyes" i shouted at Betty. If she hadn't been there, then Elijah and I would be together now. It was her fault to pop out from my dream into the reality.

"Tash, this thing must happen. It was his fate. I tried to warn you. I said protect him and i also warned that you should never go there. But, you didn't listen. You and him still went there. As your bestfriend, i wanted to help you so badly. And, i was not there, Tash. That place is actually cursed and something bad would happen to whoever went inside. Some bad energy in that place turned into your greatest fear and tried to make you walk into its trap. But, you were lucky Elijah was there. He saved you" Betty explained. I couldn't believe a single thing she was saying. How am i supposed to understand all of it when i didn't really understand where am i standing right now?

"Lucky? Betty, tht was not luck. He almost died because of me. Hell, he is even dead right now. How could you say that im lucky? And how am i supposed to believe what you are saying?" i said in between my tears.

"Because, i am dead, Tash. I cannot lie like humans. I.. i only wanted you to be happy. I know you like Elijah and that's why i warned you. But, you didn't listen... But, its not your fault entirely. You can't change fate, Tash. You had to accept it and move on with life" Betty squeezed my shoulders. I took a deep breath, trying to digest what she is saying. If its true that Elijah is dead, what am i going to do? He jumped right infront of the car because of me. If i was not stupid and listened to Betty's warning, he would be alive right now. How could ever i live with this guilty feeling. I was already having a hard time forgetting Betty and now, i had to live with another guilt. The death of the man i loved. I cried harder and Betty hugged me.

"Hey, its okay. You can't change what had happened. You can only change the life that is waiting ahead of you. Its not your fault and as your bestfriend, i want you to live happy. Always be happy. And, Tash.." she pulled me from the hugging and looked deeper into my eyes, "you have to let me go. Its never, ever your fault that i am dead now. The Betty in your nightmares is not me. Its your fear and guilt. I never wanted you to be depressed and had sleepless nights.  Believe me, this is the first time you are with me since i died. Those 'Bettys' you saw.. is not me. I only wanted you to have a great and happy life. I don't want you to be trapped in a guilt feelings forever. You deserve to love someone and let people walk into your life. You can't avoid people for forever. I am dead,but you are not. Don't be dead on your feelings, Tash. Grow up and be free. I always will be there to guide you and i love you, Tash. Alot. But, you had let me go in peace" she ended her speech with tears rolling down her cheeks.