A/N: Hehehe, I know, I know. "Update your stories! What are you doing making a new one?" But I swear that this is just a one-shot! this is based off of a nightmare I had a few days ago, but I liked the idea so i wrote it down and turned it into a story. It is a very sad story, but I hope you all like it anyway! Please don't forget to review, and I love you all!

Lost Love

Anxiously, I drum my fingers on the desk as I scan the words on my computer. The hourglass for my email flips a few times and responds with the same old thing: "No New Messages".

"This is the third night in a row she hasn't emailed me." I think to myself. I was starting to get really worried. Maybe it was all unnecessary, but I was still worried.

I take my phone out of my pocket and flip to the pictures. It doesn't take much searching to find the familiar brown hair and blue eyes that belong to Chelsea. I smile to myself as I look at the picture. Goddess, she didn't even know how beautiful she is.

My heart thumps painfully against my chest, and I refresh the page again. Still no message. I double check the time. 8:37pm. It was an hour past when she usually messaged me. She probably wouldn't respond tonight. Again.

I click the refresh button again. Goddess, I am addicted to her. I need to talk with her again so badly. It sucked that she was on vacation in another country and couldn't talk all the time. But I would take what I could get.

A sigh escapes my lips and my thoughts drift to Jill. My current girlfriend. The one who I can't seem to break up with, no matter how much I want to, because I am a gentleman and too fucking loyal for my own good.

I pinch the bridge of my nose. How could I have let everything spiral out of control? How on earth did I mess this up so horribly? What I wouldn't give to have Chelsea back in my arms; right where she belonged.

I have to clench my fists tight when the thought of kissing her again pops into my mind. Goddess, I want to. So badly. But I promised myself I wouldn't cheat on Jill. Even if she had moved away from me. That girl is way too good with crocodile tears, and I just felt so bad...

I click the refresh button. Why wasn't she writing back? Did she not want to talk to me? Was she hanging out with some other boys instead?

A flare of jealousy rises up in my chest; but I have to force myself to push it back down. I knew Chelsea wouldn't do anything like that, and I trusted any guy to respect the guy code. Even though...she's not officially mine. Yet.

I sigh again. Goddess, I'd love to hear her voice again. Just, just anything about her. I wanted to see her smile. I wanted to hear her laugh. I wanted to pick her up and spin her around; just because I know she likes it. Damn...I miss her.

Suddenly my phone rings. I'm nearly startled out of my seat, but I grab my phone and press the TALK button.

"Hello?" I ask, almost breathlessly, anxious for Chelsea.

"Vaughn?" A voice croaks out on the other line. "It's Will."

Will. Chelsea's ex-boyfriend who still loves her. One she dated after I broke up with her. A horrible and stupid decision on my part; one I wish I had never done. I'm probably the worst moron in the world for letting her go. Even if I was forced by family...

"Will?" I question. We were okay friends, even if he was insanely jealous of me for having Chelsea's heart. "Are you okay? You don't sound too good."

"It's Chelsea." Will whispers over the line, barely loud enough to hear.

"What about her?" I feel fear clutch at my heart when I hear a sob over the other end of the phone.

"She's dead."

I feel as if all time just ceased to exist. "What do you mean, she's dead? She can't be dead. She's going to send me an email tonight."

"I'm sorry." Will weeps on the phone. I feel something wet on my cheek, and I realize that I'm crying.

I hang up on Will. I don't want him to hear me cry. I wouldn't admit that to anyone. I would blame it on allergies.

"She's dead." I whisper to myself. "She's...she's dead. Chelsea. Gone. My Chelsea..."

I lie down on my bed, face in the pillow, and begin the completely unmanly act I will never admit to anyone on the planet.

I cry.

In the morning, when the sun hits my closed eyes through my window, I wake up to find my pillow still damp from last night. I sniffle, and wipe my arm across my nose.

The first image that flashes across my mind's eye is Chelsea. I feel my eyes well up with tears again, but I force myself to stop.

I refresh my open laptop, trying to prove to myself that it was all a lie, that it was just some bad nightmare.

Instead, an email from Will pops up.

Dear Vaughn,

Don't worry about hanging up on me last night. I'm sure you were doing the same thing I was. I just wanted to let you know that Chelsea's parents brought her body back here for a funeral. It's today. The accident happened three days ago. They asked me to get you to come, because there's something they wish to give you. It's a letter Chelsea had on her person when she was hit by the car that killed her. It's addressed to you.

I'll see you there.

Will

It follows with directions to the funeral and the times.

I take in a deep breath. A car accident. My darling Chelsea was killed by a car. She was probably walking to the post office. She's told me so many times how much she's afraid of cars. Now isn't that ironic.

I glance at the time, and realize that the funeral is in only a few hours. I quickly get my boots on, and pull on my favourite jacket. I have to pause for a moment, lost in a memory of Chelsea wearing that exact same jacket.

I shake my head and walk out of my room. I walk past my parents and grab the car keys.

"Where are you going?" My mom asks me. "You haven't had breakfast."

I pause, my hand on the doorknob. It's her fault I even broke up with her in the first place. If I hadn't, maybe I could have had her stay with me during the summer; and she'd still be alive.

"I'm going to a funeral." I whisper softly.

"Who died?" My dad asks as he walks into the room after taking a shower from his morning rub.

"Chelsea." My jaw clenches, and tears threaten again, but I keep my face strong.

My mom's face darkens. "You are not going to see that girl."

"Damn it mom!" I let go of the doorknob and turn around on her. "She's DEAD! She ain't coming back. I ain't going behind your back to keep up a relationship! I did what you wanted! Look where it got me!"

I clench my fists. "I loved her." A part of me dies inside at the past tense. "I always have. You didn't interfere with that."

I turn back to the door. "I'm eighteen mom. You don't control my life anymore. You never should have."

And I walk out.

A couple hours later, I walk into the graveyard, a single red rose clutched in my hand. I see a mass gathering of people in one area and I follow it.

There must be over a hundred people here. I can't help but smile softly to myself. That was my Chelsea. Friends with everyone, and kind to more than everyone. She had such a beautiful life ahead of her...and now it's gone.

I have to bite my lower lip to keep from crying myself. I wanted to share that life with her. I wanted to be the one standing at the altar when she was getting married. I wanted to have kids with her, go through money issues together. I wanted to get old with her. And now that's all gone.

I feel a hand on my shoulder, and I turn around to see Will. He smiles softly at me, his own face red and blotchy from crying, and more tears leaking out of his eyes.

"They have her in a casket before they bury her. If you want a word." He gestures his head and I follow, caught in a trance; wishing I would wake up from this never ending horrible nightmare.

Then I see her. First time in months. She looks beautiful. Her parents had her dressed in a gorgeous silk dress; but it couldn't compare to Chelsea. I knew that Chelsea's spirit would be furious at that, but it reminds me of a promise I made her. That I would dance with her when she wore a dress around me.

Tears spill down my cheeks, but I don't care anymore. She looked like she was simply sleeping, and for a moment I get the childish idea of screaming at her until she wakes up. But I know she won't.

"Hi Chelsea." I whisper softly to her. "It's me, Vaughn."

I choke on a sob. "I know I said I wanted to see you again, but I never meant like this."

I touch the glass. "I can't even touch you."

I lower my head and let a sob out from my throat. "I'm so sorry Chelsea. For everything I've done wrong. For ever hurting you, making you sad, upsetting you, disappointing you, what I've never said sorry for, never made up for. I'm sorry..."

"I wish it didn't have to be like this." I raise my head and look at her. "I love you Chelsea. I always will."

Forcing myself, I walk away from the casket; because if I didn't now, I never would. In my blurry vision, I see Chelsea's parents come over to me, and hug me like not a day had gone by since I dated their daughter. They hand me an envelope and then they walk away, crying.

I see the envelope, and see my name across the top. And I rip it open to see Chelsea's neat handwriting. I'm sitting on the ground before I even begin to read it.

Dear Vaughn

Wow, vacation has been so long! It's absolutely beautiful up here, but I can't wait to go back home either. I miss you so much. I know we can't be together right now, but I can be patient.

Gosh, I just went around picking up trash, and I found three empty cigarette cases. Isn't that gross? Ugh, I hate smoking.

I've taken lots of pictures too! So I hope you're ready to sit down and go through over 1000 pictures! I told you I'd make my mark!

I'm so excited too! My aunt made brownies for desert tonight, and I can't wait to eat them! Brownies always remind me of you. It's a shame you couldn't come on vacation with me.

Well, I'm running out of room on the paper. I'll talk to you soon!

I love you Vaughn, don't you forget it. We'll make it. Just you watch.

Love,

Chelsea

I feel my eyes well up with tears, and I'm aware that the funeral procession is going on all around me. I don't care. I just sit there, reading and rereading the last words Chelsea ever said or wrote to me. Or ever will.

Will pokes me when the funeral is over, and I stand up and compose myself, tucking the letter into my jacket. I would keep it forever.

Then I pick up my rose and walk over to her gravestone.

Chelsea Anderson

August 21st 1993 - July 13th 2011

A wonderful girl, who died in love.

My eyes can't take much more of this. Tears rolls down my face at the last line on her gravestone. I knew that Will had told her parents about Chelsea and I.

"I love you Chelsea." I whisper again. Then I lean down and place my red rose right against her gravestone.

And I stand up and take a deep breath. My eyes close and the wind picks up. And for a moment, just a moment, I feel as if two small arms wrap around my waist to give me a comforting hug. And I feel something press against my lips in a kiss.

I open my eyes, but there's no one there.