Our Little Secret
"Have we met?" he asked.
She released a small chuckle and touched his arm. He felt light-headed as he caught a faint whiff of her vanilla perfume. He was so overcome by her beauty that a lovesick smile spread onto his face without his consent. She smelled like an angel, if an angel had a scent. Her deep blue eyes gazed at him as if suddenly hurt by his words. "I cannot believe you do not remember me."
Ian quickly wracked his mind, trying to recall where he had met her, where he had heard her voice. You would think he'd remember a girl as stunning as this one. Nothing came to him, and he returned her gaze with a blank expression.
In response, the girl laughed softly again and leaned in closer to his face. She whispered in his ear, "I have one final request." Her sweet breath tickled his skin, and he fought an overwhelming desire to kiss her.
"Anything," he exhaled.
"Dance with me."
Ian blinked. She took his hand in her own and rested her other hand casually on his shoulder.
"Please, Ian."
It sounded like such a small favor, and he hated to disappoint her. He put one of his hands around his waist, and she placed her hand behind his neck. She absently twirled a strand of his dark hair around her finger, and her piercing eyes stared deeply into his. Classical music began to play, though Ian had no recollection of where it was coming from.
His surroundings slowly became clearer as they continued dancing. The bright chandeliers above him lit up the large ballroom, and their light made the marble floor appear to be glowing. Even though they were completely alone, the ornate designs on the surrounding walls made Ian feel crowded. He didn't see windows nor any doors, but at the moment, he didn't care. He couldn't take his eyes off the girl before him.
"I swear I know you from somewhere," Ian said as he spun her around, making her pale pink dress sashay around her ankles.
"Start guessing."
She spun back into his arms, and he held her there for a minute, relishing the feeling of her body pressing against his. When she spun out again, instead of returning to their original dancing position, she gently let him go. A familiar perfect smile spread across her lips, and she began to walk away.
"Don't leave," Ian said, starting after her. "I need to know."
"I won't tell you. This is your dream." She smiled sweetly and then ran out of the ballroom through a large door that Ian could swear hadn't been present a moment ago.
"My dream? What?" he asked louder. The sound of her heels striking the pavement grew more distant.
A sudden chill greeted him as he followed her into the cold. Her footsteps and laughter had disappeared. For all Ian knew, he was alone in the dead of night. He wanted to call for her… but then he remembered that he didn't know her name.
"Help!" A piercing scream echoed in the darkness. "Help me, Ian!" The yell was high-pitched and desperate. He recognized the voice immediately and took off in the direction of her call. His running footsteps made heavy contact with the grass below. He had no idea where he was going or what he expected to find, but he knew he had to hurry before something awful happened.
"Where are you?" he yelled in frustration.
"Behind you," she choked, and he immediately spun around, dreading what he would see.
There she stood, but her pink dressed was now replaced with skin-tight black clothing, which stood out against her blonde hair. A burly man held a knife to her throat and kept her arms pinned behind her back. Another man beside him cracked his knuckles threateningly as he approached Ian. Ian's chest tightened in fear; he was weaponless and couldn't even dream of taking on such a large man alone. But he would try his best, for her sake.
"Gentlemen," he spoke, taking a step forward. The girl was breathing nervously. Her eyes filled with terror as the man holding her tightened his grip. "Please – "
"One more step and she gets it," the second man snarled. Ian took an involuntary step backward.
"What do you want me to do?" he asked gravely. The man holding her smirked cruelly.
"Absolutely nothing," he said.
He smoothly slid the knife across the girl's neck, slicing it open.
She cried out in agony, and the man let her fall. Ian instinctively ran forward, but the second man grabbed his collar and lifted him off the ground. The girl coughed and spat up blood. Ian shut his eyes as she inhaled sharply. The man released him, and Ian landed hard on grass. His fingers touched something wet… blood.
He sprung to his feet in a fit of uncontrollable rage. He raced toward the man furiously and was about to swing a punch when he disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Both men's bodies turned to dust right before his eyes.
Ian didn't stop to figure out how; he just raced over to the girl and tenderly held her in his arms. She was losing too much blood. It soaked her clothes and covered his fingertips. A glazed look shone in her eyes as her chest continued to heave.
"I'll get help," Ian said quickly, about to let go. She grabbed his hand.
"No one… for miles…" she croaked.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm so sorry I let this happen." He felt like his mind was unattached to his mouth.
"Ian…" she whimpered. "It hurts… Ian… Make it stop…" He didn't know what to do. There was no way to stop the bleeding, and if there wasn't anyone for miles, there was no way he could save her.
"Dan… You have to tell Dan I love him," she whispered her brother's name.
Ian blinked. He finally knew who she was.
"What? No, Amy! Hold on! You're not going to die!" he cried.
Why did he have to experience this torture again? Once was heart-wrenching enough. It was agony seeing her die and watch helplessly, powerless. Ian was not going to have to go face that torment twice.
"MAKE IT STOP!" he yelled loudly to the sky.
Suddenly, the events around him changed and shifted. He no longer felt Amy laying in his arms, and he stiffly stood. Ian shut his eyes as a violent wind encased him. Then, it all just stopped.
He was back in the ballroom as if nothing had happened. Amy's hand was placed at the back of his neck, and Ian's hand was resting on her waist. A look of concern crossed her face, and he realized he was hyperventilating. Had he gone back in time? Did she survive? Both were utterly impossible, but he could see no other explanation.
"The only reason I died for you was because I love you," she whispered, knowing he had figured it out. She wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. Ian found himself hugging her back, smelling her hair, and holding her protectively in his arms. He didn't want to let go.
"And I never really got a chance to say good-bye," she said softly.
Their faces were inches apart, and without warning, she pressed her lips against his.
Ian was pleasantly surprised, and his eyes closed. He ran a hand through her hair and felt her arms wrapping around his neck. His heart went wild with excitement, but just as quickly as it started, it ended.
She released him, whispered a final goodbye, and then she disappeared into the air just as her murderers had moments before.
He was standing, still in a daze, when suddenly fire surrounded him and rapidly spread. He couldn't think. He couldn't do anything. There was no way out. All he could do was stand there, stunned and terrified, as he was engulfed by the flames.
He woke in a cold sweat. His chest heaved up and down as he looked around his empty bedroom. White sheets were twisted around his legs in a tangled mess. No ballroom. No dancing. No murderers. No blood. Her words echoed in his mind. The only reason I died for you was because I love you. After this dream, the feeling had finally become mutual.
He felt as though his heart had sunk into the pit of his stomach. Ian buried his face in his hands. His vision blurred in hysteria, and his mind raced. He wanted to cry so badly. There was so much he never told her and so much that could have happened and never did. The truth was painful, and never before had he been forced to face such an ugly reality.
Amy was dead.
And there was nothing his memories could do to bring her back.
Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a review and let me know what you thought! :)