Jared's POV
My life suddenly flashed before my eyes.
Quick, short films of every memory I've ever encountered on my time on this earth.
Seeing my parents for the first time as a baby; feeling their fingers grasp onto me like I was the rarest treasure in all the world. Studying their faces. The creases in their skin, twinkle in their eyes, tweak of their smile, all being so foreign to me. Though I loved it. I loved them.
In the midst of a normal Kindergarten class, I will always keep this special moment filed in my brain. There I was, sitting on my butt almost about to eat some Elmer's Glue when Olivia Thomas skips over to my side. I drop the bottle immediately, staring at her like she wanted. Or so I thought. I was in love with this girl and she didn't even know it.
"Hi Jared," Her voice so sweet, like my mother's milk.
I gulped, trying to remember to act cool. "Hey Olivia."
She let out an airy giggle. "Mind if I sit here?"
Uhh, I recall thinking. "No, no, no; go right ahead." I stammered and shifted over a bit on the multi colored carpet. She looked at me with those blue eyes, smiling widely, making me sweat even more. I grinned and just sat there like an idiot. It was awkwardly quiet between us for which felt like an eternity, until the happiest moment of my five year old life happened: She kissed me.
She kissed me?
Right on the lips and everything. I was speechless. Olivia blushed a baby pink, giggled and held my hand for the rest of the day.
First day as freshmeat.
What a day that was.
I got shoved in the hallway many times trying to find my way to each of my classes. Made a fool of myself in front of Math for not knowing the correct answer when Mr. Flem called me out for flirting with the bodacious blond that was sitting in front of me. Got a taste of the worst cafateria food ever, realizing that I would be eating this stuff for four years straight. Though that all migrated to the back of my mind when I met my future.
Chloe Lakewood.
A fourteen year old with a face like no other. Eyes olive green with hair dirty blond against that peachy skin. After that day, it took me forever to get her attention and to coax her into a date. But from then on, we soared as the match-made in heaven couple.
Now my memories were starting to pick up the pace, speeding through my senior year, graduation, my twentieth birthday, my last summer at home, college and now ending back at reality. Three years later.
Just where I didn't want to be.
I awoke with a gasp, shocks of electricity flamed my skin as I figured out what was going on. Everything was so vivid. I saw steam rising from the winter soil, filling the air like smoke. The smell of gasoline stung my nostrils. I then smelt something far worse. Blood. I glanced over stiffly, groaning at the aches in my body, only to see the deep red that was covered all over her lifeless body. Though my vision was going slightly blurry, I could still see that my wife wasn't... she wasn't...
"Chloe..." I moaned, touching her bloody hand with mine. Sirens echoed in my empty mind.
She didn't answer.
I tried again, "Come on Chloe.. wake up.." My voice struggled. I was getting the feeling in my stomach that I never wanted to feel.
The door was soon ripped off and I was suddenly being pulled out of the crippled car by firemen. "Chloe! No!" I yelled, kicking my legs in every direction. I felt alright, physically. I wasn't hurt too badly. But mentally was a whole different story.
"Sir, I'm going to ask you to stay right here."
"But that's my wife in there!" I practically roared in his face as two other men came over to restrain me from ripping this bastards head off.
"I know Mr. Jensen, I need you to calm down."
"Calm down? How can I possibly do that?" I tried to keep the anger within me but it just kept coming out. The officer's eyes widened at how I was dealing with this. He said nothing.
"Really? Now you're just pissing me off." I growled, struggling more while the men holding my arms squeezed tighter.
"Watch your mouth, son." He snapped.
I thought for a moment, almost forgetting about my Chloe. "She's dead, I just know it.." I sobbed helplessly. "I can't believe this is happening..." My chin trembled and the death grip on my arms was released. The man patted my shoulder and turned me away from the scene.
"We don't know anything yet.. We just have to get you and her to a hospital and-"
I cut him off, "Did you see her? What does she look like to you?" I yelled through the blinding tears. The police officer turned to look at the wreckage. I watched too as my Clo was being pulled out gently by five men. Blood covered her from head to toe. I couldn't believe what I was actually seeing. My legs dragged me all the way over to her side as they laid her in the street.
That's when I lost it.
"Chloe..?" I knelt next to her, pushing a strand of her bloody blond hair out of her eyes. Her lids peacefully shut, I wished I hadn't come over to witness this. I scooped her up gently in my arms, crying to myself as I held her with all my might. All was quiet on the street in this dimly lit night.
I doubled over her body and silently wept.
Goodbye, Chloe.
Chloe's POV
I watched from above. High in the sky where I was alone. Away from my lover who was knelt next to my body. Invisible tears fell from my eyes as I had blurred down to his side and took in the whole scene that had quickly unfolded.
I could feel everyones emotions at once. Horror, sadness, shock, grief... From the people who had stopped on the side of the road to see what was going on, to the police and firemen staring in silence at Jared holding my hand; sobbing.
I bent down, not thinking, and laid my hand atop his shoulder. Even as a spirit, feeling him still had my stomach twist in knots. Butterflies released freely..
My eyes flashed up with the life that could have happened with Jared.
We had just gotten married about a week ago, a beautiful outdoor ceremony and reception in Lake Tahoe, California. It was thankfully a gorgeous spring day upon the tiny lakeside town. The sun was sparkling the crystal blue water, reflecting up and into the sky which held white puffy clouds. With both sides of our families filling up most of the beach, you could say that it was happiest moment of our lives. Standing there, holding hands underneath the alter while Jared's uncle spoke tenderly into the microphone as he wed us.
Tears certainly shed, mostly from me and my mother. My baby sister, Roni, surprisingly cried as well. It made me feel good to know that she was just as happy for us as everybody else. Even my dad tried to hide his soft side.
Our honeymoon was supposed to be starting this weekend in Europe. We'd travel the country, tasting delicious food and exploring what the different cultures had to offer. We were also looking at beach houses outside of Los Angeles. Being the California natives we were.
The other thing that was always on my mind, since the very day Jared and I got together as teenagers.
Children.
And sadly, I was pregnant now.
My unbeating heart froze. Non living anymore. But if it were, it would have clutched; yearned for me to live just a little longer for me to tell Jared. It all happened so fast. I was going to tell him at dinner tonight. That's why we were going to dinner. Our last night out before we got on that plane tomorrow morning at 8am.
But that drunk driver never gave me the chance. That asshole never gave the baby a chance. All I wanted to do was to scream as loud as I could in his fucking face until I couldn't anymore. I hoped he was killed in this accident, just like I was. He deserved it. We didn't. We didn't deserve to die because of him! No one does.
That's when I screamed. As loud as I possibly could in the crowded street. Nobody heard. Nobody cared. I kept exerting out the noise until my lungs burned. By then, I collapsed, breathing heavily in solid gasps. Why did this have to happen? Why now...just when we were getting our life together.
I then floated back up into the heavens where I know I would hover and watch my family, my friends all cope with the disaster. I watched for a few moments more as Jared climbed into the ambulance with my body and drove away.
The crowds began to fade, the driver was unfortunately taken to prison. The police called a tow service and they took our car away. Only the hollow wind blew through the streets and brush that was left alone.
All that was remained untouched was the pool of my blood in that lonely intersection.