"Don't. You. Dare." I scowled at America's crumbling expression. Her tears were not fooling me this time—she'd betrayed my trust one time too many. "Now you put on a smile, and you wear it to the last second."
She seemed to put herself back together, though the cracks in her composure oozed with brokenness. She painted on a smile—still breathtaking as ever. "That'll do. Don't let that slip until you leave the room. Do you understand?"
She nodded, her crystalline blue eyes saying everything her words didn't: please, I love you.
"I'll be glad when you're gone," I spat and turned to the crowd.
I greeted Kriss as she came to stand on my other side. I returned my gaze to the crowd just in time to see a guest with red around his head take out a gun and fire into the back of Celeste's skull. Panic exploded throughout the room.
I took in our situation amongst the havoc—a Southerner was in front of America, Kriss and I with a gun aimed at us.
I frantically told Kriss to get down, but when I went to assist her, another gunshot rang through the room. I whirled around and was met with America, in all her beauty, looking stunned. She slowly sank to the floor, and I noticed the crimson blossoming across the front of her ivory gown.
No! I heard someone yell, but as every eye turned and gasped, I realized the one yelling was me. America, my beautiful, precious America, lay on the floor of the stage in her own growing pool of blood.
I tried desperately to staunch the flow of blood. "You're going to be fine, Ames. Please!" But I knew she wasn't; the bullet would have pierced a lung. She didn't have long. Her glassy eyes drifted onto my face, her smile not slipping.
"I," she gasped.
"Shhh," I stroked her cheek. A tear leaked down my face. This was all my fault! If I hadn't turned away . . .
"I. . .I wore it." What?
I wanted to take it back—every word. I'll be glad when you leave.
No, no, no! I will cease to live if you leave me! My heart was shattering, the shards stabbing my chest.
"I wore it . . . to the last second." And then she went still, with a peaceful smile still adorning her face.
Okay, so there's a poll now on my account. Should America make it? Go vote now!