Cam POV
"Get out of her life. Forever." The words rang over and over again in my head as I stumbled towards the greenhouse. All the pressure, the misery seemed to crash down on me like a pile of bricks. Zig was right; the only way to better everyone's life was to leave. Permanently. With a deep breath, I grabbed a rope. There could be no chance of surviving this. I had to leave.
"Hey wait a minute! What are you doing?" I turned to see a guy, maybe a few years older than me standing in the doorway of the greenhouse.
"Who are you?" I asked. This person obviously wasn't alive. I tried to close my eyes and open them, to make him go away. Nothing worked.
"James Tiberius Yorke at your service. And yes, I'm dead," he announced smiling.
"What.. What are you doing here?" I asked, growing more and more confused.
"I'm here to stop you. I know all my posthumous fame has probably died down by now, so I'll explain. I didn't have a choice in my death. I was killed. But you, you have a choice," JT said walking over, "So why choose death?"
"It's not a choice. I can't take this.. Life anymore. Everyone yelling at me pressuring me, turning something I once loved into to something I hate," I told him collapsing onto the floor. JT moved and sat next to me.
"There's gotta be something you'd stay for... Someone maybe," he prompted.
"Well there's Maya. She's.. She's amazing. But I don't deserve her. Her life would be better without me," I explained looking down.
"Does Maya think you don't deserve her?" JT asked.
"I don't think so, but everyone..." JT stood up suddenly.
"Screw what everyone else thinks! Do you know what my biggest regret when I died was?" I shook my head no.
"My last conversation with my ex. We were still in love and she knew it, but.. I was too stupid, or scared I don't know. And when I finally realized she was right, I rushed to go tell her how I felt. And that's when it happened."
"That's awful," I said quietly.
"I know. But if you and Liberty.. I mean Maya really have something special, it doesn't matter what the rest of the world thinks. Because she'll be there. And who knows, things could get better. But they're not going to if you just give up," JT explained meaningfully.
"You really think so?" I asked.
"I know so. And trust me, death isn't as nice as you think. It's pretty boring," he replied.
"I've gotta go fix things. Thanks JT," I turned to say, but he was gone. Shaking my head, I ran towards the front steps where Maya was waiting for me.
"Maya!" I called running over, "Forget that text. I didn't mean it!"
"You mean your little break up text? How could you have done that to me?" she asked looking hurt.
"I don't know. Maya I'm so sorry. For everything I've done. For all I've put you through. It's just... I love you," I blurted out.
"You what?" Maya asked, eyes widening.
"Please don't make me repeat it," I answered walking closer to her.
"I won't. Just promise me you'll start letting me in okay?" she asked.
"Okay. I will," I promised smiling.
"Good. And I love you too," she said hugging me. I grinned and hugged back.
"Thanks JT," I said looking over to where he was watching with a thumbs up.
JT POV
"Don't mention it!" I called disappearing. There was one last place I had to visit before I left.
She was in bed reading a book when I got there. "Some things never change," I said smiling.
"JT!" Liberty called, as always happy to see me.
"Hey. How's college?" I asked.
"A lot of work. You'd hate that part, but it can be fun too," she said putting her book down. I nodded, and we both fell silent.
"It's still hard you know.. You being gone. Sometimes things happen and I can't wait to tell you. Then I have to remind myself I'll never see you again," Liberty said after a while.
"It's hard for me too. Watching everyone grow up and move on. Forgetting me," I admitted.
"You know no one could ever forget you," Liberty assured me.
"And you know I never truly left you. And I never will," I replied.
"I know. Sometimes I just miss the way things used to be. Before everything blew up in front of us."
"I miss it too. But we can't change the past," I said sadly.
"You're right. All we can do is cherish the memories we have," Liberty replied tearing up.
"Don't cry, Lib. Please," I begged not being able to handle all the pain I'd put her through.
"I'm sorry. It just.. It makes me so happy when you visit. And then you leave and I have to remind myself that you're... You know," she said quietly. I held her the best I could given my current condition.
"I know this isn't the same as me being here with all of you, but it's the best I could do. I just want you to know that I love you and I'm always here watching over you okay?" I said gently.
"Okay," Liberty said nodding and wiping her eyes.
"Good. I have to go now, but I'll visit soon. I promise," I said standing up.
"Okay," Liberty said giving me a small smile.
"Okay. I love you," I told her as I left.
"I know JT. I know," she said turning off the light.
