Zac stared at the police man with wide eyes. He seemed to be fumbling with the words he was trying to say. The red head had long since tuned him out. In fact, he was staring at the half eaten sandwich he had made when his mom forced him to leave the TV.
"Son?" The police officer looked at him, concern in his eyes. "Are you alright?"
Zac looked up at the police officer, "I'm sorry. I don't understand why you're here to talk to me. You keep saying Kaylie over and over, but you haven't explained anything."
The police officer sighed, "We were going through her stuff and we found some things. Some things that had to do with you, and a..." The police man cleared his throat. "A suicide note."
Zac's heart stopped. Suicide? No! That just wasn't possible! He and Kaylie had talked about suicide many times. They both thought it was stupidly selfish. She wouldn't do that. She'd told him she couldn't after she'd seen first hand what it could do to someone. She'd had a friend commit suicide when she was ten!
"The note had uh," The officer pulled it out. "A lot of it was written to you specifically. We found it on her computer." He handed it to Zac. "Now don't blame yourself for what happened son. We just need to know if you have any idea where she would have gone to do it so we can recover the body."
Zac numbly took the letter and opened it. The police officer watched as he read it.
Dear family and friends,
If you're reading this, I guess that means I snapped. I'm sorry. It was too much. Too much pressure. Too much heartache. Too much guilt and blame. But I suppose it's probably a good thing I'm gone because it means I can't hurt you anymore.
Mom and Dad, I'm sorry I couldn't be the picture perfect daughter you wanted. I couldn't do all the things you wanted me to. Not when I'm so flawed. I don't think you know how much I hurt the people around me. How much I hurt you guys because I can't seem to get over the one person who ever made me feel truly happy... So I just went away. I love you Mommy and Daddy. Please forgive me.
Everyone, please forgive me. Especially you Zac...
Zac's heart stopped. Reading his name, and the reference that came before it, he wasn't sure he wanted to continue. The police officer was still watching though, so he read on.
I know I made myself out to be so emotionally strong, but I guess the truth is I'm not. When you take and take and take from someone and never give back, you can't expect them to stay strong.
Zac swallowed the lump in his throat.
I guess after you told me you didn't love me anymore, it took who I was from me, because that's who I was... Your best friend. Your other half. The person who completed you. But then you took that, and I didn't know who I was. I didn't want to be friends. In all honesty, it should have ended right there. Maybe if I'd had enough courage, I wouldn't be gone. Instead, I listened to your mom. She told me she was friends with her first lover still, so I thought maybe if I was unselfish, I could be friends too.
Those three months of trying were the worst and best three months of my life. It was hard giving everything I had to someone who would never return the same... But I still had you. I was still your friend. I still had a bit of identity left.
Once that was gone, I had nothing. There's no point in living for nothing. I'm not blaming you Zac. It's not your fault I'm not strong. It's not your fault I can't handle reality. In fact, it's for your benefit. You said that I was making your life impossible. That I was unmanageable. Your mom told me I was stressing you out beyond belief, and it wasn't fair that I was putting so much pressure on you. I'm sorry. I never meant to put so much pressure on you. I was just trying to do what you wanted me to. I thought you wanted to be friends, so I was trying to be your friend. I guess it made you feel bad or something. I don't know. All I know is your parents told me I was screwing up your life so I'm leaving it. Now that you're free of me, you can find another girl who will treat you better and be able to give you what you want...
Zac tried to read through the tears that were now pouring down his face. He forced himself to keep reading.
In all honesty though, this is just as much for me as it is for you. I can't do it Zac. I can't watch you change and become a different person. Every day is just another disappointment and frustration to me. I can't handle that. It's so selfish, but I can't watch you love someone who isn't worthy of your love.
She told me she's using you. I wanted to tell you so bad after she told me, but I was scared. Too scared. You were already mad. I couldn't handle to have you yell at me again. I'm so selfish Zac. I'm killing myself because I can't get over you, and it's messing you up. If I could just move on... Quit thinking of myself and think of you... But I can't Zac. I can't because I love you. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone in my entire life... And it's not something I can forget.
I'm glad you can though. I guess you already have. So maybe this won't even hurt you. Maybe you're in your room rolling your eyes like you always do at my theatrics. Just promise me that while you're in Heaven, you'll come visit me in Hell. But I guess if that would make things better they wouldn't let you, would they.
You're a great person Zac. I'll miss you so much, even if you won't miss me. Tell everyone I'm so sorry for messing all their lives up... I'm sorry for being a disappointment... And I'm sorry I was born. It's a mistake I'm fixing. Goodbye Zac. I love you.
Love, forever and always,
Kaylie
Zac handed the paper back to the officer, "She used to have a special place... Whenever she was confused or lost, she'd go there. She never showed anyone else where it was... Until she showed me." He stood up, shaking. "It's at a park down by her house. I'll take you there."
As Zac pulled his shoes on, his mind was spinning. Kaylie wasn't gone because some freak magical thing happened. She was gone because she was dead.
"Could this day get any worse? I've been stuffed in a smelly gym bag, dumped off in the worst part of town, used as a trampoline by a bunch of street punks, and then you lost a duel to some chick who is now following us around like a lost puppy!" Rex moaned as the three teens walked along the streets of San Francisco.
"Think of it this way," Weevil interrupted. "Things can't get any worse!"
At that moment, a man came running out of no where, bumping into the bug duelist. Kaylie, who had been walking behind them, was able to jump out of the way just in time.
"What just happened?" Rex frowned, turning to watch the guy run off.
Weevil grunted, then reached a hand into his pocket. His face lost all color. "My wallet!"
"Our money!" Rex and Weevil both turned and pushed passed Kaylie, chasing after the guy. Kaylie turned to call after them, but she stopped. She had to interfere as little as possible. She ran after them.
"Get back here!" Weevil called.
"Like he's going to listen to you!" Rex scoffed.
Suddenly, the man stopped, dropped the wallet, and ran off. At least, that's what it looked like from where Kaylie was standing.
"See? He did listen!" Weevil smiled smugly, the three continued to run forward, where they were met by another person, picking the wallet up.
"Here. I think this belongs to you." Kaylie smiled as Duke Devlin handed the wallet back to Weevil. Bingo.
"Thank you!" Weevil quickly tucked the wallet back in his pocket.
"You have to watch yourself on these streets," Duke smiled at Kaylie. "They aren't very friendly."
"We noticed," Kaylie looked away.
"Well, can I give you a ride somewhere? Walking isn't very safe." Duke looked back at the other two duelists.
"Actually," Rex was ready to accept. "We were heading for Industrial Illusions headquarters."
Kaylie nodded, "We're looking for someone."
Rex and Weevil both looked at her, confused. "Huh?"
"Well I'm not sure who you think you'll find there, other than Pegasus, and not many people want to go see him," Duke gave Kaylie a skeptical look.
"We're looking for Yugi," The blond stated firmly. Rex and Weevil both stared at her for a minute, then nodded.
"Yugi? Yugi is here in America?" Duke asked in disbelief.
Kaylie nodded again, "So, will you take us?"
"Of course! This way!" Duke lead them through the alley street to his car. Kaylie hopped in the front seat, leaving Weevil and Rex to sit in the back.
"Are you sure they're at Industrial Illusions?" Duke started the car.
Kaylie nodded, "Positive."
"Alright, hold on!" Duke pealed off down the street, reminding Kaylie of how her dad used to drive. Her heart felt heavy when she realized how much she missed him.
Zac lead the police officer through the trees, and to a small spring that bubbled out of the ground. He sat on a log at the edge of the water, "This is where she always went when she had a big decision to make."
"There's nothing here," The officer frowned.
Zac stared into the water, hiding a smile. Maybe she was still alive. "No, there's not. She liked it that way."
The officer sighed, "Thank you for trying to help us. We'll let you know if we find anything." As they walked back to the car in silence, Zac stared at his phone. Had she turned hers back on yet?
They drove back to Zac's house in silence. When the officer let him out, Zac immediately started to head for the TV. "Wait!" Zac stopped when the officer called out to him. He turned and found a box being placed in his arms. "We found this in her room as well. It has your name on it, so her parents told me to bring it here." The officer turned back to his car. "Call me if you need to talk. This isn't an easy thing to deal with."
As the cop drove away, Zac looked down at the box. It was labeled Zac's Box. He took it inside and set it down beside the couch, turning the TV on. Kaylie was on the screen, driving in a car with Weevil, Rex, and Duke. Zac smiled. She must have won the duel. The red head opened the box, still paying attention to the screen. Rex and Weevil were talking to Duke about how they were great friends with Yugi, and Kaylie was watching things pass by. Zac figured he should go through the box while he watched. When he looked down, he was unable to suppress his gasp of surprise. No way...
