Part Seven
The next morning Audrina went with Taylor to the rock star's mansion in Los Angeles. The church bells in the little church on the estate were ringing, music was blaring from the sound system, and dancing girls paraded around the yard. Everyone was being very nice to Audrina, Taylor, and the rest of the Hansons, but the girl had not yet arrived. Her father told Taylor that she was in a holy convent on the East Coast, where she was learning every Christian virtue.
At last the girl arrived. Audrina was anxious to see her competition and she had to admit that she had never seen anyone more beautiful. The girl had clear and delicate skin, long dark lashes, silky blonde hair, and deep blue expressive eyes. Audrina noticed that the girl wasn't all that well endowed. Or at least, not so well endowed as Audrina was. Audrina had to calm herself. Taylor would never fall for this girl. She wasn't the girl from long ago, and the girl from long ago was the only girl Taylor could ever love. He'd said so himself.
"It's you!" Taylor said, running over to embrace the girl. "It's been so long since I've seen you. It's been, what?"
"Six years," the girl replied, kissing him.
Audrina stepped on her own foot, attempting to numb the pain in her heart.
Taylor turned to Audrina. "Oh, I am too happy!" he said, taking her hand. "My greatest wish, which I never dared to even think of, has come true. I know you'll be happy for Aimee and I, for you love me more than anyone."
Audrina gave a little smile and kissed Taylor's hand, feeling as though her heart was already breaking. Not only had she lost Taylor's heart, but her life's use-by date was approaching rapidly.
That evening the church bells pealed and journalists milled outside the estate, eager to snap photos of the wedding. On the alters scented oil was burning in expensive gold lamps. The priests swung their censers , and Aimee and Taylor joined hands and received the bishop's blessing. Audrina, once again dressed in tacky 70s clothing, stood holding Aimee's train. She smiled sweetly but really felt like stepping on the train and making it dirty and torn.
The same evening everyone boarded a cruise boat and Taylor and Aimee were shown to their cabin. Audrina was shown her velvet cushion lying outside the cabin. Not even a blanket for Audrina.
When the sun began to set lamps were put up on board and the celebrations began with everybody dancing on deck. Audrina danced most enthusiastically of all, darting and turning like a bird, and everyone applauded her, for even Audrina had never danced so well before.
But Audrina did not notice the applause. The only thing Audrina noticed was Taylor. She knew that this was the last evening she would be with him - him for whom she'd left her family and home, sacrificed her lovely voice, and daily suffered endless pain, all of which he was unaware. It was the last night that they'd breathe the same air, and see the sea and the starry sky. An eternal dreamless night was waiting for Audrina, the girl who could not win Taylor Hanson's heart.
And so Audrina partied with the best of them, until after midnight, when Taylor and Aimee retired to their luxurious cabin.
As Audrina lay her head on her pillow she realised that she would once again have to cover her head with it. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep. "Audrina...." she heard voices. "Audriiiiiiiiiiina...." the voices continued. "Audrina Whitefern, how nice to see you."
Audrina removed the pillow from her head and sat up. Dr. Livingston had come to her in a vision. "Audrina, you do remember that this is the night you must die, don't you?" he said.
Audrina nodded.
"Well, it seems that I forgot to mention something. While your face will start to burn as soon as the sun rises, there is a way you can escape this."
Audrina looked at him with pleading eyes.
"You can speak, you know."
Audrina opened her mouth. "What do you mean???" Realising her newfound power, she began to scream. "Help! Help! Somebody save me!!!!"
Dr. Livingston smiled. "But I'm the only one who can hear you. Sad, isn't it?" He paused, and removed a knife from his pocket. "Audrina dear, if you want to live you must take this knife and thrust it into Taylor's heart, and when his blood sprinkles onto you, you will transform back into your fifteen year old self, standing outside my surgery. You will be able to live your life in any way you choose."
Audrina took the knife. "Thank you..."
"Good bye Audrina...." Dr. Livingston said, disappearing.
Audrina looked at the knife, stood up, and walked into the cabin. She saw Aimee lying asleep with her head on Taylor's chest, and she bent down and kissed him on his beautiful forehead. She looked behind her at the sea and then at her knife and again at Taylor who murmuring something. A name. "Aimee...."
No, Taylor didn't love Audrina and never would. Aimee alone was in Taylor's thoughts and for a moment the knife trembled in Audrina's hand. But suddenly she flung the knife into her own chest and ran out of the cabin so that she fell out into the sea, just before she died.
The next morning Audrina went with Taylor to the rock star's mansion in Los Angeles. The church bells in the little church on the estate were ringing, music was blaring from the sound system, and dancing girls paraded around the yard. Everyone was being very nice to Audrina, Taylor, and the rest of the Hansons, but the girl had not yet arrived. Her father told Taylor that she was in a holy convent on the East Coast, where she was learning every Christian virtue.
At last the girl arrived. Audrina was anxious to see her competition and she had to admit that she had never seen anyone more beautiful. The girl had clear and delicate skin, long dark lashes, silky blonde hair, and deep blue expressive eyes. Audrina noticed that the girl wasn't all that well endowed. Or at least, not so well endowed as Audrina was. Audrina had to calm herself. Taylor would never fall for this girl. She wasn't the girl from long ago, and the girl from long ago was the only girl Taylor could ever love. He'd said so himself.
"It's you!" Taylor said, running over to embrace the girl. "It's been so long since I've seen you. It's been, what?"
"Six years," the girl replied, kissing him.
Audrina stepped on her own foot, attempting to numb the pain in her heart.
Taylor turned to Audrina. "Oh, I am too happy!" he said, taking her hand. "My greatest wish, which I never dared to even think of, has come true. I know you'll be happy for Aimee and I, for you love me more than anyone."
Audrina gave a little smile and kissed Taylor's hand, feeling as though her heart was already breaking. Not only had she lost Taylor's heart, but her life's use-by date was approaching rapidly.
That evening the church bells pealed and journalists milled outside the estate, eager to snap photos of the wedding. On the alters scented oil was burning in expensive gold lamps. The priests swung their censers , and Aimee and Taylor joined hands and received the bishop's blessing. Audrina, once again dressed in tacky 70s clothing, stood holding Aimee's train. She smiled sweetly but really felt like stepping on the train and making it dirty and torn.
The same evening everyone boarded a cruise boat and Taylor and Aimee were shown to their cabin. Audrina was shown her velvet cushion lying outside the cabin. Not even a blanket for Audrina.
When the sun began to set lamps were put up on board and the celebrations began with everybody dancing on deck. Audrina danced most enthusiastically of all, darting and turning like a bird, and everyone applauded her, for even Audrina had never danced so well before.
But Audrina did not notice the applause. The only thing Audrina noticed was Taylor. She knew that this was the last evening she would be with him - him for whom she'd left her family and home, sacrificed her lovely voice, and daily suffered endless pain, all of which he was unaware. It was the last night that they'd breathe the same air, and see the sea and the starry sky. An eternal dreamless night was waiting for Audrina, the girl who could not win Taylor Hanson's heart.
And so Audrina partied with the best of them, until after midnight, when Taylor and Aimee retired to their luxurious cabin.
As Audrina lay her head on her pillow she realised that she would once again have to cover her head with it. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep. "Audrina...." she heard voices. "Audriiiiiiiiiiina...." the voices continued. "Audrina Whitefern, how nice to see you."
Audrina removed the pillow from her head and sat up. Dr. Livingston had come to her in a vision. "Audrina, you do remember that this is the night you must die, don't you?" he said.
Audrina nodded.
"Well, it seems that I forgot to mention something. While your face will start to burn as soon as the sun rises, there is a way you can escape this."
Audrina looked at him with pleading eyes.
"You can speak, you know."
Audrina opened her mouth. "What do you mean???" Realising her newfound power, she began to scream. "Help! Help! Somebody save me!!!!"
Dr. Livingston smiled. "But I'm the only one who can hear you. Sad, isn't it?" He paused, and removed a knife from his pocket. "Audrina dear, if you want to live you must take this knife and thrust it into Taylor's heart, and when his blood sprinkles onto you, you will transform back into your fifteen year old self, standing outside my surgery. You will be able to live your life in any way you choose."
Audrina took the knife. "Thank you..."
"Good bye Audrina...." Dr. Livingston said, disappearing.
Audrina looked at the knife, stood up, and walked into the cabin. She saw Aimee lying asleep with her head on Taylor's chest, and she bent down and kissed him on his beautiful forehead. She looked behind her at the sea and then at her knife and again at Taylor who murmuring something. A name. "Aimee...."
No, Taylor didn't love Audrina and never would. Aimee alone was in Taylor's thoughts and for a moment the knife trembled in Audrina's hand. But suddenly she flung the knife into her own chest and ran out of the cabin so that she fell out into the sea, just before she died.
