Sorry this took so long but I did give all of y'all fair warning that these
last couple of chapters would take awhile, but this one took longer than I
expected because I got writer's block...I'm so sorry, but here's Chapter 38
and I hope you guys like it.
Chapter 38: One Last Shot At Life
"I remember everything. Everyone. I remember it all." Chanse gasped as she sat on the cold tile floor of the hospital room. She looked around the room in complete confusion. "I. Remember," she whispered as she took slow deep breathes in.
After a few minutes of taking in the fact that she was no longer in the dark she heard a knock on the door.
"Chanse?"
Chanse turned around to find Madam Pomfrey peeking her head in from behind. "Hey Madam Pomfrey," Chanse grinned.
"Well you're in a happy mood," Madam Pomfrey smiled back as she walked fully in the room.
"Who wouldn't be?" Chanse grinned as she pressed the letter back into the box and placed the lid back on it.
Madam Pomfrey chuckled as she began to make Chanse's bed, "Care to explain to me why?"
Chanse grinned as she picked up the box and set it on the chair. She picked up her graduating gown and quickly slipped it on. "Because," she placed her graduating hat on her head, "when you remember your life, nothing else matters."
"Wait," Madam Pomfrey stopped making Chanse's bed and looked over at her, "You what?"
Chanse ran over to the bed and grabbed the sheets from Madam Pomfrey and tossed them up in the air. "I remember. I remember!" Chanse shouted.
"You remember what?" Madam Pomfrey couldn't help but laugh at Chanse's behavior.
Chanse laughed as she white sheets tumbled around the bed, "I remember everything. My life. Everything!" She laughed.
Madam Pomfrey froze and looked over at Chanse, "You remember?"
Chanse laughed, "Yes. Everything." Chanse smiled, "It's all here," she pointed to her head.
"That's great Chanse," Madam Pomfrey smiled.
"It's beyond great, Madam Pomfrey," Chanse laughed, "It's indescribable."
"Chanse I'm happy for you," Madam Pomfrey smiled.
"Thank you," Chanse finally had calmed down a bit, "It's nice to finally remember everything everyone tells me."
Madam Pomfrey finished making Chanse's bed, "I can't even imagine how nice that must be."
Chanse started to walk to the door, "And now that I remember..."
Madam Pomfrey interrupted her, "Where do you think you're going?"
"I'm leaving," Chanse smirked.
"Oh no you're not," Madam Pomfrey placed her hands on her hips and stared at Chanse, who already had the door open. "You're going to die tonight, so you're not leaving until your graduation."
"Two things Madam Pomfrey. Graduation is in only a few short hours, and the other thing is," Chanse paused and then smirked, "because I'm going to die tonight, I'm leaving now."
Madam Pomfrey sighed in defeat and looked over at Chanse, "Alright. Fine. You can leave."
Chanse smiled, "Thank you Madam Pomfrey," she grinned as she ran out of the room, leaving the door wide open.
Madam Pomfrey sighed as she rolled her eyes.
"Oh sorry," Chanse peeked her head back in and shut the door.
Madam Pomfrey couldn't help but laugh at how happy Chanse was.
Chanse quickly walked, and every now and then started to run, down the Hospital Wing hallway. She made it to the door and then she placed her hand on the handle. She thought she would be able to throw open the door and run out there but for some reason she was feeling fear.
"Well aren't you going?" Madam Pomfrey called from behind Chanse.
"Um," Chanse turned around, "I'm just afraid."
"You? Afraid? Chanse who isn't afraid of anything, is afraid of something?" Madam Pomfrey mocked.
Chanse chuckled, "Yeah. I am actually. I'm just afraid that if I go out there and everyone knows I remember everything, that I'll only be letting them down, because later tonight I'm going to die."
"Chanse you can't help it. You just have to do it. If you stay here you'll be doing exactly what I was telling you to do," Madam Pomfrey smirked, "and we all know how you hate to do what people tell you to do."
Chanse smiled, "Thank you Madam Pomfrey." Chanse pulled open the door and stepped outside.
Chanse let the cool air of the setting sun run over her body as she looked around at the nearing empty courtyard. "So this is what it would be like to be reincarnated and remember everything from your life before." She whispered, "This is living with memories." She smiled.
She saw Emily and Liz walking across the courtyard. "Hey," She called out as she ran across the courtyard to them. "Hey." She said softly.
"Hey," they both smiled.
"Have either one of you seen Oliver...not that I don't want to talk to you two but I need to find him first."
Emily and Liz exchanged looks and then looked back at Chanse, "Um, no. All the seventh years are supposed to meet secretly before they graduate."
Chanse sighed and bit the bottom lip as she thought. "Um...Do you know where they meet?"
"They meet secretly," Emily repeated.
"What part of that didn't you understand, Chanse?" Liz chuckled.
Chanse laughed, "Oh. Yeah. Sorry...um...do you know where Harry, or Hermione, or Ron may be?" Chanse asked with hopefulness in her voice.
Liz turned to Emily and smirked, "Gryffindor Tower?"
Emily smirked to Liz and then turned to Chanse, "Gryffindor Tower."
Chanse smiled, "You two are crazy."
They both shrugged, "So? Point?"
"No point at all, just stating it." Chanse waved bye to the two girls before taking off towards the Rotating Stairs for the Gryffindor Tower.
Chanse sprinting up the stairs until she finally reached the hallway to the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"Password," The Fat Lady said with her nose in the air.
"Flibbertigibbet," Chanse smiled.
"Enter," The Fat Lady bowed as the portrait swung open.
"Thank you...Lady," Chanse smiled.
"You're welcome Chanse, and it's good to have you back," She Fat Lady smiled at Chanse as she entered the Gryffindor Commons Room.
Chanse looked around in the busy Common Room and she spotted Ron, Harry, and Hermione sitting in the corner; Ron and Harry were playing Wizard's Chess while Hermione watched. Chanse made her way over to them. She snuck up behind Harry's chair and right before he moved his queen into place she spoke, "Hey Harry."
Harry jumped and turned around, "Oh hey Chanse."
Chanse bent over and kissed the top of Harry's head. "Sorry to scare you, but I was wondering if any of you knew where Oliver was?"
Hermione laughed at Harry's reaction. "Nope. Haven't seen him...You're in a happy mood Chanse." She noted.
"Yes I am." Chanse beamed at the trio.
"Why's that?" Ron asked as he moved his queen towards Harry's queen.
"I remember."
Harry concentrated on the board, "Remember what?"
"Everything."
Harry stopped and looked over his shoulder at Chanse, "Everything?"
"Yeah," Chanse smiled, "I remember my life."
Harry froze, "Your life?"
"Yeah," Chanse grinned, "so do you know where I can find Oliver?"
Harry stood up and looked at Chanse, "You remember everything and all you can think about is seeing Oliver?!"
Chanse slightly blushed, "Well...yeah." She slightly smiled, 'It's either I find him now or I'll have remembered everything for no reason.' She thought in sorrow.
Hermione looked up at Chanse, "Well the seventh years are having a secret meeting somewhere that only the professors and the seventh years know about."
Chanse bit her bottom lip, "Well. Um...Where are the professors?"
Ron smirked, "Already at the meeting."
Chanse sighed, "Damnit. Alright then...thanks." Chanse turned to leave.
"Wait Chanse," Harry called after her, "why do you need to find Oliver?"
Chanse froze in her steps and smiled to herself, "He loves me," she looked over her shoulder at the trio, "and I love him." Chanse turned back around and left the Commons Room.
Chanse walked down the hallway from the Gryffindor Tower and saw that it was already night outside. The night sky was like a blanket with holes punched in it. She walked down the rotating stairs, to the courtyard, and then she began to head towards the Great Hall.
She gripped the cool iron of the handle to the Great Hall and slowly opened it. She peeked her head in to find an empty Great Hall.
"Great," Chanse sighed as she shut the door and leaned back against it. 'I need to find Oliver and he's nowhere to be found.' She thought with another sigh.
Chanse closed her eyes and took a deep breath in. She pushed out her breath and opened her eyes to look upon the Astronomy Tower. She saw a soft glow from the stars...no the moon, which was hidden behind the clouds.
'I'm going to die,' she thought. "I'm going to die," she whispered, and then her eyes slightly filled with tears.
She slowly looked away from the Astronomy Tower and at the ground. She let out a quivering sigh and then a small cough. She felt her heart clench and her ribcage seemed to wrap around her heart, squeezing it tightly. She let out a sigh as she placed her hand over her heart and took as deep of a breath as she could.
She looked back up at the Astronomy Tower and she saw a floating white figure up at the top of the tower. The figure looked down at Chanse, and Chanse let out a clear sharp breath...It was her mother, Hailey.
"I'm to die there," Chanse whispered as she pushed off the door and slightly stumbled.
Chanse walked over to the Astronomy Tower and started to go up the stairs when she noticed something on the stone to her right. She turned and looked over at what it was: a craving of a star. She looked it over a couple times and then reached her hand to run her fingertips over the deep craving. As soon as Chanse placed the tip of her index finger against the cold craving she felt a swarm of heat fall over her body and with a flash she was gone.
Chanse opened her eyes to find she was looking out across a dark room. She looked around a couple times and then she noticed another stone with the same marking as the one she touched. "A Portkey," She whispered before coughing a couple times.
Chanse opened her eyes and looked out for her mother but her mother wasn't anywhere. "Mom?" Chanse whispered, as she felt too weak to do otherwise.
She walked across the dark room, under an archway, and out onto the balcony. She walked over to the edge of the balcony and heard the loud laughter and giggles of students. Chanse slowly walked along the balcony, while her hand ran across the cold wall of the balcony. She coughed a couple times and then stopped. She bent down slightly and looked enough so she could see just barely to the Great Hall. All the Seventh years were coming down the rotating stairs, in long black robes, and heading into the Great Hall.
Chanse felt her heart drop down as she watched and heard them all walk to a door to end a life and begin another. "I'm never going to graduate. I'm never going to get married. I'm never going to have kids. I'm not going to live past tonight." Her voice quivered.
"When did you start talking like that?" A voice chuckled.
Chanse looked up, with tears in her eyes, to see her mother floating by the tower. "Well when you're in my situation you really just start to see things in a different light then you used to do it." Chanse coughed.
"You have a situation?" Hailey teased. "And when did this "situation" come to?"
Normally Chanse would have laughed or at least chuckled, but this time she didn't feel amused by her mother's humor. She felt empty inside, like nothing was the same. "I'm not in the mood mom." Chanse whispered as she walked back across the balcony.
Hailey looked over at Chanse with a worried look, "Sweetie what's the matter?"
Chanse stopped walking and stopped at the balcony wall. She propped her elbows on the balcony wall and stared down at the ground, making her Graduation hat slightly slid forward. She pushed it back to sit on her head like it should. She coughed a couple times, "Have you not been watching?" Chanse shook her head.
"What do you mean?"
Chanse sighed, "I mean what I said. Have you not been watching?" She whispered, "You said you'd always watch over me even if I couldn't see you. So if you truly were watching over me you'd know that I'm going to die in about," she pulled out her pocket watch and looked at the time, "forty minutes."
Hailey looked like she was about to panic, "I know."
Chanse looked up in shock, "You know? You know?! Then why didn't you stop it?"
"Because I'm not allowed to interfere with your destiny."
Chanse sat up straight and looked around as she tried to suppress her tears, "So you're saying my destiny is to die?!" She tried to shout but her body didn't have enough energy too.
"Yes," Hailey whispered and saw Chanse was about to say something so Hailey quickly spoke up, "unless you find your true love."
Chanse sighed, "Yeah I know that."
"Then why don't you. You remember everything, so go find him."
"One. I tried to but I can't find him," she sighed. "Two. Even if I did find him I know I've hurt him too badly." Chanse let out a gasp of breath, "I mean I have a box overflowing with letters from him, and I refused to answer them all." She sighed making her shoulder drop. "So there's no point anymore."
Hailey slightly shook her head, "So you're just going to give up that easily?" She sounded shocked at how Chanse was acting.
Chanse stopped and seemed to think about if she was or wasn't. She nodded her head and whispered, "I think I am."
"Why? Why not try? Huh? My daughter would have kept trying." Hailey shouted.
Chanse was about to say something when her pocket watch beeped from inside her cloak pocket. Chanse pulled it out and looked at the time. She whispered softly as she gazed into the face of the watch, "Eleven thirty," she sighed. "Everyone graduates at midnight. Thirty minutes to go." She stuck the watch back in her cloak pocket and softly coughed.
"Why don't you try to graduate? Why not go into the Great Hall and graduate with all you friends since you've given up so easily." Hailey sighed in defeat.
Chanse took off her graduation hat and leaned around the stonewall of the balcony. She looked out across the courtyard and spoke softly as she held her graduation hat in her hand. "And ruin my friend's moment of happiness?" She looked up at her mother, "I couldn't do that. All kids look forward to the day they graduate and I don't want my friends looking back at their graduation and remembering their friend dying on it." She sighed. "I'd just rather stay here."
Chanse took her hat and stared at it for a while and then she softly tossed it into the air. "That's as close to a graduation as I'm going to get." She watched the black hat flutter down to the ground and slowly grew smaller and smaller in Chanse's eyes. She watched it hit the ground and only look like a small black triangle on the ground.
"Chanse, please don't give up." Hailey pleaded to Chanse.
"What more can I do. It's destiny." Chanse whispered.
"But you have a chance to change destiny," She tried to make it sound like a great opportunity.
"I used to be able to," Chanse softly smirked, "I used to always think I could, even when I was little." Chanse's face grew sad, "But now I realize that I can't change destiny. No matter how hard I try."
Hailey sighed. She didn't know what to say to her daughter. She could see that Chanse was lost. She could see Chanse had been fighting a battle that she wasn't going to win.
Chanse stared down at her graduation hat on the ground below her until she felt her heart clench. She quickly cupped her hand over her mouth and began to cough violently into it. When she was done Chanse took a quivering breath in and removed her hand from her mouth. She saw that in the palm of her hand there were a couple drops of blood.
Chanse felt her body quivering at the sight of her blood, she knew. She knew that this was it. She was going to die.
"I failed everyone," she whispered as she stared at the blood drops.
"Chanse," Hailey whispered to Chanse.
Chanse looked up at Hailey with tears on the verge of falling, "I failed you."
Hailey shook her head, "No Chanse. You haven't, and you never could. Please Chanse. Fight it."
Chanse tried to grip the stonewall as she felt her knees grew weak as her heart slowed down and her ribs felt as if they were wrapping around her heart. "I can't." Chanse said just above a whisper, as she concentrated on just standing up.
Hailey looked around to see if anyone could help Chanse but there was no one. "I'm going to get Oliver." Hailey took off as quick as possible to find Oliver, even though Oliver couldn't see Hailey.
It became too hard for Chanse to even respond to her mother. She just looked up at her with tear-filled eyes.
Chapter 38: One Last Shot At Life
"I remember everything. Everyone. I remember it all." Chanse gasped as she sat on the cold tile floor of the hospital room. She looked around the room in complete confusion. "I. Remember," she whispered as she took slow deep breathes in.
After a few minutes of taking in the fact that she was no longer in the dark she heard a knock on the door.
"Chanse?"
Chanse turned around to find Madam Pomfrey peeking her head in from behind. "Hey Madam Pomfrey," Chanse grinned.
"Well you're in a happy mood," Madam Pomfrey smiled back as she walked fully in the room.
"Who wouldn't be?" Chanse grinned as she pressed the letter back into the box and placed the lid back on it.
Madam Pomfrey chuckled as she began to make Chanse's bed, "Care to explain to me why?"
Chanse grinned as she picked up the box and set it on the chair. She picked up her graduating gown and quickly slipped it on. "Because," she placed her graduating hat on her head, "when you remember your life, nothing else matters."
"Wait," Madam Pomfrey stopped making Chanse's bed and looked over at her, "You what?"
Chanse ran over to the bed and grabbed the sheets from Madam Pomfrey and tossed them up in the air. "I remember. I remember!" Chanse shouted.
"You remember what?" Madam Pomfrey couldn't help but laugh at Chanse's behavior.
Chanse laughed as she white sheets tumbled around the bed, "I remember everything. My life. Everything!" She laughed.
Madam Pomfrey froze and looked over at Chanse, "You remember?"
Chanse laughed, "Yes. Everything." Chanse smiled, "It's all here," she pointed to her head.
"That's great Chanse," Madam Pomfrey smiled.
"It's beyond great, Madam Pomfrey," Chanse laughed, "It's indescribable."
"Chanse I'm happy for you," Madam Pomfrey smiled.
"Thank you," Chanse finally had calmed down a bit, "It's nice to finally remember everything everyone tells me."
Madam Pomfrey finished making Chanse's bed, "I can't even imagine how nice that must be."
Chanse started to walk to the door, "And now that I remember..."
Madam Pomfrey interrupted her, "Where do you think you're going?"
"I'm leaving," Chanse smirked.
"Oh no you're not," Madam Pomfrey placed her hands on her hips and stared at Chanse, who already had the door open. "You're going to die tonight, so you're not leaving until your graduation."
"Two things Madam Pomfrey. Graduation is in only a few short hours, and the other thing is," Chanse paused and then smirked, "because I'm going to die tonight, I'm leaving now."
Madam Pomfrey sighed in defeat and looked over at Chanse, "Alright. Fine. You can leave."
Chanse smiled, "Thank you Madam Pomfrey," she grinned as she ran out of the room, leaving the door wide open.
Madam Pomfrey sighed as she rolled her eyes.
"Oh sorry," Chanse peeked her head back in and shut the door.
Madam Pomfrey couldn't help but laugh at how happy Chanse was.
Chanse quickly walked, and every now and then started to run, down the Hospital Wing hallway. She made it to the door and then she placed her hand on the handle. She thought she would be able to throw open the door and run out there but for some reason she was feeling fear.
"Well aren't you going?" Madam Pomfrey called from behind Chanse.
"Um," Chanse turned around, "I'm just afraid."
"You? Afraid? Chanse who isn't afraid of anything, is afraid of something?" Madam Pomfrey mocked.
Chanse chuckled, "Yeah. I am actually. I'm just afraid that if I go out there and everyone knows I remember everything, that I'll only be letting them down, because later tonight I'm going to die."
"Chanse you can't help it. You just have to do it. If you stay here you'll be doing exactly what I was telling you to do," Madam Pomfrey smirked, "and we all know how you hate to do what people tell you to do."
Chanse smiled, "Thank you Madam Pomfrey." Chanse pulled open the door and stepped outside.
Chanse let the cool air of the setting sun run over her body as she looked around at the nearing empty courtyard. "So this is what it would be like to be reincarnated and remember everything from your life before." She whispered, "This is living with memories." She smiled.
She saw Emily and Liz walking across the courtyard. "Hey," She called out as she ran across the courtyard to them. "Hey." She said softly.
"Hey," they both smiled.
"Have either one of you seen Oliver...not that I don't want to talk to you two but I need to find him first."
Emily and Liz exchanged looks and then looked back at Chanse, "Um, no. All the seventh years are supposed to meet secretly before they graduate."
Chanse sighed and bit the bottom lip as she thought. "Um...Do you know where they meet?"
"They meet secretly," Emily repeated.
"What part of that didn't you understand, Chanse?" Liz chuckled.
Chanse laughed, "Oh. Yeah. Sorry...um...do you know where Harry, or Hermione, or Ron may be?" Chanse asked with hopefulness in her voice.
Liz turned to Emily and smirked, "Gryffindor Tower?"
Emily smirked to Liz and then turned to Chanse, "Gryffindor Tower."
Chanse smiled, "You two are crazy."
They both shrugged, "So? Point?"
"No point at all, just stating it." Chanse waved bye to the two girls before taking off towards the Rotating Stairs for the Gryffindor Tower.
Chanse sprinting up the stairs until she finally reached the hallway to the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"Password," The Fat Lady said with her nose in the air.
"Flibbertigibbet," Chanse smiled.
"Enter," The Fat Lady bowed as the portrait swung open.
"Thank you...Lady," Chanse smiled.
"You're welcome Chanse, and it's good to have you back," She Fat Lady smiled at Chanse as she entered the Gryffindor Commons Room.
Chanse looked around in the busy Common Room and she spotted Ron, Harry, and Hermione sitting in the corner; Ron and Harry were playing Wizard's Chess while Hermione watched. Chanse made her way over to them. She snuck up behind Harry's chair and right before he moved his queen into place she spoke, "Hey Harry."
Harry jumped and turned around, "Oh hey Chanse."
Chanse bent over and kissed the top of Harry's head. "Sorry to scare you, but I was wondering if any of you knew where Oliver was?"
Hermione laughed at Harry's reaction. "Nope. Haven't seen him...You're in a happy mood Chanse." She noted.
"Yes I am." Chanse beamed at the trio.
"Why's that?" Ron asked as he moved his queen towards Harry's queen.
"I remember."
Harry concentrated on the board, "Remember what?"
"Everything."
Harry stopped and looked over his shoulder at Chanse, "Everything?"
"Yeah," Chanse smiled, "I remember my life."
Harry froze, "Your life?"
"Yeah," Chanse grinned, "so do you know where I can find Oliver?"
Harry stood up and looked at Chanse, "You remember everything and all you can think about is seeing Oliver?!"
Chanse slightly blushed, "Well...yeah." She slightly smiled, 'It's either I find him now or I'll have remembered everything for no reason.' She thought in sorrow.
Hermione looked up at Chanse, "Well the seventh years are having a secret meeting somewhere that only the professors and the seventh years know about."
Chanse bit her bottom lip, "Well. Um...Where are the professors?"
Ron smirked, "Already at the meeting."
Chanse sighed, "Damnit. Alright then...thanks." Chanse turned to leave.
"Wait Chanse," Harry called after her, "why do you need to find Oliver?"
Chanse froze in her steps and smiled to herself, "He loves me," she looked over her shoulder at the trio, "and I love him." Chanse turned back around and left the Commons Room.
Chanse walked down the hallway from the Gryffindor Tower and saw that it was already night outside. The night sky was like a blanket with holes punched in it. She walked down the rotating stairs, to the courtyard, and then she began to head towards the Great Hall.
She gripped the cool iron of the handle to the Great Hall and slowly opened it. She peeked her head in to find an empty Great Hall.
"Great," Chanse sighed as she shut the door and leaned back against it. 'I need to find Oliver and he's nowhere to be found.' She thought with another sigh.
Chanse closed her eyes and took a deep breath in. She pushed out her breath and opened her eyes to look upon the Astronomy Tower. She saw a soft glow from the stars...no the moon, which was hidden behind the clouds.
'I'm going to die,' she thought. "I'm going to die," she whispered, and then her eyes slightly filled with tears.
She slowly looked away from the Astronomy Tower and at the ground. She let out a quivering sigh and then a small cough. She felt her heart clench and her ribcage seemed to wrap around her heart, squeezing it tightly. She let out a sigh as she placed her hand over her heart and took as deep of a breath as she could.
She looked back up at the Astronomy Tower and she saw a floating white figure up at the top of the tower. The figure looked down at Chanse, and Chanse let out a clear sharp breath...It was her mother, Hailey.
"I'm to die there," Chanse whispered as she pushed off the door and slightly stumbled.
Chanse walked over to the Astronomy Tower and started to go up the stairs when she noticed something on the stone to her right. She turned and looked over at what it was: a craving of a star. She looked it over a couple times and then reached her hand to run her fingertips over the deep craving. As soon as Chanse placed the tip of her index finger against the cold craving she felt a swarm of heat fall over her body and with a flash she was gone.
Chanse opened her eyes to find she was looking out across a dark room. She looked around a couple times and then she noticed another stone with the same marking as the one she touched. "A Portkey," She whispered before coughing a couple times.
Chanse opened her eyes and looked out for her mother but her mother wasn't anywhere. "Mom?" Chanse whispered, as she felt too weak to do otherwise.
She walked across the dark room, under an archway, and out onto the balcony. She walked over to the edge of the balcony and heard the loud laughter and giggles of students. Chanse slowly walked along the balcony, while her hand ran across the cold wall of the balcony. She coughed a couple times and then stopped. She bent down slightly and looked enough so she could see just barely to the Great Hall. All the Seventh years were coming down the rotating stairs, in long black robes, and heading into the Great Hall.
Chanse felt her heart drop down as she watched and heard them all walk to a door to end a life and begin another. "I'm never going to graduate. I'm never going to get married. I'm never going to have kids. I'm not going to live past tonight." Her voice quivered.
"When did you start talking like that?" A voice chuckled.
Chanse looked up, with tears in her eyes, to see her mother floating by the tower. "Well when you're in my situation you really just start to see things in a different light then you used to do it." Chanse coughed.
"You have a situation?" Hailey teased. "And when did this "situation" come to?"
Normally Chanse would have laughed or at least chuckled, but this time she didn't feel amused by her mother's humor. She felt empty inside, like nothing was the same. "I'm not in the mood mom." Chanse whispered as she walked back across the balcony.
Hailey looked over at Chanse with a worried look, "Sweetie what's the matter?"
Chanse stopped walking and stopped at the balcony wall. She propped her elbows on the balcony wall and stared down at the ground, making her Graduation hat slightly slid forward. She pushed it back to sit on her head like it should. She coughed a couple times, "Have you not been watching?" Chanse shook her head.
"What do you mean?"
Chanse sighed, "I mean what I said. Have you not been watching?" She whispered, "You said you'd always watch over me even if I couldn't see you. So if you truly were watching over me you'd know that I'm going to die in about," she pulled out her pocket watch and looked at the time, "forty minutes."
Hailey looked like she was about to panic, "I know."
Chanse looked up in shock, "You know? You know?! Then why didn't you stop it?"
"Because I'm not allowed to interfere with your destiny."
Chanse sat up straight and looked around as she tried to suppress her tears, "So you're saying my destiny is to die?!" She tried to shout but her body didn't have enough energy too.
"Yes," Hailey whispered and saw Chanse was about to say something so Hailey quickly spoke up, "unless you find your true love."
Chanse sighed, "Yeah I know that."
"Then why don't you. You remember everything, so go find him."
"One. I tried to but I can't find him," she sighed. "Two. Even if I did find him I know I've hurt him too badly." Chanse let out a gasp of breath, "I mean I have a box overflowing with letters from him, and I refused to answer them all." She sighed making her shoulder drop. "So there's no point anymore."
Hailey slightly shook her head, "So you're just going to give up that easily?" She sounded shocked at how Chanse was acting.
Chanse stopped and seemed to think about if she was or wasn't. She nodded her head and whispered, "I think I am."
"Why? Why not try? Huh? My daughter would have kept trying." Hailey shouted.
Chanse was about to say something when her pocket watch beeped from inside her cloak pocket. Chanse pulled it out and looked at the time. She whispered softly as she gazed into the face of the watch, "Eleven thirty," she sighed. "Everyone graduates at midnight. Thirty minutes to go." She stuck the watch back in her cloak pocket and softly coughed.
"Why don't you try to graduate? Why not go into the Great Hall and graduate with all you friends since you've given up so easily." Hailey sighed in defeat.
Chanse took off her graduation hat and leaned around the stonewall of the balcony. She looked out across the courtyard and spoke softly as she held her graduation hat in her hand. "And ruin my friend's moment of happiness?" She looked up at her mother, "I couldn't do that. All kids look forward to the day they graduate and I don't want my friends looking back at their graduation and remembering their friend dying on it." She sighed. "I'd just rather stay here."
Chanse took her hat and stared at it for a while and then she softly tossed it into the air. "That's as close to a graduation as I'm going to get." She watched the black hat flutter down to the ground and slowly grew smaller and smaller in Chanse's eyes. She watched it hit the ground and only look like a small black triangle on the ground.
"Chanse, please don't give up." Hailey pleaded to Chanse.
"What more can I do. It's destiny." Chanse whispered.
"But you have a chance to change destiny," She tried to make it sound like a great opportunity.
"I used to be able to," Chanse softly smirked, "I used to always think I could, even when I was little." Chanse's face grew sad, "But now I realize that I can't change destiny. No matter how hard I try."
Hailey sighed. She didn't know what to say to her daughter. She could see that Chanse was lost. She could see Chanse had been fighting a battle that she wasn't going to win.
Chanse stared down at her graduation hat on the ground below her until she felt her heart clench. She quickly cupped her hand over her mouth and began to cough violently into it. When she was done Chanse took a quivering breath in and removed her hand from her mouth. She saw that in the palm of her hand there were a couple drops of blood.
Chanse felt her body quivering at the sight of her blood, she knew. She knew that this was it. She was going to die.
"I failed everyone," she whispered as she stared at the blood drops.
"Chanse," Hailey whispered to Chanse.
Chanse looked up at Hailey with tears on the verge of falling, "I failed you."
Hailey shook her head, "No Chanse. You haven't, and you never could. Please Chanse. Fight it."
Chanse tried to grip the stonewall as she felt her knees grew weak as her heart slowed down and her ribs felt as if they were wrapping around her heart. "I can't." Chanse said just above a whisper, as she concentrated on just standing up.
Hailey looked around to see if anyone could help Chanse but there was no one. "I'm going to get Oliver." Hailey took off as quick as possible to find Oliver, even though Oliver couldn't see Hailey.
It became too hard for Chanse to even respond to her mother. She just looked up at her with tear-filled eyes.