Chapter 3: Gone

"Hey handsome, why weren't you in school today?" I asked. He smiled and walked towards me.

"Let's go somewhere so we can talk." he said as he guided me towards the woods behind my house.

We walked for a good long time. When we finally stopped by a tree, I looked around. I wonder what he needed to talk about.

"So, what is it?" I asked. He turned to face me. He looked at me sternly.

"Zane, we have to go." He said. I just stared at him. I took a deep breath and began to speak.

"Now? But it's so early." I said.

"Yeah, but my parents are starting to look younger than they say they are. I mean they're supposed to be in their thirties." he said. Okay, so this confused me, a lot. I didn't understand. He said that he and his family moved each time, so that they could live in peace. So why did, the both of us have to leave too? I looked at him hoping to get a certain reaction. He stared back at me with an icy glare. I suddenly felt sick. I really hoped that I didn't misunderstand anything.

"Um, so when you say we," I said with a forced laughed.

"I meant me and my family." he said. Every word caused my heart to crack. Crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, and crack.

"Okay, since I'm a part of the family, I guess that means that I'm coming too." I said hopeful.

"No you can't come. It wouldn't be right." I stared at him some more.

Crack!

"What do you mean it wouldn't be right?" I asked my voice barely a whisper.

"I mean, that I'm not good for you." he said as he looked at the ground.

"Okay, now you're not making any sense." I said angrily.

"Alright then let me put it to where you can understand." This can't be good. "I don't want you anymore."

Crack!

"Y-you don't want me? I-I don't-"

"No. God you're so frustrating!" he said.

Crack!

"The birthday party was a complete accident!" I yelled.

"Yeah I know." he said simply. "But it could've cost you and your sister your lives."

"But it didn't! We talked about this before. In the L.A. you swore you would be here-"

"If it was best for you." he said interrupting me. I started to hyperventilate.

Crack!

"NO! I won't let you do this. Oh my god, this about my stupid soul isn't it?" I shouted furiously. In a way, it sounded like a plea. I hate sounding wounded, but I was. "Your mom already explained that to me. I don't give a flying fig. It's yours. I will literally give my soul to you." He looked away as if he were considering reconsidering what he was doing. But when he looked back at me, his eyes were ice.

Crack!

"You're not coming." he said. I couldn't breathe. It was like he took all of my air. My legs started to tremble.

Crack!

"Okay, that really screws things up then. A hell of a lot." I said. My world felt like it was turning dark. My dream was becoming an absolute nightmare. He looked away again.

"I need you to understand something; I'll love you forever, in a way. But I'm not human Zane. The incident that happened the other night made me realize that. I'm tired of pretending. And besides, I'm sure Zoey would be happy to see me gone anyway." That lit something up in me.

"What did you just say?" I asked.

"Nothing, it's not important." he said trying to steer me away from what I had asked him.

"No, no, no, no I heard what you said. Since you're already ripping my heart out of my chest." I saw him wince at that. "Did Zoey put you up to this?" I asked.

"No. I decided this on my own." he said.

"But she had a part in this?" I suddenly realized something. "You heard what she said that night didn't you?"

"Would it matter if I did?" he asked simply.

"YES!" I yelled. "I'm gonna kill her."

"No don't do that. I've let this unnatural romance gone on for too long. It's time I let it go."

Crack!

"Please…don't do this." I practically begged. I stared into his now melted gold eyes.

"You're not good for me either Zane." he said. I looked at the ground trying to make sense of everything that was going on.

"What?" I asked.

"You're not good for me either. The fact that I could kill you now," I winced at his words. "Really scares me. I couldn't do that to you or our families." he said. I nodded my head like a zombie.

"Okay. I understand. Do what you have to do." I said on the verge of tears. He let out a breath of relief.

Crack!

"I would like to ask you to do something for me though, if it's asking too much I'll understand." he said.

"Whatever you want." I said feeling a little stronger. Whatever he saw on my face caused his to go completely emotionless.

Crack!

"Try not to doing anything that's thoughtless or asinine." he said harshly. It was as if he was being controlled. All I could do was nod my head. "Good. Not for my sake, but for Kim's. She needs both of her children. And with Zoey being in college, she only has you left. So just be careful for yourself and her."

"Okay." I said.

"Alright. Now for my promise. I Riley Stavros promise that this is the last time you'll ever see me. Neither I nor my family will be coming back. So I won't be able to put you in anymore danger or heart break ever again. You'll be free to live a normal happy life without ever having to look over your shoulder for danger. It's gonna be like I was never here or even existed."

Crack!

I felt sick. Everything was spinning and I couldn't stop it. My blood was pounding at an extraordinary pace. Riley sounded like he was already miles away. He looked at me and had the nerve to smile.

"It'll be alright. Since you're human, your memory of this moment will be as if it were a dream." How the hell could he say that so calmly? This wasn't a dream, it was a damn nightmare. "Just give it some time." Time? Does he seriously think that time will heal my wounds. No they're too deep. I don't think that they'll ever heal. But I won't let him know that.

"What about your memories? Will they fade too?" I asked.

"Let's just say that I won't forget this. But my kind gets distracted too easily, so… yeah." he said. He let out a deep sigh before he spoke again. "Well, that's it I guess. We won't be pestering you anymore." The way he said 'we' made me think of something.

"Wait that means Langston isn't coming back?" I asked.

"Nope. They all left. But he did say bye though. I told them that it would be best if I broke the news alone." Riley said. I needed to get the hell out of this nightmare, fast.

"Goodbye Zane. I'll treasure the moments I've spent with you forever." he said as he kissed my forehead. I closed my eyes as he was doing so. A choice that I will live to regret, because when I opened them, he was gone. Everything was ruined. I had no reason to live. The love of my life was gone. My life was gone. And my meaning, whatever the hell that means, is also gone. No! I thought to myself. I couldn't give up. I had to follow him, because if I didn't, I would surely lose him forever.

"Riley!" I shouted as I began to run through the woods. I ran and ran for what seemed like hours. I felt as if I were going in a circle. I stumbled and fell a lot, but I got right back up. It was even starting to get darker. When I tripped for that final time, I just stayed down. My heart had taken all it could. It shattered into a thousand pieces. All of my emotions came out then. Tears were pouring down my face like a waterfall. I coughed and I yelled. I felt like a 2 year old throwing a tantrum. But I was hurt. And the only person who could make things better just left me.

A few hours later, at least I think it was, the rain started. I managed to pick myself up and hide under some trees that shielded me from the wetness of the sky. I suddenly heard voices. I felt like mine was gone so I couldn't scream. I just laid under the trees helpless until something or someone found me.

"Zane?" the voice said. "I'm Roscoe Milligan, Owens' brother." he said. I didn't even know Owen had an older brother.

"H-help." I moaned hopelessly. I then felt him picking me up. As we walked I fell unconscious again.

"Don't worry, your mom sent me and some others to find you. You caused quite a stir in the area." he said to my half-conscious body.

"He left. He left me. He's actually gone." I managed to say before I slipped under again. I heard voices as we walked.

"Don't worry he's fine. But he kept saying something about 'He left and he's gone.'" Roscoe said. Damn I was really wishing I hadn't said that out loud.

"Zane, baby are you okay?" my mom asked.

"Mom?" I croaked. I could tell that she was crying.

"Oh my son, I thought I'd lost you." she said. I managed to open my eyes and realized that I was in the house and on the couch. Had I fallen asleep again? Because I sure as hell didn't feel Roscoe put me down.

"Zane?" a new voice said.

"Dr. Chris?" I said.

"Yeah, it's me. Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I lied smoothly.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I got lost. It was an accident." I said. I could hear Zoey in the background.

"Sure it was." she said. I wanted to punch her. I was so angry, and yet so hurt that I just shut down.

"Alright, he seems fine. Call me if anything changes." Dr. Chris said.

"Will do." Kim said.

"Hey Zane. I hope you get well soon." I knew that voice. It was Owen.

"Thanks." I managed to say before I fell back asleep.

"Um, Roscoe, could you carry him up to his room please?" Kim asked. He must've said yes because I was suddenly being lifted up again.

I could tell I was in my room when the scent hit me. I was sat down on my bed gently.

"I really hope he gets better." Roscoe said.

"So do I." my mom's voice cracked on the last word. I opened my eyes when I heard the door close. I took off my wet clothes and changed. I took out my photo album to see if what Riley said was really true. And it turns out that it was. The pictures I had of him were completely gone. Even the presents his family had gotten for me were gone. I dropped the album and fell to the floor in a fetal position. I didn't faint, but my pain had gotten so out of hand that it collapsed on me.

And I didn't make it out.

November

December

January

February

A/N: So the big break up scene. I hope I did it to everyone's liking. The next chapter will be in Zoey's POV. It'll describe what happened over those months. Meagan thanks for the help. Keep it up hon. R&R and I'll have another chapter up by Sunday. XOXO ShadowBeauty.

P.S. I'm working on chapters for all of my unfinished stories. So watch out for the continuation of The Getaway, When Two Worlds Collide, and Whisper to a Scream.