==Hey, guys! How is Christmas break so far? It's been good for me because I've had a lot of spare time to write. I want to update as much of my other stories as much as I can before I leave for London this Sunday. I plan on updating this fan fiction while I'm there! It won't be during the day because I'll be gone all day and won't get back to the hotel until late at night, so stay on the lookout.==

Pep & Rash - "Red Roses (Let Her Go)"

She stole my heart like a blazing fire. Now I can't stop feeling my desires. Suddenly, I'm in too deep. With everything she does, I'm on my knees. I'm losing control. I don't know how I'm gonna let her go.Suddenly, I'm in too deep. I don't know how I'm gonna let her go.

Haunted: Collapse into Caliginosity

Chapter 20:

When You Leave

Ah! I fell asleep! I was sitting and watching the whirlwinds. That was the last thing I remembered. Not my dreams, not this bed–

I was in a bed, and it was really warm. My eyes slid open and found a stranger. Before I could jump in fright, I realized who he was. His face was only revealed to me once, but I can clearly recall that platinum blonde hair of his. Both of our heads laid on the same pillow. My leg was wrapped over his hip for some reason. I watched his face as he steadily breathed. This was the first time I've ever gotten a good look at him. His jawline seemed to be made up of straight lines and a perfectly angled curve for his chin. His nose seemed to be made up like that, too. His lips were almost just as pale as the rest of his skin, but they had a slightly pinker pigment to them. All that was missing were his piercing blue eyes, the eyes I knew by heart. I would always describe them as beautiful diamonds. At night, they welcomed the moonlight into them and slowly moved it around like flowing water. I could only wonder what they did with sunlight.

It took me a moment to realize Zane was all the way in bed with me. The blanket was covering him and everything. Since I didn't remember anything after his surprise, I questioned myself if anything weird happened while I was asleep. I checked myself and saw that I was still wearing the same clothes I wore last night. Okay, so nothing weird happened, but if anything did, it was probably my fault, considering that I was the one all over him and he wasn't even touching me back. Seriously. My leg was wrapped around him but he wasn't even holding me close to him or anything. That's what Trent would've done, but yet again, I only met him last night. It hasn't been a full twenty-four hours, and today held the final minutes of us being together. I no longer felt sadness about his approaching absence. I had nothing to be sad about. Our adventure would be something I could tell my own kids someday, the story of the white Ninja of Ice taking me to a mythical place only in legend.

Suddenly remembering that I was leaving Jamanakai Village this morning, I placed my hand on his cold cheek to wake him up. I watched his eyes slide open to reveal the precious jewels inside. With the sunlight filtering into the room and through the curtain, they dazzled brightly. I could also see the aching fatigue within his stare, and I could definitely relate. We were both exhausted.

"I'm leaving in a couple hours," I whispered, trying to hide my morning breath.

He simply nodded as a reply.

My eyes might've showed desperation for a moment. "Are you leaving now?"

He blinked, looking deeply into my eyes, and then went to get up. I quickly latched onto him. "No, no, no. please, not yet," I pleaded. "I'm not ready to say goodbye."

He laid back down. "I'll leave when you're loaded up," he said.

I didn't respond; I just held onto him.

Fast footsteps sounded from behind the closed door, and then it opened quickly. "Macca!" a familiar voice cheerfully said.

I released Zane and pressed my finger over my lips for him to know to be quiet. Then I crawled halfway over him and stuck my head through the curtains. "You sound better," I said to Trent, noticing happiness that wasn't there yesterday.

"I feel better," he replied with a smile. "When do you want to leave?"

"Once I have breakfast and take a shower."

"Okie-dokie. You want an omelet?"

"Sure, I don't care."

"Okay, it'll be ready in a few minutes." He left and closed the door.

I slipped back into the curtain and sat next to Zane on the bed. "Aren't you hungry?" I asked him.

He slightly nodded.

"I'll bring you an omelet back, but I'm going to take a quick shower first."

He nodded again as I slipped through the opposite curtain. I stuck my head back in for a moment. "Get some more sleep," I told him. And then I left him alone for a few minutes.

I made sure I was quiet when I emerged from the bathroom with fresh clothes on. Zane's light snores were audible from the concealed bed, and I didn't want to disturb him. Very silently, I opened the door and slipped out before closing it back up.

The sound of people talking came from the end of the hallway. I could also detect the smell of hot breakfast being cooked.

"There's the Queen of Dubstep," Linus said when I came into view.

"Good morning," I replied, taking the plate with a fresh omelet that Bill was handing to me. "Do we head out after we pack?" I asked Trent.

"That's the plan," he answered, taking another bite of his breakfast.

The five of us ate at the table with a little bit of small talk. Having food in my mouth made me realize how hungry I actually was. Come to think of it, I didn't even eat dinner yesterday. I was just locked up in the guest room for hours until I fell asleep. Now I had an excuse to take back an omelet for Zane.

When I cleaned my plate, I put another one on and left to go back to the room. Nobody said anything in response.

I almost felt bad for waking him back up when I returned, but I placed the plate on the nightstand and moved the curtain to see him completely sprawled out like a starfish. The laugh wanting to surface had to be swallowed.

Did I not give you enough room to sleep before? I mentally laughed.

I crawled on top of him and laid down on his back, snuggling into his body. "I brought your breakfast," I whispered. When he didn't move, I stroked his hair and jokingly asked, "You still alive?"

His eyes opened. "Of course I am," he said. "I am breathing."

"Well, you're a breathing starfish," I laughed.

"My bed back at the monastery isn't this big or comfortable."

"Oh, so you're usually squished?"

"No, but I'm quite comfortable at the moment."

"Good. Just eat your breakfast before it gets cold." I rolled off him and went back into the bathroom to finish getting ready. In there, I brushed my teeth and put my makeup on. After that, I wiped off all my toiletries of water and stored them back into the plastic bags I brought them in. When I came back out, Zane was sitting cross-legged on the bed with the plate in his lap. I watched him take a hungry bite of his food. "Tastes good, huh?" I asked him, placing the plastic bags on the dresser.

"Yes," he replied. "What do you have on your face?"

"Makeup. It makes me look pretty."

"You were attractive without it, too."

I smiled. "You're sweet."

He watched me pull out my suitcase and open it up. I packed the clothes that were in the drawers of the dresser. It was hard for me to keep it all organized instead of just stuffing it in. Everything would get washed when I got home, anyway.

A drawer opened above my head. When I looked up, he was handing a small stack of shirts down to me. His omelet was eaten, apparently.

The two of us packed my stuff fairly quickly. We sat and talked for a few minutes once it was all done. The only time we were interrupted was when another suitcase was heard rolling down the hallway. I checked with Trent to find out when to be outside, but he told me he was getting the truck first. It would be about a ten to fifteen minute wait, and he would come to get me.

Zane was holding my fitted hat and reading the front of it when I sat back down. He looked as if it was an interesting or strange article of clothing.

"Macca Soxx?" he said.

"Yes, that's my stage name."

"But what does 'Soxx' mean?"

I reached for my gym bag on top of the dresser and brought it down in my lap. When I opened the top of it, I dug inside and pulled out my famous socks that everyone would recognize. He gave them a confused look, probably noticing how there were holes I made to have my fingers slip through. "These are my Soxx," I explained. "When I had started making my own music a few years ago, I needed something that people would remember me by, so I took a pair of socks that were similar to these and cut holes into them."

"But…won't your toes get cold?"

I slightly giggled. "Yeah, about that, these were originally toe-socks, but since there are no more toes–" I slipped them on my arms "–they became gloves."

He stared at them.

"At least they keep me warm," I finished, slipping them back off. I reached back in the bag and pulled out my dog tags. They had my name engraved into them. I've had them for a long time.

They jangled against each other as I handed them over to Zane. He looked from the hat, to them, to me.

"Take them," I said.

"What are they?'

"They're my dog tags. A close friend gave them to me a few years ago, but I want you to keep a piece of me."

He looked at them for a long moment. "I can't."

I tried seeing if a smile would help. "Please, I want you to have them."

It took him a second to finally reach out and hold the tags in his palm, reading what was on them. I dropped the little chain part. "Thank you," he said. "I'll–"

Someone came walking down the hallway. Both our eyes got big as the doorknob twisted, but Zane vanished before my very eyes, leaving the hat on the floor. "Mac, you ready?" Trent asked, coming in.

I looked at my opened suitcase. "Y-Yeah. I'll be there in a sec."

He left, leaving the door open. I closed the suitcase and stood up to get my gym bag in order. Zane's hand rested on my shoulder, making me pause. "I suppose this is now the time when we say our goodbyes," he said, sadness in his voice.

I sighed and closed my eyes, turning around to hug him tightly. "I'll never forget you," I solemnly promised, his suit absorbing the single tear that fell from my eye.

He returned the hug. "You'll always be a part of me," he whispered.

We let go of each other. I picked up my hat from the floor and placed it on my head. He went to the window, slipping his mask over his face. I looked over at him once I had everything ready. He was crouched in the open window, looking at me, too.

"Don't leave until I'm in the car," I croaked.

He nodded and climbed out, shutting the window and looking through. We stared into each other's eyes for a long moment, knowing it would be the last time. Then he climbed higher to get onto the roof. I was able to see the dog tags shimmer around his neck before he was out of sight, though.

I had to put on a brave face when I went down the hallway with my bags. Only one last tear was allowed to be wiped away. Linus loaded up the trunk as Trent hugged his weeping mother goodbye.

"I'll call you as soon as I get home," he promised, trying to calm her.

"But I don't know when I'll ever see you again," she sobbed.

It was hard to watch, so I focused my attention to the roof. I couldn't see him, but I somehow knew he was there. He was going to keep his promise.

When Charlotte finally let go, we got in the truck. I waited for Zane to stand up or something like that, but there was still no sign of him. The engine started, and the wheels turned. I sat alone in the back, keeping myself calm. It would get easier once we were off the mountain.

The house and Trent's parents disappeared behind us. I stared out the window, seeing the buildings pass us by. Soon it was just a great view of the vast Sea of Sand below. Linus and Trent started a conversation of their own while I silently grieved.

Something huge and blue appeared out of the corner of my eye. When I got a closer look, my breathing nearly stopped.

What the hell?

It was a humungous, blue dragon, and it was flying parallel to us. On its back, I saw a speck of white, and I knew exactly who it was.

Zane flew there for a good minute or two. I kept my eyes on him the whole time, taking in the message he was providing before he whipped around and flew in the opposite direction.

Goodbye, Zane. I love you so much.

His dragon blended in with the sky, and that's how I knew it was end of what we had. I knew he was real. I knew he was my friend. I knew that because he neglected to take the dragon on our journey. He wanted to spend every precious moment with me, and that was all I needed to know in order for me to carry on with my life.

Heartbreaking? Let me know with a review! We are approaching 100?! I feel accomplished already :D Shoutout to Kai4Ever for reviewing! It's good to hear from you again :)