The Ice Prince

Chapter 24

Ash!

I could hear a voice shouting my name. It was the only sound that pierced through the haze. A thick, white fog surrounded me, and there was too much light here. I was probably dead. I smiled. It felt good to be dead. Alyna would have my heart. Hayley would have Carver. Leia would have Justin. Jake would have Cay. Marc... Marc would have his butler. And Jerry's would still have Arnold Wood. Everybody would be happy with the deal by now. No more Ice Prince in their lives. No more heartless boy to come around and mess up things.

Ash!

The voice was so insistent. So beautiful. I could listen to it forever. I finally had a forever. Now that I was dead, I had nothing but forever. I felt satisfied at the way I'd left things. I had a few regrets. I couldn't thank Arnold Wood. I couldn't thank Hayley. There still were people like Ramírez and Declan Broadbeck. Selfishly, I realised that I wouldn't have wanted them here, in my forever. In my beautiful, peaceful forever. And for every vile person like Ramírez, there were sweet, innocent people, like Leia and Cay. For every evil Declan Broadbeck, there were caring and loving men like Justin and Jake.

Ash!

The urgency of the voice disturbed me. It reminded me of my incomplete wishes. I wished I could have known the identity of Alyna's father. I wished Hayley would be safe and happy, with a forever she deserved. I wished I were with Hayley.

Suddenly, my breath hitched. It felt like some invisible hand was clamping down on my nose and mouth. Breath? I was dead, wasn't I?

Ash! Stay with me!

Dedicated to @vaishnavimanju for her ceaseless reading, votes, comments and adorable PM's, all of which boosted my confidence in this story... Please do check her out.

Thank you, dear reader, if you've stuck with the story so far... :)