The Act Of Betrayal

 The gravestone sat in front of Rosalina, the fresh dirt placed carefully beside her. Tear tracks had been left, still on her cheeks after the roaring waterfalls stopped. It wasn't cliche, rain wasn't falling. Red mixed with orange in the sky, the yellow sun falling behind the hills in the background. Gravestones, dirt, dying flowers, and dead grass surrounded her, fenced inside the large metal cage. The grass beneath Rosalina made her itchy, the rough, dead texture of it rubbing against her skin. Everything around her seemed dead. Maybe she was dead, too.

DRYSTAN McALLYN

2007-2023

"It's okay."

Only, it wasn't okay, and it wasn't going to be okay. In Drystan's last moments, his dying breaths, he was wrong. He was so, so wrong. Everything was in shambles around her. Her world was gone.

They'd met not long ago, the sun was falling behind the hills then, too. She remembered his face, how frightened and helpless he looked. He'd asked for help, she'd granted it. She took him to her apartment, let him stay. They had become close, like brother and sister. They were supposed to be okay together. That was an impossibility, though. Fate seemed to hate them.

Rosalina remembered that lilacs were his favorite flowers, the bunch in her hand were falling apart from how roughly she was handling them. She dropped them onto the dirt, rubbing her cheeks harshly, trying desperately to remove the discomfort of dried tears from her face (and failing).

"I really tried," Rosalina began, her voice wavering. She cleared her throat. "I really tried to take care of these lilacs for you, Drystan. They're not perfect, but I hope they're okay." She was never a good carer for plants. The first night Drystan stayed he'd admitted his liking to lilacs after seeing her lilacs wilting in their vase.

A hand was placed firmly onto her back. She turned her head, met with the face of her best friend, Kelly. But, through her tear-blurred eyes, all she could see was Drystan. She only saw his auburn hair that was always so long and matted, his muted green eyes that always looked so sad.

"You're alive?" she inquired. Joy bloomed in her chest.

"Of course I am, Lia. Are you feeling okay?" Kelly questioned, placing the back of his hand on her forehead. "You're not feverish. How long have you been out here?"

Rosalina glanced back at the headstone, then back at Kelly. "But, you're there?" she pointed to the dirt.

Kelly's face softened. "No, I'm Kelly, Lia. Drystan's gone, remember?" He knelt down beside Rosalina and adjusted the lilacs gently. "He couldn't be saved..."

"What?" Rosalina blinked, rubbing her eyes. Once she'd readjusted, she saw Kelly with his dark brown hair and kind gray eyes. His hair was left unbrushed today, frizzy in the humidity of the evening. "Oh."

"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault," she sighed. Under her breath, she muttered, "It's mine."

Movement was occurring around her, but she wasn't paying attention. Her eyes were glued to his name, engraved in some random font she didn't care for on the stone. His legal guardian wasn't available to select anything for a funeral, so she was tasked with the responsibilities thanks to her sister who works as a funeral director.

Muffled voices surrounded her, the incoherent sounds swirling and ricocheting inside of her already too loud brain. She fidgeted with the dirt, watching the grains of tiny rock falling back into place as she sifted them through her fingers.

Suddenly beside her was Khloris, her sister-like best friend. They'd been close since sixth grade, a time when she and Kelly fought all too often. Khloris was always there for her, and throughout high school they were practically conjoined at the hip.