Breaking Point

Timing

Do you fear death? Because I don't.

Jennifer roamed the soft meadow aimlessly, as the wind whipped through her long honey-blonde hair. She fingers the soft petals as she walked, wondering where she was going.

Do I fear death?

Suddenly, she saw a boy with a plain blue baseball cap, a regular t-shirt, and a pair of plain shorts.

Instantly, her eyes brightened and she started running straight toward him. Giggling, she jumped right into his arms and planting her lips on his.

"Jen. Jennie, stop." Jeremy said softly, but Jennifer continued to kiss every inch of Jeremy's face.

"No," she muttered, and continued to kiss him.

"Jennie, you have a boyfriend."

"No I don't."

"Yes you do, Jennie. Don't be unfaithful."

"He was unfaithful to me, why should I care. Plus, I'm dead. I belong with you."

Jeremy, after a few moments, caved into Jennifer's assault. As his lips reattached with hers, Jennifer's heart lept.

"I missed you." Jennifer mumbled against his lips.

"I missed you too but Jennie... no, this is wrong." Jeremy said, and set Jennifer down on her feet. Jennifer's eyebrows pulled together in confusion.

"What?"

"Jennie, you have a boyfriend!" Jeremy cried, and Jennifer shook her head.

"No. no we broke up." Jennifer mumbled, and Jeremy sighed.

"Jennie, you can't just give up on him. He made a mistake! He tried apologizing, but your stubbornness wouldn't let him!"

Jennifer narrowed her eyes at Jeremy. "What do I care anyway? I'm dead!"

Jeremy cracked a small smile at her and grazed her cheek with the padding of his thumb.

"You're not dead, Jennie." He said, his tone soft. Jennifer looked at him in confusion.

"Yes I am... you're here, and I'm here. That must mean I'm dead!"

Jeremy shook his head, and Jennifer waited for him to explain further, confusion streaming through her body.

"It's not your time, Jennie." Jeremy said softly, and the two sat in the soft grass. "It's not your time."

At those words, Jennifer bit her lip as tears burned at the back of her eyes.

"Why can't it be?" she asked, and stared into Jeremy's eyes. They were so full of life, Jennifer couldn't help but to reminisce on all the times they'd had.

"Because, Jennie. It's just not your time. You're not supposed to join us out here yet." Jeremy explained. "It's hard to explain, but just know that it's not your time, Jen."

Jennifer stood up. "Well why can't it be, Jeremy?? I've waited long enough! I should be dead!"

Jeremy stood up as well. "Why would you say something like that, Jennie??" he demanded, then took a deep, calming breath. "Look, I know you're mad at Justin, but Jennie, you can't just leave him like that. He loves you so much."

Jennifer looked up at her first love, tears falling from her eyes and down her cheeks. "You left me like that." She said softly, and tears immediately pooled in Jeremy's eyes as well.

"I didn't want to Jennie. If it were up to me, I would've stayed there and got better. But it was my time. I had to leave." He replied, his voice cracking. He tried to give Jennifer a hug, but she backed away a few steps.

"You could've chosen to stay," she said, tears streaking her cheeks in a nonstop river. "You chose the easy way out, so why can't I?!"

"I didn't choose the easy way out, Jennie! I told you, if I had the choice, I would've stayed! I would've stayed for an eternity with you!" he cried, and Jennifer let out a sob.

"Then let me stay," Jennifer sobbed, and finally folded herself in Jeremy's arms. "Let me stay with you, and we can spend an eternity together."

Jeremy buried his face in Jennifer's hair. "I want nothing more than to do that, Jennie. But I can't. it's not your time. Your time will come, and you'll be ready for it. Right now, you need to fix things with Justin. Yeah, he screwed up, Jennie, but he's human; he's not gonna be perfect."

Jennifer sobbed again. "I don't want to leave you."

Jeremy tightened his grip on Jennifer. "I don't want you to leave either, Jennie. But your time will come later, not now."

Jennifer sank to the floor, folded in Jeremy's arms. "Can I choose to stay here forever?"

Jeremy chuckled, but shook his head. "No, beautiful. You need to go back."

"Tell me about what it felt like... to die."

Jeremy took a deep breath. "It sucked. I wanted so badly to go back to you, especially when I saw you crying the way you were. You know I hate when you cry. But they told me that it was my time to go, and I had to accept it. We wouldn't have lasted anyway, Jennie. Me and you... we weren't meant to be."

Jennifer looked up at Jeremy in confusion. "What do you mean, 'we weren't meant to be'? yes we were!"

Jeremy shook his head. "No, babygirl. We weren't. we wouldn't have lasted, I saw it. I was only a... stepping stool, for lack of a better word. I was only a stepping stool for you to meet Justin. Just one more hit before a home run."

Jennifer cried softly into Jeremy's chest. "I thought we'd last forever." She whispered.

"I thought so too, but Jennie... I wasn't the one for you. Justin is." He said, and when Jennifer shook her head, Jeremy sighed. "You don't understand it right now, Jennie but you will."

"I don't want to go back." She said softly. "I want to stay here, where I can't feel any pain."

Jeremy laughed. "Not yet, Jennie. You can't stay here yet."

"How long am I allowed to stay here then?" she challenged, and Jeremy thought about it.

"I don't know." He admitted. "Nobody ever specified."

Jennifer stood up. "Well then... let's make the most of our time." She said, and grabbed Jeremy's hands to lift him up.

"Dance with me," she whispered into his ear, and Jeremy cracked a sad smile as he took her by the waist, and the two danced around the meadow, amongst all the multicolored petals, trees, and bushes.