Breaking the Rules - COMPLETED

27: a happy end?

Trigger warning: suicide mention

Nate~

All I see is Keytlin laying on the floor, motionless. Completely still. I'm not even sure if she's breathing.

There's a scream. Someone screams her name. As arms wrap around my torso I realize that it's me who's screaming. And I also realize that I'm crying. I push the hands away that are holding me back, stumbling towards Keytlin until another gunshot tears through the air. I stop dead in my tracks and turn around to come face to face with two bodies laying on the floor. Both people I love. Lissa and my mom.

I couldn't even scream anymore. It feels like I'm the one who's dead. I feel numb. All over. I stared at my father. His eyes gleam with joy.

"You killed them. All of them," I cry. "Everyone I've loved."

"Oh don't be so melodramatic Nathaniel," he laughs. "They're just people. They would've died sooner or later. I just helped them."

"Why?"

"Because I can. And I wouldn't change a thing."

Before I can react he points the gun against his temple and shoots himself. I flinch but don't move.

"NO!" A scream. My scream. He doesn't deserve the easy way out. He deserves to suffer. But now, I won't even get to see him punished. Because he chose to be a coward.

I don't know what to do. Where to go. Which person to go to. I stumble towards my mom, already hating myself for not going to Keytlin.

I shake her still body, mumbling her name over and over again. I don't even notice how Mr Lawson and Chris sneak away. I don't notice the police and ambulance swarming this place. I don't notice Matt coming in. I don't hear anything as I break down.

With Matt's arms around me.

--

Her gravestone isn't special. I hate it because she deserved everything good the world has to offer. Instead she lays underneath the earth. Cold.

Flowers lay on her grave.

Her parents cried. I remember that. Her parents blame themselves. Not me.

But I blame myself. Always will.

The burial was 5 hours ago. I'm still here. Her parents left right away. I don't blame them. I probably would've done the same if I had a child that died before me.

Small, delicate hands wrap around my cold one and I look up to see Keytlin smiling at me. It's a sad smile. But I count every smile she gives me ever since I thought I lost her. She didn't smile often anymore. I don't blame her either.

"Let's go," she whispers. "Your mom is waiting."

I nod, a tear falling from my eyes. She brushes it away.

"She didn't deserve it."

"I know, Nate. We will always remember that."

"I'm thankful that she saved both of you. I still hate that she did it. Does that make sense?"

She stares at me with her big eyes. Eyes that I fell in love with.

"I think she would've done it again. Saving you from more pain, I mean," she whispers, cupping my cheek. "We just have to remember that. And let everyone know how brave she was."

I smile. I don't say anything else. I didn't talk much ever since that day. Keytlin doesn't blame me. She understands.

I look back at her gravestone as we make our way towards Keytlin's car.