Ocean Eyes [ OMHK, Book 1 ]

Epilogue

I,
Will fear
The night
Again.
(Truce - Vessel)

J E N N A

I sat on the corner of the little white bench in Tyler and I's garden. I was so used to having to make room for him, but now that he wasn't here, the empty space besides me felt all too lonely.

Part of me expected to hear his frozen-honey voice appear out of nowhere, preferably singing Oh, Ms. Believer.

Part of me also knew that I wouldn't hear it again.

A tiny vine had began to grow on the bench, curling its tendrils around the metal armrest. It had little red flowers, and I picked a few, laying them out in a 'T' shape in my lap. I smiled a tiny bit, wondering what Tyler would think if he were here.

His family had been letting me come up here to mourn, but I knew that today would be my final visit. Tyler wouldn't have wanted me to cry over him forever.

After a little bit, I got bored of ruining the foliage, and I sat criss-cross applesauce instead, running my index finger over the cool metal barrel of the gun that was resting in my lap.

When I had been cleaning out Tyler's room, I found it underneath his bed, perfectly kept-for, and loaded.

The last rays of sun peeked over the horizon, covering everything in beautiful shades of red-black. It reminded me of the small slip of paper in my pocket, the one I had dropped when I ran away from Tyler. I took it out and unfolded it with trembling hands, but I didn't read it just yet.

Instead, I watched the sun slowly disappear beyond the horizon, signifying the beginning of the end.

Carpe noctem; seize the night.

That was my cue. I read the note in my lap, then I re-read it, and read it again. By the time I had taken it all in, the black ink I had used to write with was smudged and blotchy from my own tears.

I let the paper flutter to my feet and picked up the gun. I tried to smile, remembering my beautiful frozen-honey boy. His forest-fire hazel eyes played out in my mind as I put a finger on the trigger. I closed my eyes.

The note only had ten words on it, but ten was all I needed.

I love you, Tyler.

I love you too, little red.

Sometimes, you meet the meet the right person at the wrong time. Other times, you meet the wrong person at the right time. It isn't until the moon and the sun and all the planets in the universe align that love will began to spell its name out on your skin.

It isn't until you meet the right person at the right time that you'll be able to understand the intensity of loving somebody.

I waited years for the universe to finally decide that it was my time, and I'll wait a million more. That's why, for you, my love doesn't die. There will never be a goodbye, even when you're gone; even when the stars that brought us together have burned out. I refuse to say goodbye, because you will never truly be gone.

The scars you left in my heart will remain forever, and that's why I'm choosing a different goodbye; a less permanent one.

For you, I say,

Until we meet again.