A collection of short stories in which the root of their love is simultaneously the harbinger of their demise. Because the risque of the heart's desires is often found embedded in the knife jutting through it.
"...you're writing style is top-notch...
After Christian held up his sister's black book, he wasn't sure what the responses were. His ears were still ringing too loudly and his eyes were still looking too lowly. "Every page is a happy memory," he meandered. Christian swallowed. "There's no drama or depression. Just good times. I envy that."
THREE WEEKS EARLIER
"Sometimes, I wonder why I'm related to those people," Brooke was saying back when the sun was still ruling the sky and the clouds were helpless.
Chloe swung her arm around her shoulders, pushing her curly brown hair out of her best friend's face. "Relax," she said, and her tone was light and free just like her short blonde hair. "It might seem like a reach now, but maybe you're more like them than you think."
Brooke frowned. "I'm offended." Rebecca rolled her eyes.
The three of them were strolling down a sidewalk somewhere in the city. A rendezvous to help Brooke overcome whatever argument she and her family just had. It was to no avail, they knew, but no one could say that out loud. The heat stuck them together like glue, in a slow and mindless pool running down the concrete.
"No," Rebecca said abruptly.
"See Rebecca gets it."
"No, I mean no more complaining." Rebecca huffed a little frustratingly and cocked a hand on her hip. "School starts in a few weeks, ladies." She smiled at them, just a little. Just because she couldn't help it. "We should be having fun," she preached, her heart wide open.
Her eyes instantly caught something behind them. Her face lit up. "And I know exactly where we should start." Brooke and Chloe followed Rebecca's gaze to a shopping mall across the street with colourfully lit signs and crowded display windows. And when Brooke looked back at her best friend, she could hear her ecstatic heartbeat echoing in her ear. "Please?" she asked. Brooke looked over to Chloe, a shrug on her shoulders but a smile on her lips.
She sighed. "I hate you guys." Rebecca grinned. It was one of her infectious ones that widened her red lips and bunched her cheeks. Suddenly, Brooke could smell her jasmine perfume wafting around them.
And just like that, they were off.
And there were certain things Brooke couldn't forget. Rebecca pretending to faint as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. Her perfume like magnets. Trying on a dress too expensive for her when Chloe said, "Damn, girl. Can I get yo numba?" Her hair like ignition. Clawing the combat boots off Chloe's feet and replacing them with heels. Their smiles wider than their mouths could manage.
An employee's eyes widened when Chloe snuck behind Rebecca and scared her. "Your friends are crazy," he commented as they watched Rebecca chase Chloe around the racks.
"Yeah," Brooke agreed, "but they're my type of crazy."
The three of them occupied one changing room. Switching and replacing articles of clothing. Their laughs bounced off each other like reflected light and suddenly, Brooke couldn't even remember why she was upset earlier.
And they were off again. Leaving as empty-handed as they went in. With the cool of the air conditioning rolling off their bodies. With the ignition and the magnets and the smiles more powerful than ever. The sun was crawling its way down but their hearts weren't slowing.
Quickly, Brooke's head swung and the colour drained from her face. "Oh my god!" The girls whipped around and Rebecca screamed, even though she hadn't looked yet. "What? What is it? Chloe examined the vacant street.
"I... I think the sight of you both half-naked just hit me." She blinked pressingly. "It was horrific to be honest."
Rebecca rolled her eyes. "Oh, Brooke, look in a mirror."
"Word," came Chloe.
She scoffed. Then laughed. Then pushed both of them by the shoulder. And all of a sudden, the sky above them tore open and released an ocean. They each stood still to watch. Thunder boomed around them and the rain, like bullets, suddenly charged upon their heads and beat the sidewalk mercilessly.
Chloe was the first to laugh. She giggled at the darkest clouds and smiled at the lightning. The other two girls watched as she dashed down the sidewalk and spun on her black boots, her blonde hair flapping wildly. Then Rebecca looked over to Brooke. She took her hand in hers. She smiled. And their bodies shivered at the youthful liberty they felt then.
And that had to be the most memorable moment. The quick splash of their feet against concrete, their laughs and screams as loud as the downpour. Brooke's soaked clothes clinging to her chest, blazing down the street bold as the thunder. Rebecca jumping on her back and covering her eyes, telling her where to go and spinning a tsunami.
And she knew it. She was absolutely certain then. That even if her memory had jolted only for today, and she forgot everything tomorrow, that she would never, ever forget them.
And to make sure of it, the second she got home she took out her black book and calligraphed everything into its pages.
Because today, Brooke would remember everything.
Author's Note
Ah, friendship. What a beautiful thing, am I right? If this part reminded you of some of your best friends, feel free to tag them in the comments! I dedicated this part to a great friend of mine, classicoverthinker. He makes pretty great graphics and even greater stories. Go ahead and follow him and if you guys need any graphics done, feel free to pm him!
The next update will be up on Saturday so if you haven't already, I mean, you should really add this book to your library ASAP so that you get notifications and all that jazz.
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