Hallucinations
Ally stood in the cafeteria, holding a tray of steaming food. All of the tables were rowdy and loud. She looked for Aaron. She scanned the tables, looking for his hair, a color so unique to only him.
Then she saw him. Aaron was laughing with a girl. With her clothes on. Her hair. She had her back turned to Ally. Ally walked to the table, slightly worried.
Aaron? She tried to say his name but nothing came out. But the girl turned.
It was Penny. Same face. Just Ally's voice. And her hair. And everything else.
Aaron looked smug, not even guilty. Ally's strangled cry lumped in her throat. She dropped her tray, and the food clattered on the floor, scattering everywhere.
"No!"
"Honey! Honey, are you alright?" Ms. Gunderman asked, touching her cheek gently. She looked at Ally's heart rate monitor. Her heartbeat had sped up a little bit. The hospital beeped with activity. But nothing. Ally's eye twitched. But she was still gone. Asleep.
An organ played softly as Aaron walked toward the platform. His hands shook as he unfolded his piece of paper.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he said. "We are gathered here today to mourn my once best friend, my once co-author's death. Ms. Gunderman. Ally. She told me to explain at her funeral why I stopped loving her. Why I went to someone else.
"She was beautiful. She was mystery from the beginning—quiet, shy, and reading and writing. I liked her. And we became friends. But there was a girl, my girlfriend, Penny. She was pretty as well. She wanted me, and Ally just left me alone, always. Always. Penny gave me company. She was so nice, and she cared. ActuAlly cared.
"But I mean, I was upset when she died, of course. She was in a coma for two weeks. During that time, I went to her home and took the book we were writing together. And I read what she had written in the notebook. And we never got to finish it. Never. I feel so sad about that."
"Aaron! Aaron!"
