Early Imprint [Book 3] ✔️

29 • Saying Goodbye

QUIL'S POV

I walked into the Peach Pit and looked around. A jukebox sitting in the corner was playing the classic theme song to Beverly Hills, 90210. How the hell did I get in the middle of a bad 90s television show?

I looked over and saw Brandon, David, and Steve eating food at a booth. I cursed my older sister for making me watch that show when I was a kid. I shouldn't know these idiots' names. On the other side of the diner sat Kelly, Donna, and....Claire!

I tried to walk over to her, but I couldn't seem to move. I stared at her as she threw her head back and laughed, her long hair spilling over her shoulders. She looked incredible. My heart beat sped up as I heard her sweet voice speak to the other girls.

"Can I help you?"

I looked over and saw Nat looking at me from behind the diner's counter. I shook my head and turned my attention back to Claire. Kelly and Donna had disappeared, and in their place was Dylan. He sat next to Claire, kissing her neck. I felt myself start to shake. I wondered briefly what would happen if I ripped his sideburns off his face. Would his head explode?

The show's theme song started getting louder and louder. I couldn't take it anymore. I ran over to the jukebox and punched it as hard as I could. The power immediately went off, but the music kept blaring.

"Quil?"

I turned around and there she was.

"Claire?" I reached out to her, but my hand went right through her. It was as though she were a ghost already. They said she was brain dead. That there was nothing else they could do for her. But I didn't think it would be over so soon!

"I have to leave now Quil," Claire told me sadly.

"No," I replied stubbornly.

Claire smiled gently. "It's time."

"No Claire."

The song started getting so loud that the sound waves burst from the jukebox behind me. Their appearance reminded me of the rippling effect that happens when a rock is dropped into a still body of water. I was suddenly surrounded. The music had trapped me in some type of clear, reverberating prison.

I could see pictures falling off the walls of the diner as the waves continued on their destructive path. The roof started to collapse in all around us and sunlight poured in from the new opening above. The sun enveloped Claire, casting her in a bright light. I tried to reach for her, but I couldn't break free of my confinement. I pounded uselessly against the barrier that separated me from my imprint.

"Claire!"

Claire looked up at the sky. The light was so bright that her entire body looked blindingly white. She looked back at me and smiled again.

"It's time for me to go now," Claire spoke in a calm, quiet voice. She started walking backwards towards the center of the light, but she never took her eyes off my face.

I could hardly hear her response. Everything sounded muffled to me...everything except for that stupid damn theme song. Claire took another step backwards, making it harder for me to see her. I felt panic fill me as my hands continued to beat against the invisible wall between us.

"No Claire! Don't leave me!" I shouted.

"I love you Quil. I always will." Claire promised. She took one more step back and disappeared completely from my view. She was gone! I had lost her forever.