It Started with a Bet... (Watty Awards 2011)

"I'm sorry," the sky says.

38: “I’m sorry,” the sky says.

>>I make my way through the crowd of people, stopping to pat Nick’s shoulder.

“I have a horrible headache,” I say, loud enough for him to hear over the music. “I’m gonna go home early.” Nick just nods and leads me to the door.

“Yeah, that sounds fine. Do you need a ride home?” I shake my head.

“No, I can walk.” I turn to Trina.

“Hey, do you have a ride home?” She shakes her head.

“No, but Nick’s brother can drop me off once everyone leaves, right Nick?” He nods.

“Don’t worry, babe. She’ll be fine.” He kisses my cheek. “You go home and get some rest.”<<

No. No. Don’t do this to me. Please. You can’t.

Why am I back? Why am I back at his house? I swore I’d never come back. I swore I’d never think about this day. Why am I back in the same place? Didn’t he move? Didn’t he move far away?

“I’m sorry, Haley.”

>>“I’m sorry, Haley. There wasn’t anything we could do. She died on impact.” I stumble down the corridor to Andrew’s room.

“Are you okay?” I ask him. He has so many casts. So many bandages. But Trina. Trina has none. Because…just because.

“Trina,” Andrew says, his eyes wide. “I’m so sorry.” I shake my head.

“It’s not your fault.”<<

“Why?”

>>I’m outside. Staring at the stars. Screaming at the sky.<<

“How could you do this to me?!” My voice is rough. Harsh. It screams. It begs. It rages. I use my fists to pound the sky. It takes each hit like a man, its muscles standing hard and strong against my fists. Like I never hit it at all.

“Why would you do this to me? Do you enjoy seeing me suffer? Why are you doing this?”

“I’m sorry,” the sky says. But it’s not sorry. It’s cruel. It stays clear. It lets the sun shine. It lets the stars glow. Trina is dead. And the sky does nothing. It rains.

“You bastard!” I yell again. It feels so good to yell. But then the realization hits me. Trina’s dead. Trina’s not coming back.

“She’s dead.” As soon as the words leave my lips I want to take them back. To lock them in a box and throw them in ocean. Maybe then she’ll come back.

But she won’t.

“She’s dead.” And the tears begin to flow. I pound against the sky again and it tries to suffocate me. Like everyone else it tries to pretend nothing happened. It tries to hold me close, so no one can hear me cry. So no one can hear me mourn. So no one can feel the rain on my head. So everyone will just look at the clear sky and the beautiful stars. And everyone will think that I’m okay.

“Why? Why did you do this to me?” I cry again. I sob. I pound my fists into the sky. I dig my nails in. To hear it scream. To hear it suffer. But it doesn’t. It just pulls me closer. Its lips press against my forehead.

“Because I love you, Haley.”

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236 votes! Woohoo! You guys are truly awesome. I put >><< around parts in italics since this chapter kind of blends in Haley's past and present. Make sure to vote! next chapter coming up...