The Street Fighter (#Wattys2014)

Epilogue.

Keeley and I were sitting on her bed, watching her favorite TV show. I watched as the man who claimed to be hearing drums went on a rampage. Keeley had been on bed rest for the first few weeks like me, so she got me caught up to this point so far, but as soon as she got the all clear she went back to doing what she loved. Dancing.

It took her a while to get some of her strength back, and I was able to help her get back up to speed faster with routines and such, she even had me help her with some of her dance moves every now and then. Not that I was complaining though. But ever since she’s been up to full health, it’s only been a reminder that she’s leaving. I sighed at the thought and pulled her closer, not wanting that day to be today, but it was. Alex finally figured out where his sister was and he was currently making plans for living arrangements as it was apparently somewhere far from here, something that only made me think of the distance to be put between me and Keeley.

I sighed, not wanting to think of the unpreventable any more. Alex had also been arranging fights for me wherever we were going, that way we could both afford it, as well as keeping me fighting every other weekend tip the time comes. As he kept telling me, It’s a lot more expensive than where we live now. 

That was, of course, fine by me, as long as I’ll be able to do my routine of life. Eat, sleep and fight. And now I can add to that routine the biweekly Skype calls with Keeley, as she will be at a new college.

I closed my eyes tightly and pulled her closer, not wanting the time to come. But it was here, and it really dawned on us as soon as Taylor yelled up the stairs for her daughter. 

“Keeley! Your bags are all packed, lets get this show on the road, I want to be there before sun down.” 

Keeley froze slightly, her body stiff. She had been on edge about it this whole time, trying to talk herself out of going, though I kept proving her ideas to be wrong. It wasn’t that I wanted her to go though, I just didn’t want her to end up staying here only because of me. 

“Princess,” I whispered, my forehead resting on her. “You ready for this?”  

“No… Yes.. No and yes.” She sighed with conflict. 

“Come on,” I stood, pulling her to her feet as well. 

“Gar…” She sighed.

After a few quiet moments, I smiled crookedly and squeezed her hands lightly, then pulled her to my side. We walked down the hall together, trying to enjoy each others company before her final moments in this place. 

Step after step, the hallway seemed to get shorter and faster.  It’s a lie, how people say the moments you dread seem to take forever to get here. It was the opposite in fact, every step seemed like two. Sooner than either of us would have liked, the last three months went by too fast, but every minute was an enjoyable moment that kept us both smiling, and now… we were at the front door.

“Gar…”Keeley whispered as soon as we stepped out. “I don’t want to… I don’t want to go.” She exhaled, her eyes wide and her voice thick.

“Yes you do Princess,” I smiled lightly, my hand cupping her face softly. “You do want to go, you’ve been wanting to go.”

“But-“ Keeley started to argue, then was cut off with the sound of my phone ringing. I quickly shoved my hand in my pocket and silenced it for the moment.