War Doesn't Stop For Love

Chapter 8- Bentley's POV

 I dream about a girl I met in my childhood. She has short stubby black pigtails and bright blue eyes. She never gave me her name but I somehow knew she was from the poor sector. We met under the same tree every day and hung out. She was about six and I was eight. I remember one night we traded things that were tokens to us. She gave me a gem that she found in the woods and I gave her a necklace. It was just a small silver cross. We made a pact to never stop being friends. I waited and waited for her one night. She still hasn't shown up for the past 13 years.

I woke up from a long night. The best night ever. I have never met someone like her. I know I will probably never see her again. Veronica. She is beautiful. Not that I want anything more than friends. Just friends. I know. We talked all night. Laughing, crying. Learning each other's stories. We left at 11 because at 12 it would be the next day and you can't cross the river. We talked for 4 hours. I called a car from the villa and she had her friend pick her up. We exchanged numbers and have been texting since we got home.

A month has passed and I have spent time with Veronica. By that I mean across the river talks and holo talks late at night. I think I am in a dream with her that I never want to wake up to.

Tomorrow is the day of my father's funeral. It is at four in the afternoon. So I have time. We are going to lay him in the river. Watch him float away. Say some words.

I head down to the river and text Veronica.

Hey. What are you doing? If you have time can you come down to the river? We have to celebrate knowing each other for a month.

She texts back.

Hey. I am heading down now.

I put my phone away and sit down in the grass. I pull out the green gem and stare at it intently. The wind blows in my hair and I put the gem back in my pocket. Then I see her. My heart skips a beat. I've grown to have a liking of her during this month. If things settle down I want to ask her out. My cheeks brighten as I think about it. I scan her outfit. She wears ripped jeans and a jean jacket and her hair is in curls. She wears sunglasses even though it's not sunny.

"Hey!" She says waving at me.

I smile. "How are you?"

"I am just peachy." She says looking around. When she catches my eye she says, "Don't forget I am one of the West's most wanted."

"Of course." I say. "Remind me for what again?"

"Stealing, murder, more stealing." She says counting her fingers.

I look at her outline. Beautiful. Her hair flows in the wind and her eyes are as piercing at the sky. I can't help but be captivated by her. She catches me staring and her cheeks turn skarlet. She twists her black hair in her finger.

"Murder?" I asked.

"When I was little I found out my wind powers on some civilians. Crushed them to bits. Then last month when you had me killed, I crushed all of your guys to bits." She says.

"I would be one of the most wanted too, if I wasn't about to become ruler of the East." I say.

"Ruler?" Veronica asks.

"My father died yesterday. Umm..." I swallow and my Adam's apple bobs. "I killed him. It's not that I mean too. I just wanted him to feel a bit of pain. But it went too far."

I wait for her response. I should've kept quiet. Now she will see me as a monster.

"Oh..." She says. "I am so sorry."

"It's fine." I say. "We were not that close anyway."

The splashing of the river between us fills the silence. I wish we were closer. Once a year. I just have to wait.