Till Death Unites Us

Chapter 35

It's 4 p.m. when I finally come back home from school. Like the past few weeks, it's been as uneventful as ever. Me trying to ignore Ace, Ace trying to prove that he will never give up on us, Ivy being more distant with each passing day. At first, I thought it was about Nolan, but now I'm not so sure. Did I mention that Chloe hangs out with us sometimes? It's really messed up at school right now. I sigh as I lie on my bed and close my eyes for a few minutes, letting everything that has happened sink in. For the first time since I left Ace at the restaurant have I finally settled now and looked back at the mess that is my life.

As if it wasn't messed up enough.

No, Eternity, it wasn't. Comparing to now, your life made complete, perfect sense.

What's scaring me now is that I'm accepting it. Accepting everything. Accepting that Ace and I are done. No more tears, no more reminiscing, nothing... Just dry, plain acceptance. I cover my face with my hands then put them under the back of my head, still closing my eyes.

I stay this way for a few seconds when I feel my eyes fluttering, the nausea starting to take hold of me. And for the first time, my body starts to violently shake. That wasn't a side effect before... Before I can take notice of the other new effects, I get absorbed in a vision of an eerily familiar place.

I'm standing there watching as a guy, wearing a mask, sneaks into the house from the backdoor she always leaves open. My gaze follows his movement, the house unraveling as he moves, revealing where exactly he's headed to.

The kitchen.

He looks around for something when his eyes, which are the only things that show behind that mask, settle on the microwave. He moves toward it with slightly disoriented moves. He almost looks like he's... scared? He moves the cursor to 500 degrees with nothing inside the microwave. He then runs out the house like the coward he is. My gaze stays put on the house, I wonder if I will be seeing it blow to pieces.

Oh God, no. Please, no, not her too. She shouldn't have gone to Hector! That's what I get for blabbering about my messy relationship problems! You're not meant to be happy after Alex, Eternity! All of the things you experienced with Ace were nothing but illusions, distractions, all leading to one more loss.

Ace? Ace!

I need to use this time I have left to figure out when was that going to happen. Now that he isn't there, I need to focus on every detail by myself. My gaze moves to the mail box. The name 'Angel' carved on the right side of it. My eyes move quickly to have a better view of the watch she attached to the mailbox. 4/15/14, 10 p.m. That's tomorrow! Thursday! Then suddenly my eyes are pulled in the house's direction one more time. I steel myself for what's to come when four figures move out of the shadows, their backs given to me. Even if they faced me, I wouldn't recognize them because they were all wearing masks.

What the hell? Hector is that vengeful as to send an army to kill her?! Then again he turned his own flesh into a murderer. I should expect anything from a monster like him.

They start spilling gas on the front porch. I guess he didn't want to risk the microwave not blowing up so he had to do that too. MONSTER! I try to scream but nothing comes out. I can feel my own frustration threatening to take control of me, and I start having thoughts about me slapping Hector to death. My frustration finally comes out and this time a scream does echo, but as I expected no one hears it. When they're done with the gas, one of them takes out a lighter from his pocket and motion for the others to walk away. The three of them are now facing me, masks on. Except for one person, who takes his/her mask off. It takes me a second to recognize her. Her blond wavy hair flying off her face, her green eyes staring blankly ahead, her excited smile replaced by a cold glare I've never encountered before this day.

Ivory.

But why? Why would she work with Hector against Angel? Against me?!

Before I can react, the one holding the lighter ignites it and throws it at the house before running away for his life, following Ivy and the others. A moment later, the house blows up with a rattling, shattering sound.

I jump up from my position, panting heavily like I was running the marathon. I feel the liquid in my nose before I see it on the floor. I feel my nose, only to find out it's bleeding rivers. I'm also on the floor next to my bed. What happened? I go to the bathroom to get cotton and water and stuff I need to stop the bleeding and sit back on the floor, my head leaning against the front of my bed as I try to get the bleeding to stop.

How could Ivy do that to me? Even Chloe isn't that cruel. How? I have been nothing but a good friend to her. She of all people would know I've had enough betrayals! Why would she stick with me for that long if she plans to turn on me in the end? I wipe the tears off my face and try to think straight. What should I do? I just can't go into another fire without him by my side. I reach for my phone and look for his number. I press 'call' the second I see his number and wait for him to pick up. Instead of the familiar ringing, a buzzing sound greets me, indicating he's busy. "Well that's the universe sending you signs, Eternity. He isn't reliable anymore." I mumble as I get off the floor after I succeed at stopping the bleeding. I sit on my bed tugging at the sheets for support, actually to make sure I'm not dreaming. This is happening. Ivy is killing Angel. Angel is dead.

Eternity! No! You saw that vision for a reason! You can save her! Not without him. Yes you can! Without him and without anyone else, just you!

The small voice in my head grows to dominate and takes over my entire body. I'll do this. Either with or without him; I'm capable of affecting the lives of the people I love. No more losing to fires!

I hear the phone ringing and I glance at it only to see it's Ace calling. I ignore it and continue with my processing.

But apparently my mind can't process fast enough.

Killing Angel? Why? She's always treated us as her children after Alex died! I didn't know Ivy could be that horrible. I blamed Ace for killing a person he never met? Well she's gonna kill a person that has been a part of her life since the beginning of high school! And she chose a fire! How dare she do that to me! Isn't she the least bit sympathetic with me? Was that all an act? An act to win me over, have me spill everything, have me tell Angel about Ace so she can go to Hector, so he can finally finish what he started with the Reeds? Oh my God, did she know who Ace was? Was it all a tiny little game that I had the main role in?!

I shake my head, willing myself not to cry when I hear my phone ringing. I reach out for it without bothering to look at it, figuring it's probably Ace calling for the third time.

"What?" I yell at him.

"E! Where are you? I've been trying to reach you for hours! Are you okay?"

Ivy.

I stay silent for a second there, holding my breath and hoping she won't talk again. I can't bear hearing her voice, her enthusiastic lying voice!

"Eternity, hey? Are you there? Eternity?"

I hang up before she can say anything else; I just can't take it anymore. I won't pretend I'm okay with it because I'm not and I never will be. I don't think I could forgive her if anything happened to Angel.

Working with the asshole who fucked up my boyfriend's, my ex-boyfriend's, and MY life?! No, that's a lot to forget. Just why did she have to do it?

A simple question, why?

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Hey guys! It's been long but it's finally summer! So we'll be updating more often. Oh, don't forget to tell us what you think of this turn of events ;) -M&N