Harmony - A Short Love Story

2. Wrenched Away Harmony

"Honestly," I pleaded quietly, trying to explain myself before she could crystallize her pain. "I-I thought it was a bad idea. B-But you've seen how I live. . . That three-hundred dollars went a long way Rosa." I let out a deep breath, my heart was beating at a thousand miles a second, and if I didn't slow it down, it would explode. 

"It doesn't make sense, but in the end. . . I fell for you. And I fell har-"

"Just stop!" Rosalin yelled. "I don't care!" She screamed, her shoulders rising with her breath. Then she looked up at me and smiled, a tender and crooked smile. "Talon, I've have never cared. Even though I want to kill you right now, I just can't seem to be angry at you. Blame it on my hormones if you want." 

I looked at her flabbergasted, frozen with my mouth parted. “W-What?" I said, trying to grasp her words. I was expecting more . . . well, more fury. "Rosa don't act like you're not mad. Don't try to toss this under the blanket, think about it. . ." I urged her.   

She was quiet, too quiet. Her words from earlier had given me some hope but the betrayal of the situation was quickly snuffing it out. I took the chance to look at her father. His eyes were on her as well, just as hard as before but I saw expectation in them too. I couldn't help but think he was praying for her to hate me, even if it meant hating him too. 

"Okay." She finally said, easing the tension but speeding up my heart in the process. Rosa turned to her dad with empathy in her chocolate eyes. "You drove away Brett just to make yourself happy. . . Unfortunately for you," She whispered. "You gave me the one person that makes me happy and I'm sorry but I won't let you take him away from me." 

Stunned and utterly happy, I couldn't shake the grin on my lips. Again, I turned my eyes to the old man, his face was no longer blank, now it just looked enraged. 

I moved to Rosa's side, just encase her father would lose his mind and attack her. The man was insane, I wouldn't put it pass him.

"Dad, I don't know if you realized it but you’re ignorant and bitter. You can't keep forcing your beliefs on me." 

Her words left an even thicker tension in the air, her father's eyes were so alarmingly agonized, that I could literally see his murderous intent. It wasn't right. My instincts, my urges told me that we needed to go; so I grabbed Rosa's wrist and positioned myself even further between the two. 

"We're leaving Mr.Bishop, I think we all need to cool down," I told him, my eyes pleading for him not to do something stupid. 

It didn't look like he could see me. It was like he was looking pass me and straight at Rosa. 

I turned to Rosa and came close to her ear. "Let's go. I don't like that look in his eyes." 

She took a second, I assume to judge for herself. "You're right, that has never been a good look." she whispered back.

"Alright, just follow me." Without waiting for her response, I pulled her along with me, speed walking across the lawn and heading for the curb. Their house was too damn big, it seemed like it would take forever. 

I could hear her old man hyperventilating behind us. "Rosy! Rosalin Eve Bishop! . . ." 

She didn't respond and I simply kept pulling her behind me. Hoping desperately that we would make it away from there safely, though, something kept telling me that we wouldn't. 

And then I heard it. The sound of metal being pulled back, the distinctive sound that a gun made when loaded. "You will stop!" Mr. Bishop bellowed. 

I froze. Rosa’s breathing was jerky and fast against my neck. I shook my head with adrenaline and fear, disappointing underlying them. "Damn," I uttered, letting out a fearful breath. 

"Rosalin, come here!" He shouted, his voice sounding like the vessel of hell’s fury. It was contemptuous, demanding, and all around malign.

She interlocked her fingers in mine. I looked back at her slowly. She was still there, her back towards Mr. BIshop and her trembling face already looking up at me. 

I mouthed the words "I'm sorry" and then gulped down the spine tingling fear, determined to face the rage that Mr. Bishop was going through. I would have run, I knew how, but I couldn’t leave Rosa. Mr. Bishop would shoot her by accident, aiming at me. Or he would shoot her out of spite. The lion in his eyes knew no limit.

I turned around towards him, his gun gleamed silver, and I could recognize it as a .45. Just its presence made my heart quicken, made sweat swell on my face. Those things could end a life just as easily as I could squash an ant.

I wasn't ready to die, but even more than that, I didn’t want to lose Rosalin. I refused to lose Rosalin. I let out a shallow breath. I had promised not to hurt her, but the only way I could see this ending, was with her in tears. 

Mr. Bishop’s hand was trembling, the gun wiggling this way and that in the night air and I realized my hands were lifted in surrender. "Put the gun down,” I ordered, trying to sound brave. "If you kill me you're going to jail." I took a step forwards, again, placing myself between him and Rosalin. 

“You don't want that," I continued. "None of us do-" I squinted at the man. 

I stopped when I realized that the man had a twisted smirk appearing on his face. "I don't care." He said coldly, grimly. "I just really don't care."

And before I knew it, before I could react, a loud shot rang in my ear, and I hit the grass. Pain seared in my chest while I felt a warm liquid dampen my back. I could barely breathe, the intake of air uselessly filling me. My words came out as stutters and gurgles. 

Damn, I thought, darkness enclosing around my eyes. In those fleeting moments I wondered what would happen to Rosalin. I wondered if she would live a happy life. Or if I would see her soon in heaven.

Oh, how great would it be for heaven to have their angel back. The darkness was closing in quicker than I thought and just as I felt like my final sight would be the star filled night, I was blessed with a final present.

Rosalin's face appeared over me, her chocolate eyes were hysterical but for some reason it slowly changed into an innocent smile. The type of smile that I had first fallen for. The type of smile that I was glad I was dying for.

It was beautiful. 

Guess that was some form of delusion. My mind playing tricks on me as I left earth. I couldn't help but think how unfair the world was . . . How it would leave one of God's children with such a despairing sight. 

I felt wetness trail down my cheek as I took my final breathe and let the darkness drown me. 

(A/N: " I hoped you all enjoyed it. It was a little new for me, not having an happy ending but I guess life is like that sometimes right. I think I may have rushed the ending but I felt like I was going to go over the 6 page limit.  

Haliee Steinfeld plays Rosalin. 

Song is Endlessly by The Cab also. ")