Date: September 13, 2014
It was the day of her concert. Alyssa bustled around the place, throwing things into her handbag as she went.
"I'm late! Gosh, I'm so late!" She panicked, frantically entering the living room to look under the couch. Not finding what she was looking for, she huffed in annoyance. "Ian, have you seen--"
"--these?" Ian strolled into the room a smirk that rivalled Damon Salvatore's, holding up Alyssa's favourite pair of Armani sunglasses.
"Yes!" She sighed in relief, walking over. "Thank you!" But as Alyssa went to grab them, Ian held them up higher out of her reach. "Ian! Seriously, I'm very late."
"You are not going anywhere without a kiss." Ian told with a playful pout, still holding the sunglasses over his head.
"But--"
"A kiss, baby, or the sunglasses get it."
"No! Not the sunglasses!" Alyssa complained dramatically, and Ian chuckled at how adorable she looked.
"Do we have a deal?"
"I can never say no to you, Smolderhalder." Alyssa finally gave in, giggling as she stood on her tip toes to reach Ian, pressing her lips to his. But as she went to pull away, he pulled her back, deepening the kiss. "Ian..."
"No."
"But bub--"
"No."
"I have a concert to attend."
"It can wait."
"It really can't." Alyssa laughed, finally pulling away enough to part their lips completely, but still remained with her arms around his neck and his around her waist. "Do you promise to be in the front row?"
"Do you promise that I'll hear at least one song about me?" Damon shot back jokingly.
"You'll have to wait and find out." Alyssa winked, before stepping back and snatching the sunglasses out of her loving boyfriend's hand, sliding them up into her hair. "Now, I have hair and makeup in forty five minutes, I will get changed in my dressing room after that's finished, and I'll be onstage in the next two hours... hopefully. Okay, gotta go! I love you!"
"I love you, too, baby. I'll be there as soon as I answer this business call, okay? I'll be right behind you." Ian promised, gently kissing Alyssa's cheek.
"You better." And with that, Alyssa slid on her white leather jacket and pulled her sunglasses out of her hair and over her eyes. "See you soon!"
"Soon." Ian smiled, and moments later, Alyssa had rushed out of the door.
---
Sat in the back of the black car as her chauffeur navigated the way to the Chastain Park Amphitheater, where the concert was to be held, Alyssa relaxed in the back seat as she scrolled through social media. Most of her feed was just friends, family, and family friends all wishing her good luck with her first official concert, and 60% of them promised to show up for support.
Smiling to herself, Alyssa switched to the next open app on her phone, which just happened to be Spotify. She grabbed her headphones, plugging them in and pulling down the small soundproof window that seperated her and the chauffeur so she wouldn't distract him with her singing. Because, as Alyssa clicked on her own playlist on Spotify, listening to her songs, she began to do vocal exercises. She even sang parts of her songs that she sometimes struggled with, and she was 90% confident that the night would turn out amazing.
"Nate?" Alyssa knocked on the window before yanking it back up. The chauffeur glanced at her through the rear-view mirror.
"Yes, miss Williams?"
"Please, that's far too formal for my taste. Alyssa is fine." Alyssa chuckled. "It's just... I'm supposed to be in hair and makeup in twenty minutes. What time will we be arriving?"
"We will have reached our destination in twelve minutes." Nate informed, causing Alyssa to frown worriedly as she anxiously started checking on the time every few seconds. She'd curse when they'd stop at a red light, getting even more panicked, and Nate eventually picked up on it. "There is a short cut not far from here. It cuts right through town and right into the car park of the Amphitheater. We will be there in five minutes maximum if you prefer that way."
"Why didn't you say that sooner?" Alyssa grinned. "That sounds perfect! Thank you." So, with a nod, Nate continued driving for another thirty seconds before turning a sharp corner down a more-narrow path. Alyssa glanced out of the window, slightly concerned with how rough the road looked. "Nate, are you sure it is safe to be driving such a car down here?"
"I have chauffeured for many others before you, Alyssa, there is no need to worry. I have gotten fairly good at navigating my way through the quicker routes." Nate reassured formerly. Alyssa had always found his formality rather amusing.
"Okay." She gave in, relaxing slightly. Another three minutes past, and Nate glanced at her in the rear-view mirror again.
"If you see, the Amphitheater will come into view in just a few moments."
"Thank God. You are a lifesaver." Alyssa chuckled, relieved. She picked up her phone, checking the time again. "Holy mother of--! Ten minutes until hair and makeup! Isn't there anyway you could speed up? I really don't want to be late!"
"But miss, I am pushing the speed limit a bit too much as it is."
"Look around, Nate. No police, no cameras! No one will know if you bump up the speed another five miles per hour." Alyssa shrugged nonchalantly. So, reluctantly, Nate pressed harder on the accelerator, changing gears. Alyssa began to see the Amphitheater come into view. "Yes! We made it. The car park is close, you can slow down now." But the car didn't slow down. "Nate? If you don't slow down, we'll make quite an impression when we ram into the cars in the lot."
"It's not decelerating!" Nate frowned worriedly, slamming his foot down on the brakes, but nothing happened. Alyssa bolted upright in her seat, seeing the car park up ahead.
"Quick! Turn left here. We'll go round the back."
"If you insist." Nate sighed, unable to argue with his boss, and unable to slow down the car, as he quickly span around the corner to head towards the back. But from the speed of the vehicle, and the sharpness of the turn, they were unable to see the car already rounding the corner, coming from the other way. Alyssa noticed it first, letting out a shuddering breath of panic.
"Nate, watch out!!"
Immediately, Nate slammed on the brakes, but again, it did nothing. Something was wrong with the brakes, and as Alyssa saw the car getting closer and closer, she knew that they would never be able to stop their car in time. The brakes were damaged...
So, Nate improvised. Noticing that Alyssa was sat right behind him in the driver's side of the car, he steered the impact away from her. He turned the vehicle so the passenger's side was to the oncoming car.
The sound of the other car's screeching brakes and tires skidding on the wet pavement was the only thing to be heard. Suddenly, as the other car spun out of control towards their more-expensive car, Alyssa watched it get even closer as images flashed across her mind; images of her family, her friends, Ian, Zac, her unborn babies... and clips of her life flashing past like a slideshow that was sped up.
A huge blow hit the car, and it seemed like an immense weight was thrown on Alyssa; the last thing she saw was Nate, unconscious in the driver's seat, when a waterfall of glass cascaded down on her...
For a moment, she seemed alright. All they needed to do was postpone the concert a week or two. It looked like Alyssa had sustained no further injuries despite a few scratches from the glass, and an average sized gash on her forehead that would need stitches. At least she had survived her first car accident.
But not everything seemed alright as the adrenaline started to kick in, and Alyssa finally felt the pain searing through her abdomen. She glanced down, sprawled across the back seat, to see a large shard of glass had been lodged so far into her stomach that only the tip of it was still visible.
Dread filled her... dread of what the outcome would be when she'd wake up in the hospital. What horrible news the doctors always seemed to bring their patients.
That was the last thing that clouded Alyssa's mind before everything went black, and the immense weight was lifted off her as she seemed to float away into complete and utter darkness.