"If you ever want to die, fall in love and you'll get killed." - Anth
*THIRD PERSON POINT OF VIEW*
How does one tell the world about the loss of his or her little brother or son or friend?
Hayden Miller had no idea. Telling just Josie was hard enough, but it didn't end there. He had his extended family to tell, Ian's other friends, and anyone else that deserves to know.
He figured, while his parents called uncles and aunts, he'd call Noah and Andrea, the happy couple that was scheduled to get married in 12 days.
~•~
Noah Griffith was changing the lightbulbs to the chandelier in their kitchen and Andrea Lyssa, his fiancée, was vacuuming the carpeted floor in the connected living room.
Noah almost didn't hear his cellphone ringing because of the obnoxious sound of the vacuum and his intense concentration on the lightbulb. If he hadn't dropped his miniature handheld flashlight, he would've missed Hayden's call.
"Babe," he called out over the vacuum. He showed her his phone, and she stopped the vacuum so he could answer it.
"Hey, Hayden, what's up?"
"Noah, I got something to tell you." Hayden said, keeping a strong front the best he could.
"What is it?" Noah looked at Andrea confused.
"Ian died, man. He-he got shot in battle."
Noah's face fell instantaneously. He had no words. He couldn't believe it.
"I'm sorry, man," Noah said, forcing it out. If he felt this much pain and it was only his close childhood friend, he couldn't imagine the pain and sorrow that is overwhelming Ian's family right now. "I'm so sorry."
"We all are," Hayden mumbled. "I'll let you know when we have funeral arrangements. Take care, man."
"You, too." Noah's voice came out weak and hardly audible. He gently placed his phone down on the counter and took in the space around him. Andrea was watching him from the living room, concern etched across her face.
Noah let out an angry groan and kicked the step stool over before falling onto one of the chairs at the dining table that was already pulled out. His head fell into his hands, and Andrea was quick to his side.
"What happened?" She murmured, rubbing his back soothingly. Noah was somehow holding in his tears, but his whole body was shaking.
"Ian died."
Andrea's hand stopped the circulation motions on his back in shock. Their wedding is less than two weeks away and so was Ian's coming home. How could he be gone just like that?
A few stray tears escaped her eyes, but she resumed rubbing his back and rested her chin on his slumped shoulder.
She's never lost anyone close to her, at least not at an age it's really affected her. Her grandparents died when she was a baby, so she never had a relationship with them. She had no idea how to help her fiancée in this situation besides hold him close and promise him she's here for him.
"Andrea," Noah's voice cracked as he looked up at her, pain the only evident emotion identified in his eyes. "I can't...I can't get married in two weeks. Not-not right now."
"Shh..." she immediately shushed him. It broke her heart seeing him like this. "I'll handle the wedding. We can postpone for however long."
As much as she wanted to be Mrs. Noah Griffith, she understood that the mourning of his friend would prevent him from enjoying his wedding. And their friends and family would have a hard time being happy for them when still coping with the tragic loss of their friend, son, or brother.
Noah stood up and pecked Andrea on the cheek. "I love you."
"What're you doing?"
"You know how I love you so much, and I'd never want anything bad to happen to you? And I would take a bullet for you?"
Andrea nodded, tears falling freely.
"Josie felt the same for Ian, and I gotta check up on her."
"I love you, Noah," Andrea said, hugging him.
Andrea watched Noah grab his keys and head out. She admired everything about him: his strength, his heart, his kindness. For only a second, she thought about what it'd feel like to lose him, and that second was all it took for her to break down.
Once she recomposed herself, she picked up the phone and began cancelling her wedding plans.
~•~
"Where are you going?" Josie asked Kaila who had just re-emerged from her room for the first time in about an hour.
"I-I just need to go for a walk and clear my head." It was a lie, but not completely. Josie didn't know that though. She merely nodded and watched her best friend leave their apartment.
After a quick ten minute drive, Kaila found herself at the beach. Not at the Westchester beach, but the public Miami Beach where she was positive none of her friends would ever be.
She made her way to the shoreline, to her usual spot, and found Edie waiting. Her dark brown hair was blowing in the wind as she stared off into the ocean, sitting on a light yellow blanket underneath an umbrella.
"Hey," Kaila said.
Edie immediately jumped up and embraced Kaila. She told her the news over the phone and asked to meet immediately.
"I can't believe he's gone," Kaila sobbed quietly into Edie's shoulder. Edie held her at arms length and brushed a piece of her black hair behind her ear. "He's the only one who knew...he—" she couldn't even get it out.
The two sat down on the blanket; Kaila cried in Edie's chest while she just hugged her.
"Edie..."
"What, love?" Edie stared down at her, the smallest reassuring smile she could muster up.
"I promised Ian something before he left." Kaila felt like she was drowning from the inside because of her own tears that she refused to let fall.
*the day Ian left*
"I can't believe you're really leaving again," Kaila laughed to mask the pain. Josie was undoubtedly Kaila's best friend, but Ian was a close second because of his amazing character.
"Duty calls." Quite literally. "Hey, Kaila," he said seriously. "Promise me something?"
"What?"
"God forbid I don't ever come back... I just want to say this to you now."
"Ian, shut up. Don't even talk like that." Kaila practically glowered at him. How could he even talk like that? It's sick.
"I'm serious, Kai. Life is short and you never know the last day you'll live. So tell your secrets. Be yourself."
"Ian—"
"Promise me you will tell our friends and family. This secret could be the downfall of your friendship with Josie, and you guys don't want to lose each other."
She knew he was right. It's so obvious that this secret hanging over their heads bothers Josie immensely, and bothers her even more knowing Ian knows the truth.
"I promise." The promise was so hard to make because I didn't want to break a promise to Ian like that. But it was genuine. I tend to keep this promise, God forbid.
"I love you, Kai, and so will everyone else."
"I love you, too, E," Kaila hugged him. Josie would be home any minute. "You better come home, though, you understand me?"
"I tend to."
"Because it'll break her heart if you don't." Her voice cracked unpredictably and tears broke through like a dam had just given up. Ian frowned and pulled Kaila in for another hug.
"I'll be home."
*present*
"So..." Edie trailed off, expectantly.
"I promised him I'd tell everyone that I'm in love with you."
~•~
Everyone dreads going to school whether you are 5 years old in kindergarten or 23 and finally on your last year of college. Mason Cooper was no exception. He was sitting in his communications class, listening to his boring professor lecture while desperately trying to stay awake.
Not only is his professor incredibly boring, but he's strict too. Even the slightest glimpse of a phone, and he confiscates it.
Mason usually has his tucked away in the depths of his backpack, but today he had his on his lap underneath the desk.
It was a good thing he did.
He received a text from Josie saying: Call me as soon as you can, it's an emergency.
He had no idea what she needed to say, but he didn't want to wait to find out. She's not overdramatic, so he knew it had to be serious.
Mason abruptly stood up, resulting in the entire class of 15 looking in his direction accusingly. Professor Franklin glared at him for interrupting his lecture.
"Mr. Cooper, please take a seat."
"I have to go take a phone call."
"It can wait."
"It probably can't."
"Mr. Cooper, if you leave this classroom, I will give you a 0 for the day."
Mason looked at the message from Josie and looked at his professor. Without sparing him another glance, Mason walked out.
"Hey, Jos, what's up?" He said softly.
"M-Mase..." her voice quivered. "Mason, Hayden just called me..."
"What is it?"
"Ian died, Mason."
Mason, still on the phone with Josie, walked back in his class and grabbed his things, ignoring the obvious glare he was receiving from his professor.
"Mason?"
"I'll talk to you later." Then he hung up.
He found himself in his car with several emotions boiling in his veins at the unexpected news of his best friend's death.
"Dammit," he yelled aloud to no one but himself. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" He repeatedly hit the steering wheel, not caring how psycho he looked to pedestrians strolling past him.
Mason got out of his car, leaving it unlocked with the keys in it, and decided to go for a walk. He was in no proper state to drive right now.
Mason pulled his phone out of his pocket, going straight to his text conversation with Ian that hasn't been used in months considering he doesn't have access to his cellphone while deployed.
The last thing that was said by Mason was "be safe, man" and Ian replying with, "of course."
"There's no way," he mumbled. He knew Josie could never lie or joke about something that intense; it's not like he didn't believe her, he just didn't want to.
Regardless, Mason called Ian's phone. Even if Ian was alive, there would be no answer, but Mason just wanted to hear his voice again.
"Hi, you've reached Ian Miller. I can't get to the phone right now, but I promise I'll get back to you as soon as I can."
It hit. Hearing Ian's upbeat voice and imagining him making the recording is what inflicted his breakdown.
He aggressively shoved his phone in his pocket and sat against a tree, allowing himself to cry as he reminisced all of the wonderful years he spent with Ian as his best friend, his wingman, and metaphorical brother.
Ian promised to call back all of the people that have called him since he left, but he has a habit of making promises he can't always keep. He is a man of his word when he can be, but there are just some promises that are out of his hands to keep.
Like the promises of calling back and the promises of coming home.
•••
Another update!!
Guys I'm so close to being done with prewriting this story and it's going so good!!! I'm hoping to be done in the next two weeks!
For those of you that may be concerned, All I Want will resume being updated regularly within a few weeks after I finish my BHAA prewriting!!!
I'm really hoping to have it done before April is over because May is going to be insane, for real.
Any who... have a great day!!!
Don't forget to...
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- Emily
B.E. Better Everyday