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As he hoped, I jerk and cry out. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” He dodges the empty can I throw at him and grins at me. Even at twelve, I know that grin will never let me go.
“It’s hot as a cow’s ass out here! Let’s go to the creek.”
He’s right. Even in the shade of the trees, it’s hot while we follow the path our feet have carved through the groundcover.
He charges into the water, then turns to splash me while I’m kicking off my shoes. “Come on, goody two boobs.”
Giggles spill out of me. “Stop calling me that.” He’s called me that before, hasn’t he? When we were getting on his motorcycle.
No, what am I talking about? He’s never had a motorcycle. He’s thirteen.
I wade into the cool water, and he grabs my hand, pulling me over to the deepest part. When we sit down, the water reaches our chests.
“That’s better.” He dips his head underwater, then flips his wet hair off his forehead. Droplets cling to the scruff on his face. Where did that come from?
“Den, we grew up.” He nods and reaches to run his hand down my cheek. Some memory nudges at me, but I shake it off. “We’re going to get married.”
He looks over to the bank of the creek. “We should have the wedding right there.”
“Where you told me I was going to marry you,” I reply with a smile. “You said you’d never tell me what to do.”
The creek starts rising, the water reaching our necks. “We need to get out.” I start to stand up and realize I’m already on my feet. The creek isn’t flowing around us anymore. It’s everywhere.
Alden reaches for my hand and squeezes it as the water inches up over his chin. “You have to go, Ella.”
“What? No. Come with me. Alden!”
Panic rings in my voice, but he only smiles. His voice is calm and somehow the words are clear even when the water pours into his mouth.
“It works both ways, El. You can hold hope by the throat too. Never let go of it.”
“No! Alden! Alden!”
Hands grip my forearms, and I open my eyes. “Easy, you’re alright. You fainted. I’m giving you a sedative to help calm you.” A wave rushes through me, relaxing my muscles while my brain catches up to where I am. A kind nurse smiles down at me as I scramble to sit up. “Slow down. You’re okay.”
I’m not okay.
“My Alden.”
Tori steps up and takes my hand. Her eyes are swollen and puffy.
“I know,” the nurse says, her voice calm. “I’m very sorry for your loss.”
Those words have never sounded so empty, so ridiculous.
One of the doctors who gave me the news enters, and the nurse addresses him. “Her vitals are good. Just shock.”
“Understandable.”
I stare up at him. “He’s really gone?”
“Yes, I’m sorry.”
The image of Alden grinning at me from the front seat of his dream car flashes across my mind, and I know I’ll see it a thousand more times. The last time I saw him. The last time I’ll ever see him alive.
“How did he…did he suffer?”
“Judging by his injuries, I believe he died instantly.”
