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In the near distance, there stood a podium—a slightly beiger shade of white. I neared the structure, noticing a black sculpture which suddenly appeared on top of the beige stand. The figure was of a mythical god rising above, arms wrapped around his tormentor.Prometheus Strangling the Vulture. A deep onyx figure, standing out against the otherwise white space.
My fingers traced over the sculpture.
“Pretty epic, huh?” Jamie’s voice sounded behind me, the same way it had during our first meeting at the art museum. A jittery shock rushed through my body, and I spun around.
“Jamie?” I asked, tears choking me. My voice echoed through the space, lingering long after the word left my lips. I rushed toward him, and he rushed toward me. However, instead of walking the way I would have in my body, my conscious mind moved me toward him without any sort of physical work. And his mind moved him toward me. I couldfeelthat this was how it worked, without ever asking. We met in the middle, two forms of energy bound together, forever and ever and ever.
“I… I didn’t know I was going that fast,” I admitted, shaking my head, still confused over the entire situation. Driving one minute, crashing the next. “I don’t even know what I hit…”
“You’re okay, Jems. We’re okay.” Jamie smiled at me sadly, a bright golden glow over his entire aura, the light layering over his white suit, white tie, even white sneakers. His blond hair glowed. He glowed. Brighter than ever before.
“You’re here,” he said softly. “Our arms linked as he neared me, a faint buzz swirling around us, tying us together.
“I’m here,” I whispered.
“I didn’t expect you to be… not this soon… but here you are.” Tears trailed down the sides of his face. “I saw you with my brother. And what you did at the party. And Jemma… I wanted to say so much to you… god, how I wanted to talk to you. In just a short moment, so many things happened.”
“Yeah. I dunno. I went too far at the party, right? Maybe a little too much?” I asked, smiling between my tears.
“I’ve never been prouder of you.” His hands slid up my upper arms and rested there, and I sighed happily. “You did what you felt was right. You stood up for yourself. That’s what matters… in just a matter of weeks… you’ve grown so much.”
“So, is this it? Our happy ending?” I asked.
He nodded his head slowly, as if he wasn’t sure he even believed.
Because… this didn’t feel like a happy ending. Even though I was back with Jamie forever,thisending reeked of irresolution, a tightness hanging in my solar plexus. As fulfilled as my heart felt being in Jamie’s presence again, something seemed off.
Something seemed wrong.
I still had my book to finish. And… and… I had Holly to think of. I couldn’t just die on her, not when she might need an adult to guide her through things. And… what about my mom? Sure, I didn’t agree with her on a lot of things, but how would she feel knowing her daughter had died so suddenly, ending in the place where we ended? I still had more to say with her, still had more to try and mend somehow, still had more to discuss. The party was supposed to be the beginning. Not the ending.
So, as happy as I felt being here with Jamie, another piece of my heart remained heavy.
His mouth slanted downward and his forehead crinkled, like he had more to say to me, but not the right words to say it.
“I’m not supposed to be here yet, Jamie,” I said. “I can feel it.”
“Welcome to my world.” Jamie grinned, then his lips fell to a neutral, serious position. He kissed my forehead, his next words landing softly against my face. “As much as I need you, my love. It isn’t your time to be here.”
“You say that like I have a choice,” I said.
He nodded. “Jems, you do have a choice. Unlike me, they’re giving you the choice. You can stay. Or you can go back. It’s your call. The hand is yours to do with as you wish.”
“But… I’m confused. I died, didn’t I?” I asked. “I didn’t think people could change that.”
“Sometimes they give people choices. Fuck, they can do whatever they want, really.”
“Then why didn’t they send you back?” I asked softly.
“Don’t you see, Jemma? They did. They sent me back to you. If only for a few weeks of the most precious moments of my existence. So, yeah, does it suck that I can’t go back with you? Fucking right it does. But you, love, have a choice. You can go back. Or you can stay.”
I breathed into his embrace, placing my lips over his. I lifted away, my mouth hovering over his. Then I said, “How about I take you with me? Win win… all our problems solved…”
He shook his head, tears slipping down his cheeks.
“I can’t, Jemma. I don’t have the same options. It isn’t how they see my path going.”
“So, then… that’s it?”
