CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO:

62: ~Marina's Pov~

Quite a lot had gone down in the last three weeks. Seeing Bronny and not getting a chance to hug him due to the fire at the regionals, the regionals being cancelled, Curtis stuck in the intensive care unit- that fight really explained how deep the issues between him and Darnell were- and finding out who my stalker was. I sighed heavily as my shoulders sagged.

All along it had just been one teeny anxious fourteen year old messing around but everything she said and did kept taunting me because for one there was some truth to it.

I had no talent. I only existed for high grades. I couldn't sing, I couldn't draw, I couldn't paint, couldn't craft either, couldn't act, nothing, couldn't do nothing extraordinary. On another hand, it would take a good actor to 'fake' perfection but I knew better. Reality had slapped me hard on the face.

And a priss? Well that hurt too because in a way I was a priss. A polite one too.

Looking at the long text on my screen as I stroked Topaz's ears, my emotions knotted within me. It was terrible that messages sent to the forum couldn't be deleted unless the person who programmed the site rewrote the code and last I heard I think the guy quit coding-

tripletrouble: ... she's just a robot who only exists for high grades because what kind of doofus can't pass their driver's test?...

Biting my lower lip, I turned off my phone's screen. A surge of determination suddenly coursing through my veins. I pushed off my bed covers, leaving Topaz behind. Grabbing my car's key fob beside my baby blue bedside lamp, I headed out. Pausing when I reached my door due to the realization that I needed something to feed my adrenaline and keep me pumped. I grabbed my brandnew peach colored apple noise cancelling headphone and rushed downstairs.

Downing a glass of milk I poured myself from the refrigerator, I headed outside. The warm weather soothed my nerves and seemed to make my determination burn hot.

Thankfully no one was home to give me a pep talk, Jakob went out with Kiara after dropping me off at home while Mom and Dad were at work. I pulled up the garage gate, taking in the smell of my brand-new car as my hand ran over the hood and the functional head-scoops. The horse logo glistened as a ray of sunshine hit it making it appear golden. I jumped into my ride and sighed in content as I wiggled on the show-stopper red seat. The feel of the car made me ecstatic. I was bubbling so much inside that I thought my skin would tear open.

Using the key fob, I started the car, tucked myself behind the seatbelt safely and connected my headphones to my phone, hitting play on; Dying on the inside by Nessa Barrett. Putting the song on repeat, I raised the volume to the highest and curled my fingers around the steering wheel.

I set the car to sport mode.

Working the automatic transmission gear to speed five and brakes to: drive, I used the home link button on the back of the vanity mirror to close our garage. I stepped on the accelerator gently at first then harder and harder as the song tempo blaring in my ears increased.

It soothed me.

Palm springs had lonely roads especially on the weekdays, and it was to my advantage. The towering palm trees that lined this streets was a pleasant scenery. I was gradually driving out of town.

The speed of the car was slowly touching the skies, I drew in a shaky breath as my sweaty hands held unto the steering wheel in a death grip, my heart pounding in my chest as a sudden brisk gust of wind caressed my face. If I died today, I'd die with a conviction that I died conquering my fear.

The wind seemed to be getting cooler as I drove, I lifted my eyes from the digital dashboard and saw dark clouds hovering ahead. A droplet landed on my cheek and I closed my eyes for a second to bask in it.

The harsh beat of the song synced with the speed at which I was going. At this point I had no care in the world.

Beauty is a knife I've been holding by the blade...
Swallowing my pride so I won't eat anything
It's all a lie...
And honestly it's eating me alive...
Did you change your hair? Did you loose a little weight?
You should keep it up cos it really looks great
I hate that I...
Always look my best...
WHEN I'M DYING ON THE INSIDE...

I couldn't necessarily relate to the song but it seemed to wake up my spirits.

I couldn't hear anything other than the sound of the music and my heartbeat pounding relentlessly in my ears but I think the car was warning me about my speed limit because the steering wheel shook out of my control for a second.

Lightening thundered ahead and I found myself laughing out loud. The sense of freedom and excitement I felt was overwhelming and frightening at the same time but I didn't want the cloud nine to come an end at least not anytime soon. The wind was picking up pace and I could see a thunderstorm coming as the sky kept darkening like it wasn't just sunny moments ago. Darkening like it was the end of the world...

~ ~ ~

~Darnell's Pov~

It was just another gloomy afternoon after a drag day at Silver Lake High and all I wanted to do was paint something to relieve the stress. It was already back to school like the regionals didn't happen. A complete 'what happens at the regionals, stays at the regionals' situation.

I didn't want my mind to dwell on terrible things so I resorted to painting.

Somehow my painting materials had ended up on my bedside table last night so I had to drag myself across my room to get it.

Shaking out of my daze, I caught a glimpse of a sandy blond girl coming out of her house across the street through my window. My heart skipped a beat. This had to be the first time I saw that garage open, I sighed and found myself fixed on the spot, helplessly watching her. Apparently she finally got a car and I got to admit it was one fine ass car and the color choice too made it unique. I'm not sure she noticed I got a red vintage Ford Mustang as well.

She went round the car before jumping in. It was kinda cute to see her scale her car door. Moments later she drove out of the garage.

I turned away from my window and grabbed my color pallette and paint brush. I could careless because we weren't really on good terms but then suddenly it just occured to me that... Marina went on a drive... ALONE.

My spirit left my body in that moment same as the color pallette and brush left my hands.

I grabbed my remote head key and my phone off my reading table as I dashed down the stairs in a haste without caring how messed up I looked. Danica intercepted me at the bottom of the stairs.

"Thank God, at the speed I saw her leave, she's probably gonna wreck her car and kill herself." Danica said not realizing the gravity of the stalkish vibes she gave off.

"Get out of the way." I said through my teeth, pushing her aside.

"Can I come too?"

"No Danica, you've done enough damage already." I replied as I strode out of the house, slamming the door behind me.

Mimicking her move earlier, I also jumped into my vintage convertible. In a few seconds, I was on the road.

Damn! She moves fast. I thought realizing if this was a race I was already eating her dust.

I stepped harder on the accelerator.

The clouds began to darken and that's when I caught a glimpse of the medium aquamarine 2021 Ford Mustang convertible.

A thunderstorm was coming and she was driving straight into it.

Rain was already drizzling but I was too caught up in my head to close the convertible top.

For someone who had driving phobia she had to be on something to be driving at such a speed. I grabbed my phone from the passengers seat and dialed her line. I was catching up with her but she kept going faster and faster.

The call seemed to had distracted her and so I caught up with her car.

The sky looked like it went from afternoon to after dusk in two seconds.

She stuck her middle finger in the air for me to see. I chuckled to myself.

She answered the call.

"I hope the message is clear." Her voice echoed through my phone's speaker.

"Crystal."

"Why do you-"

"JO, LOOK UP!" I yelled into my phone's speaker the moment I saw a big truck with bright head lamps coming from the bend.

I stepped hard on my brakes instantly.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion.

I watched her car loose control and swerve from the left to the right and back again as she tried to dodge the truck, whose brake seemed to have failed.

The world paused in my sight.

My eyes blinked just in time so I wouldn't witness the tragic accident.

And when it opened again, the truck was coming straight at me, horns blaring like it was a trumpet announcing death.

One look at the sidewalk and I saw my Butterfly had crashed into one of the numerous palm trees. I sighed heavily. She was safe. And safe is what I wouldn't be in a few seconds.

Tactically swerving hard to the right at the dying second, towards the iron railing and off the road just in time as the truck breezed by my car. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding in and immediately got out of my car. That's when I realized the down pour had begun and it was raining heavily with complimenting heavy blast of wind and lightening after lightening.

Marina was getting out of her car that instant too and we instinctively ran into each other's arms, already drenched. Our clothing and hair glued to our wet skins.

"Are you hurt?" I immediately questioned.

She shook her head wordlessly, tears spilling down her cheeks as I held unto her.

Everywhere around us was dark as a result of the dark clouds but the headlamps of both our vehicles and the continuous thundering provided some lighting enough.

Marie suddenly pulled back, looking at me with hurt filled eyes, "Why don't you just quit trying already?"

"Because I can't, Jo."

"Can't you see?!" She blurted out, slamming her hand to my chest and completely pulling free, "Darnell both of us can't work! You're pretty screwed and I am too, this isn't easy for me-"

I laughed bleakly and ran a hand through my big curls, "Ohh you think this is easy for me? Do you know what I have to go through?"

"My family has fallen apart!" She screamed above the noise of the heavy showers, rain water streaming boldly down her pale face.

"My dad's abusive!" I blurted back, feeling the rain sting my eye.

"I can't even blame your sister for all those things she said because she's right and it hurts, it hurts so bad-" She stopped mid-sentence, coughing out blood.

Holding unto her side as the cough rammed her body, she looked down at her body and slowly let go.

Her hands were covered in blood. Her own blood.

Glancing up one more time, she used her last strength to mutter, "Darnell." It was a mere whisper.

I felt my soul literally walk out of my body like my world had shutdown and come to an utter end. My mind was running here and there yet I didn't know what to do than just stand and behold.

The last time this happened to me was when I watched Max get stabbed multiple times. But this time I wasn't going to remain hiding in the dark.

Her body collapsed straight into my arms.

...

"911! What's the state of your emergency?!" The lady over the receiver said.

"I need an ambulance!" I shouted into the line as the rain came pouring down on us.

"I'm sorry I can't hear you properly."

I repeated my statement and address before I flung my phone away and kept tapping at her cheeks to keep her awake, pressing her body against mine in order to apply pressure on the wound.

"Stay with me, Jo." I kept repeating.

I heard the ambulance wailing in the distance or was it my imagination hoping help was close-by.

It seemed the rain was getting angrier and angrier by the moment as it was not letting on.

Her eyes fluttered and she raised her bloody hand to my cheek, she was too weak to keep her hand on my face so I placed mine over hers.

"Did I ever tell you how beautiful your face looks?" She laughed softly, displaying bloodied teeth as she winced.

Her thumb caressed my face gently as she croaked out, "You're the best... thing th-at has happ-ened to me, th-thank you."

She held my gaze like it was the last time she was going to be able to soak me up. Her dancing blue hazel eyes were glistening despite the darkness.

Then her hand dropped-

-And her eyes closed.

"No, no, no... Jo stay with me..." I eagerly tapped her cheeks.

She didn't respond.

My heart twisted in pain.

I screamed with all my might into the darkness.

The ambulance arrived just then and in seconds they had her saddled up on a gurney as they towed her into the ambulance. I raked my hands through my hair, tugging at it as I watched my world come to an end.

I had lost her.

~THE END!

~ ~ ~
A/N: No this is NOT a joke, OtG has come to an end. One more chapter to go, you know what you call an epilogue just that this one is gonna be longer. Unstoppable by Sia came on while I was nearing the end of this chapter, Marina is a strong girl, she'll fight through this... Maybe. Vote if you loved this chapter and comment how you feel about alladis. See you in sixty three which is THE END.
TheShadyButterfly🦋.