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❝Love is Not Over❞

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【Ulysses】

My head hurt.

It always did every time I had that dream.

Cole and Pink just left not too long ago then as I was pouring my coffee on a mug.

Adelaide stood up from the couch and walked up to me. She wrinkled her nose slightly. "You drink coffee?" 

I took a sip and let out a sigh, not answering her obvious statement-question.

"Hey."

I glanced at the window in the kitchen, feeling the warm steam of the coffee. It was summer, so it just made everything feel hotter, but I could care less then.

"Hey!" Adelaide yelled. 

I narrowed my eyes and glared at her. "What do you want?!"

She glared back. "I'm talking to you!"

"JUST SCREW OFF!" I slammed down my mug against the wooden table and stormed past her, bumping her shoulder in the process. I then clicked open the door to the outside of the cabin and exited, shutting it behind me loudly.

I walked away fast from the cabin, pondering on my own thoughts.

Why am I like this?

That dream always torments me.

Please.

Just leave me...

"ULYSSES, YOU STRAWBERRY HEADASS!" Adelaide yelled from the porch of our cabin, catching the attention of a few nearby campers.

Crazy girl.

I bolted.

After only a few strides, a hand held a firm grip on my arm. 

I jumped back at the sudden contact yet she still held it. I looked at her, wide-eyed. "What? Are you crazy?"

"O-Obviously," She looked right at me, which caught me a little by surprise. Her heliotrope eyes pierced my silver ones as she tried to catch her breath. "If I.. If I have to be crazy to get your stupid head back to your neck, then yes."

I looked down at her hand, which was still holding unto my arm. She looked at it and immediately let go.

I let out a sigh as a few campers muttered whispers and gave stares. "You're so problematic."

Adelaide opened her mouth to say something but I waved it off and started walking away again, though at a normal pace. I wanted to get away somewhere quiet. Somewhere isolated, perhaps. I don't usually mind people looking at me since I got used to it, but right then, I just wanted tranquility.

Adelaide caught up and walked beside me. She looked at me up and down. "So?"

I didn't look at her. "So?"

"Are you going to be telling me the exciting story about why you're being such a moody mysterious guy today?"

I frowned at her and she held her hands up. "Okay, seriously."

We were nearing a set of swings, all in which were tied to the branches of the trees. I took one swing and sat on it as Adelaide sat on the one beside mine. 

I scanned the area around us. There were few people from a distance, all who were busy preparing for the ceremony. I watched wistfully as a staff—a woman in about her late 30's—helped a young camper, who looked about five years old, with his shirt. 

"My mom," I hesitated. I glanced at Adelaide but she stared right ahead, waiting for me to continue. Let's get this over with. I bit my lip and continued. "She was a bright soul. She was passionate. She took care of me when my dad couldn't."

"Why do you say these in past tense?" Adelaide asked. When I didn't answer, a look of realization dawned on her face. "Oh.."

"After that... that day, my dad just lost himself," I took a breath. "I got into a huge fight with him—more screaming and thrashing around from me, honestly. My aunt found out our situation and so she took me in. My dad didn't even try to oppose to it. He just watched me as I packed my things and as I was driven away by that taxi."  

Adelaide stared at the tips of her fingers. "So... You're living with Pink and your aunt, not because of vacation..."

"Yeah," I continued. "I'm in the house for good, and I'm doing this whole camp thing mostly to try to get my head cleared from these things."

"So, is that why you're so angry?" 

I looked away. "I just have dreams about her. The same dream every time—how I could've saved her, how I could've stopped it all. But it all just ends the same. She's dead, and that can't be undone."

"And that brings you back to your whole situation with your dad too." Adelaide looked at me as I looked back at her. 

Her eyes seemed a darker shade in color then. The way her bangs fell, slightly covering her eyes, reminded me of my mom. The way she looked at me straight in the eyes—reminded me of my mom. Her strong and firm attitude reminded me of her.

All that just made me resent Adelaide a little, as much as I hated to feel like that. It hurt to look at her. From how we met, I knew she this girl gave me such a familiar vibe.

I nodded, not really able to say anything. Something inside me began to well up. I stood up and dusted my shorts. "Thanks for not apologizing."

Adelaide raised an eyebrow. "For?"

"I hate it when people say that they're sorry whenever someone dies. It just doesn't feel genuine. To me, at least." I said bitterly.

She nodded as she got up. "Oh, you tell me about it."

Normally, I would have felt really embarrassed for talking about things like these—for opening up. I never told anyone. Not even my friends back in my old school. The thought just didn't sit well to me. It felt more like a burden if I tell them, than to feel any slightest bit of comfort within me.

But Adelaide gave me a sense of comfort, somehow.

Maybe it helped that I didn't know her so well. Maybe it helped that she was a sarcastic and straightforward person.

Maybe the fact that some traits of her reminds me of my mom, helped. Because my mom was comfortable enough for me to tell her such things.

But the way they each give me comfort were both different.

Just like how they're two different people.

"Adelaide," I muttered without thinking.

"Hey, look." She tugged on my shirt. "It's Pink and Cole!"

Not too far from where we were, Pink and Cole were strolling by. They both saw us and waved. Adelaide waved back. I just stared straight ahead.

"Attention, campers!"

The sound came from everywhere. Speakers, it seemed. Everyone around us looked around.

"The ceremony will begin in five minutes. Everyone, please gather at the camp circle!"

"Well?" Adelaide looked at me, a smile on her face. "Let's get going."

"But..."

"No buts," She grabbed my hand and started walking towards where Pink and Cole were.

A slight feeling of disappointment and irritation shot up my chest.

I just stared at the back of her head as we walked. Then suddenly, the grip of her hand on my hand tightened. "Love is not over... even after death."

"If death did us part..." She turned her head slightly. "... We'll just stand by each other closer." 

She lifted her other hand and placed it on her chest. "In here."

With that, we both continued walking silently.

But inside, I felt so warm. 

Her words were comforting,

And they sounded so familiar.

Too familiar.

Somehow, I felt like I've had this same conversation with someone years ago.

And I'm sure it wasn't my mom.

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