Breaking the News

Chapter 20 of Love from Above

Jeremy’s Point of View

 

You know that old saying, ‘It’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all’? Well, I can tell you right now, that is utter bullshit.

 

I sprint blindly through the forest, tears stinging in my eyes, trying to block out the burning in my chest and the sobs trying to claw their way up my throat. Without thinking, I alter my course slightly so I’m heading to Kelsey’s house instead of my own. I pay no attention to the growing number of lacerations on my arms due to the thorn bushes I crash through. Finally, I break through the trees and jog up to her front door as the sky suddenly opens up and the rain soaks me. I pound on the door, breathing heavily, and Janie soon opens it.

 

“Oh my God, Jeremy! Come in,” she says after one look at my torn, wet clothes and bloody arms. She wraps me in a blanket and gets to work cleaning my wounds with a first aid kit she pulled out of a drawer in the coffee table. I cling to the blanket that holds Kelsey’s scent feeling my grief thrash inside of me.

 

“What happened?” Libby asks intently, kneeling on the floor in front of me.

 

“My father took a search party down to the airport because he found out Kelsey would be there. He must have gone through my phone when she texted to meet her there. He let loose a bunch of bloodhounds to find her. They cornered her and... and one of the dogs knocked her over the cliff. My father said... he said there’s no chance she survived,” I explain, my voice breaking. Janie and Libby share a long look. It wasn’t exactly a look that said they were grieving the loss of their best friend. My mind reels and I want to scream at them ‘Don’t you even care that she’s dead?’ but I know it wouldn’t do me any good, and I shouldn’t take out my frustrations on them. Their reaction makes me skeptical if they know something I don't, but my fried senses can't even begin to put the pieces together. I take a deep, ragged breath.

 

“Anyway,” I say, dropping the now damp blanket onto the couch. “I just wanted to tell you the news, and that I'm sorry I couldn't save her." Janie opens her mouth, I'm sure to tell me it’s not my fault, but I hold up a hand to stop her, not wanting to hear the lie. "Also, I’m leaving with my parents tonight, dad got a promotion out of state. I had been trying to make a case to stay, but now I'm not sure I can. I’ll miss you both.” I say in a dead voice, devoid of any emotion. I hug each of them in turn, and walk away from my happiness.

 

***

 

I practically pole vault (minus the pole) over the fence into the back yard and run into the front room of our house. Janie is packing up the first aid kit and Libby is gathering a sodden blanket from the couch.

 

“What happened?” I say, out of breath.

 

“Jeremy came by. He told us you fell off a cliff. Obviously, we knew you just flew out of there. He, however, thinks you’re dead,” Janie says in a monotone. I look at Libby in dismay, she meets my eyes for a moment, her expression appearing stricken.

 

“He’s leaving with his parents, tonight. They’re probably already almost to the Monterey airport by now,” Libby says, looking away from the pain in my eyes.

 

“No! I have to stop him!” I say, lunging for the keys to Libby’s purple Mustang, the fastest of our three cars.

 

“Kelsey, they all think you’re dead. What are you going to do when Jeremy’s dad sees you?” Janie says, snatching the keys before I have a chance to.

 

“So, I got lucky. It’s not that hard to believe I miraculously survived,” I say, trying to take the keys from her.  

 

Janie continues to hold them just out of reach. “You're insane if you think we're not coming with you.” She looks at me incredulously, seeming insulted I would even suggest going alone. Tears well in my eyes and I crush them both into a quick hug. “Besides, you won’t have time if you try to park.”