Chapter Eight

Inseperable Souls

The wind was whipping past her like bullets and gunfire. She couldn't scream. She couldn't cry. She just trembled as she ran away and the pouring rain drenched her face.

I cannot do this...not again... a voice inside of her screamed.

Nothing is worth the pain you went through...not worth doing it again... the voice solemly stated.

Go home...where you belong! Where Aiden is not... she heard the voice hiss at her.

Aiden will continue...just like Chad did. You remember don't you? Crystal stopped by the edge of a steep cliff and fell to the ground, sobbing. The knapsack fell with a loud thud beside her.

Chad showed you no respect...but you loved him...just like you love Aiden... the voice slithered through her ears and faded into her thoughts.

Crystal bowed her head and covered it with her arms as she wept. "I cannot let myself become vulnerable again!" she demanded out to the voice.

Very nice...you are sharp...aren't you?

With a wave of more tears, Crystal kept her head lowered in the grass that she lay in.

You do not need this stress...if you go home, you will be welcomed...and you will be safe from all that make you uncomfortable...you will have a family again...

Crystal raised her head sternly, "What if I don't want my family. The only 'family' I have ever known was not a family at all, just a bunch of people living together in the same house. There was no love. There was never a happy memory of celebration, or parties. Never hugs, nor home made cookies. Nothing that a child would want was there. Never was there a smile, or a friendly person to talk to."

...but...eh...With Chad out of the way, you can leave Aiden and avoid men all together...who needs men anyway, eh? the voice hissed. It seemed that the once confident voice was now become more timid and unsure.

"How would I leave? I cannot just find a portal, or can I?" Crystal asked and peered through the rain.

I could assist you in finding that portal... said the voice severely with a slight chuckle at the end.

"You promise that I will never be used again like I was..." then Crystal raised her head farther to look out. A figure was coming up the path. "...almost this time..."

The voice quieted for a few minutes and then shouted, It is a trap...He will try to kill you this time...

Crystal shook her head and stood up. "I am not sure who you are but you don't know Jack!," she screamed back at him. "He came to find me. If he hated me he would've forgotten about me."

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Aiden ran as fast as he could towards her, a tear streamed down his cheek and he wiped it before she saw. When he was close enough, he shouted to her, "Having a fight with yourself, I see! Next time you want to be alone to think about leaving me, don't shout and scream at the top of your lungs so that all can hear you."

Crystal smiled and ran up to him. When they reached eachother, Aiden held onto her hands firmly and looked her straight in the eyes.

"It was my fault. I shouldn't have rushed things. I went too far that time..." he began to studder a bit with nervousness and glanced away from her stare, embarrassed at his loss of words.

"What I am trying to say is that I would never want you to feel uncomfortable like that and I am sorry for doing so." Aiden explained the best way that he could.

Crystal shook her head and stared into his eyes. "I am to blame...I just had trouble forgetting some things..."

With a comforting smile, Aiden reached into his pocket and pulled out Crystal's diary. Crystal grinned at the sight of it when suddenly, a flower fell out of it.

"What's this?" Aiden said as he let go of one of Crystal's hands and crouched down to pick it up.

"Oh! That is one of the flowers you gave me the day after we met. I dried it and put it in my diary to keep. You know, if you dry flowers you can keep them forever?" Crystal explained.

Aiden twirled the dried flower while thinking. "That is interesting! But, what if the flower was new?" he said, released his other hand from Crystal's grip. With his free hand, he waved his hand around the dried flower and a new living flower of the same kind appeared into his other hand. He put the dried flower back inside the diary.

"Amazing," Crystal said and gazed at the new flower. She marveled at how perfect it was down to the last petal.

"This, is another gift," Aiden said and moved back some of Crystal's long brown hair. Gently, he placed the flower behind her ear. "Beautiful," he said confidently.

Crystal beamed at him and moved to give him a peck on the cheek.

He caught her and their lips met as they exchanged kisses. Nothing could be more perfect...they thought.

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