“Get in the car, Aurelia,” Daniel shouted from the passenger seat, stepping out and slamming the door behind him.
“I’d rather lose you forever… than watch you pretend you’re happy for the rest of your life.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “Give me one more,” her voice shaking.
“He isn’t the one you love.”
Daniel grabbed her hand. She cried openly now, but he pushed her toward the car. I stepped forward, and she tore free from his grip, running straight into me.
I caught her, pulling her against my chest.
“Who is it that I love?” she asked, her eyes searching for mine, desperate for something real.
“Me,” I said. The word caught in my throat as my hands framed her face.
She nodded.
I was looking at her when Daniel hit me. His fist hit my jaw, snapping my head to the side. I stumbled back, dropping to the ground as my hand flew to my face.
“Get in the fucking car,” Daniel snapped, shoving her inside and slamming the door.
By the time I pushed myself back up, he was already pulling away.
I ran to my red Cadillac and slid inside, turning the engine over with shaking hands. My head spun from the hit, but I slammed my foot on the gas, chasing after them.
I flashed my lights, urging him to stop, but he swerved ahead, ignoring me.
Then he sped up, trying to lose me.
My thoughts started to race faster than the road beneath me.
What if I lose her. What if this time… I really lost her.
I flashed the lights again as the last warning. But instead of stopping, he swerved toward me. I slammed the brakes to keep us from going over the cliff, but he did the opposite. He sped up. Both cars swerved and went over the edge.
Everything happened too fast. Through the window, I caught his car spinning and twisting in the air. And instead of thinking about how to get out, only one thought kept coming to my mind. This was all my fault.
The first impact crushed against the cliff, flipping me onto the roof. His car spun once more before disappearing into the ocean below.
I tried to push the car door. It wouldn’t budge. Panic clawed up my throat. I kicked the glass until it cracked and tore the seatbelt off, dragging myself out.
“Fuck,” I said, stumbling down toward the ocean.
I had to get to her. Nothing else mattered. No one else mattered. My morals had never been clean anyway.
I jumped in without a second thought. The cold water felt like sharp knives, stealing the breath from my lungs, but I forced myself under. It was dark, almost black, but the car lights guided me down just before they shut down completely.
I broke the surface for a quick breath, then dove in again, swimming to the car. Her dad was at the window, slamming his fists against the glass. He saw me and pointed toward her.
She was still inside.
My breath was running out, but the rush in my veins kept me moving. Her window was barely open. I grabbed it, trying to force it down, but the pressure of the water fought me, holding it in place.
I couldn’t get it open.
I was going to lose her.It was the only thing I could think about.
I shoved my hand through the gap until I caught the lock and yanked it up. With pressure, the window gave in and slid down.
