This was written by Terra.

Tomorrow – Chapter 11: Closure

I stared at Jason blankly and, before I could stop myself, words came tumbling from my mouth, “Excuse me?”

“Oh, you heard me, Crystal. Quit being a brat. You’re not fifteen anymore.” Jason sneered.

“You’re only sore because I proved you wrong about being there for me. I was right and now you’re angry.”

“Shut up and apologize.”

“Touchy,” I taunted. “How can I shut up and apologize at the same time? Apologizing requires one to use one’s voice and shutting up means the exact opposite.” I took a step towards him. “Are you sad? Is your ego hurt because I proved you wrong? What’s wrong?” He grabbed my wrist, but I pulled it away from him. “Don’t touch me.” I hissed as his eyes widened. “Jason, just leave me alone. I don’t need you, so just wait until we’re married to annoy me.” I turned away from him.

“Well, what if I don’t want to marry you anymore?” He was baiting me.

“Then, just leave me alone. Makes it that much easier for me.” I started up the stairs and I could feel Jason’s anger climbing after me. Entering my room, my eyes fell onto the figure of my cousin. I shut the door as he turned to me, his green eyes reflecting the sadness that everyone seemed to show around me. I took a seat on the armchair, watching him as he watched me.

“And what are you trying to accomplish with this new attitude?” His voice barely above a whisper. “Are you trying to break off everything? My mum knows of all the estates. You can’t run away after graduation. You can’t use this as closure, especially if we’re not going to accept it.” He fumbled with his cell phone as he spoke. “I know you, Crystal. This is how you want things to end. On a bad foot, so no one will look for you once you leave. Well, guess what? I will and you know you can’t go hide in one of the estates. Also, you love open spaces too much to live in a normal house.” He leaned forward, his eyes all knowing. “So…am I right or wrong?”

I didn’t’ answer for a while and I saw a smirk develop on his face as a result of it. “You’re right,” I stared as his smirk grew, “but, you’re wrong.” His smile dropped. “I’m not trying to do closure for you, but rather, get you away from me. I care not whether you contact me when I don’t want to be, but then again, I could just turn off the phone or shut the door. I need all of you to stop breathing down on my neck and if the only way is to shut you off from everything, then fine. I’ll just deal with it. It’s my problem, whether or not I care about it.” I looked at him, a smirk developing on my face as his disappeared. “I did do this for me and I did do this so that you will all leave me alone, but I did not do this for closure.”

Zac stood up and started towards me. “Crystal–”

I sat rigidly and stared at him. “Do not touch me, Zachary.”

He flinched back, but continued forward. “Be reasonable. Do you think that we will desert you?”

I slapped away his hand that reached to ruffle my hair. “Everyone else has. And I believe you all will too. Why should I believe otherwise? Because you love me?” I pushed him back and onto the couch as the door opened. “Lynne. I assuming you heard everything then?”

She shut the door, fully entering the room. “Oh Crystal, why do you even try? Why can’t you just let people take care of you like normal people?” Lynne sat down on my bed, keeping the distance away from me. Her blue eyes flashed dangerously as I shifted in my seat to get comfortable for her lecture. Zac glanced from his mother to me, anxiety growing in him. “Are you going to run?” She asked, raising an eyebrow at me with a smug expression.

I smirked. “No, go ahead and start your lecture. GO ahead and waste your breath. See if I care.”

“Well, I’ve said what I’ve wanted to say. I didn’t’ want to hide if from you, but yes, I kept it from you because I didn’t think that you needed another reason to hate me. I thought I would be better for you, but obviously you though different.” She peered into my eyes, trying to drag an emotion from me. “I care for you. You’re my niece and I want to–”

“Try and help me to lessen the guilt you feel for not being able to help my mother.”

There were two sharp intakes of air from my relatives.

I stared at my aunt, her eyes full of horror and surprise. “Am I right? You try to help me to help yourself. You see me as you see my mother. You believe helping me will help my mother and lead me from the path that she had gone. You think that helping me will keep me safe and reciprocate to the help you were supposed to give my mother.” My voice was cold sounding to even my own ears. “Am I right?”

Lynne’s body trembled as Zac leapt from his seat. “Now, Crystal, don–”

“Zachary, sit down or leave.” I said as he fell back into the couch. “This is between your mother and me. If you don’t want to hear, go ahead and leave.” I watched as my aunt shifted in her seat, uncomfortable with my question and my gaze. “Lynne, am I right? If you help me, your sin against my mother disappears. Is that right or am I completely wrong?”

“No, you’re wrong.”

“Are you just saying that? Because I can see you lying straight through your teeth.”

“And what do you mean by that? Are you saying that because your conscious is guilty and that believe this will justify your actions?”

“That makes no sense.” I said blankly. “You make no sense now. Are you now stuck in a corner?”

“Crystal–”

“Tell me, Lynne, is this you trying to fight your way out of a corner? Can you find your way out or no?” I got off the armchair and walked towards the balcony. “It won’t make me angry, but I have a feeling that once you admit it, then you’ll be angry.” I opened the balcony doors as the light from the setting sun hit my face. I shut my eyes as the breeze blew at my hair.

“Crystal…” Lynne whispered, so softly I thought I was imagining it. “I’m sorry.”

I heard the door open and close before I shut the balcony door and sat down, resting my back against the bars of the balcony. I distantly heard voices speaking as well as car engines being turned on. The conversations didn’t register in my head, but rather it was garbled, bubbling along like a babbling creek. I faintly heard my name, but I threw it off, lying down on the balcony. I heard my cell phone ringing in my room, but I didn’t move to turn it off. I don’t even remember turning it on ring. Closing my eyes, I heard two male voices below me, their conversation floating upward to me. I could hear my name being tossed around again before I got up and went back into my room. I was back in the dark as Lynne turned the light off. I sat in my bed, staring blankly at the general direction of the door. The door opened several minutes later, flooding the room with light as Jason stood in the doorway, his hand on the doorknob. He stared at me pitifully before taking a step towards me.

“Don’t. Just stay away.”

Jason froze, his blue eyes in bewilderment, but took another step towards me again.

“Jason, get out. Just go back with your mother. You already said how you feel, so I sure as hell won’t make you stay any longer.”

“I didn–”

“I don’t frankly care. I didn’t care about the marriage and you don’t want to, so obviously, the marriage is off.” I said, falling onto my back.

“Are you sure about that?” He paused, but I didn’t respond. He already knew my answer so there was no reason to ask. “Fine, I’ll leave once the year is over. I’ll go back to New York.”

“Go right on ahead.” I heard the door slam shut as I turned onto my side. That’s how I spent the rest of my senior year, which wasn’t much to begin with. I sat in my room, poring over my mother’s old journals. I withdrew from the martial arts school much to the disappointment of Charlie and Dustin hasn’t bothered me since. Andrew and Sabrina have stopped calling me to their office or desk and I appreciated it. Days passed without any trouble and soon I had to face my mother’s death day. Jason gave me a wistful look over dinner the night before I my mother’s death day, but I excused myself, retreating to my room. I didn’t bother to get ready for bed as I crawled up into a ball and fell asleep. I awoke about two hours later, the clock glowing beside me. The house was silent as I turned over on my side.

There was a shuffle in the corner of my room. I narrowed my eyes. No one should be able to get onto my estate. I stayed still, listening to the other presence in my room. It was a male by his footsteps as he approached my bed. When he was within arm’s reach, I moved my arm, ramming it into his stomach as I got up from my bed. I knew who it was. My voice escaped my lips as I punched the intruder. I felt his body slump over as I kicked his head. The lights flooded the room, revealing the deformed figure of Jonathon, no longer breathing. I looked at the door, where Jason looked at Jonathon in horror before ushering me out of the room. I didn’t resist his efforts as the police flooded my house. As they brought the body out of the house, I whispered to myself, “I’m free.” I blacked out soon afterwards on the couch.

I woke up the next day and changed before preparing a bouquet of lilies for the grave. I drove myself to the gravesite and sat down beside her tombstone after laying the lilies on top. I traced the words on the tombstone as I spoke to my mother’s grave. I was going to get my high school diploma in December, all my credits were fulfilled and Andrew allowed me to graduate early. I was going to leave in several weeks. I was going to Italy, where I was building a small villa for myself. I would not be returning for several years. I hadn’t said a word to anyone, but I knew they were already aware that I was leaving. I didn’t cry that day as I stayed at the grave until sunset. I went back to my estate and let the bodyguards leave, seeing as the threat was gone. Jason stared at me as I walked up the stairs, I already knew that they had a meeting at my house today.

I received my diploma and left my estate the same day. I flew to Italy and stayed in my villa, beginning the new life that my mother had wanted me to. It was ironic that my father had come on the night of mother’s death day, almost as if wanting to die the same day my mother died. I stood on the balcony, staring at the ocean waves crashing onto the shore. I had disconnected my cell phone, retrieving a new one once I landed. E-mails flooded my account as I read them before sending them an e-mail stating the same thing. I’ve left because it’s time to start over. Don’t look for me. I won’t come back. Zac was angry, but I didn’t care. I retreated into my villa and went downstairs, getting a cup of coffee for myself. As I walked back upstairs, I could feel my past letting me go. There was no reason to return to America. Jason and I were no longer engaged. Everyone knew that I was okay and would not be returning. I had nothing left in America other than my estates and my memories. I smiled to myself as I returned to the balcony. “I’m free forever…”

I know it’s been a long time since I update, but I seriously had no more interest in this story anymore. And before you ask, yes this was the original way that I was going to end the story. There was no lovey-dovey happy ending. There was just the freedom of a girl who was trapped by her past. Anyway, I’m pretty sure people are going to hate this ending, but it’s my story. Thank you for reading.

06.10.08