Well... this is my first fic in FictionPress, and I hope this garners at least 2 reviews. 0.0 XD I wrote this for my school magazine, and since I was bored, I decided to post it up online. XD Call me Fuji. Don' t forget to leave me a review!! Cause if you do, you'll get a cookie!! -brandishes a handful of chocolate chip cookies-

Amidst Tears

by tennis-tensai

-x-

They were sitting together at a bench in a quiet park. The sun was setting; the sky was filled with all sorts of vibrant colors... colors of their love. Her head was resting on his shoulder, her eyes closed. The scene was too perfect, too unreal... but with him, anything was possible, wasn't it? She smiled as he laid a hand on her head.

"Darren?"

"What is it?"

"I love you." She could picture his smile, lightly teasing.

"Me too... just don't act like a robot, that's all." Chuckling, he pulled her into a warm embrace. "I love you..."

The bright glare of the headlights, the sound of tyres screeching...

And the crash.

The sickening crunch of bones breaking as he pushed her from harm's way.

"DARREN!!!" The raw pain in her scream attracted some passersby. She had wounded her head from her head hitting the sidewalk, but she didn't care. Desperately, she ran to the body. Blood was splattered everywhere, and her blood mingled with his... the last thing she and he would share. His eyes were closed; faintly, she realized that they would never open again. She slumped to the ground, eyes tearing.

She woke suddenly from her fitful sleep. Her eyes were wet with tears.

"... Darren..." She wept into her pillow.

Claire Edwards emerged from her room, her eyes red and puffy. Her brother, Andrew, was sitting on the small dining table. They were both orphans; Andrew had worked hard to send Claire to school. That was why Claire was so serious in her studies.

Darren had said that she studied too much, even comparing her head to a calculator.

Andrew frowned. "You've been dreaming of Darren again?"

Claire smiled languidly. "...yeah..."

Her brother sighed. "Why can't you let him go, Claire?"

Claire's eyes watered. "Because I loved him... and I always will." She grabbed her schoolbag and headed for the door.

"No breakfast?" Andrew called worriedly.

"... I'm not hungry." Claire slammed the door behind her. She shut her eyes as tears leaked out of them. Nearly a year had passed since Darren's death, yet she couldn't forget him. She never expected to, really, but she knew how worried her brother and her friends were when it came to her. She had tried to commit suicide once, but she had realized that Darren had gave up his life to protect her... he wouldn't be happy if she just took her life like that, would he?

Of course he wouldn't.

Claire smiled slightly. Amidst her tears, she had found a will to live. Darren would have been very proud.

Slowly, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a pendant. It was of an angel holding a heart. It was made of 18-karat gold; Darren had given it to her on her last birthday, her 16th birthday.

He had said the angel had reminded him of her...

She ran her hands over the fine wording sculptured on the heart. She had memorized the words.

Darren and Claire forever.

A sincere smile graced Claire's face as she touched the pendant lovingly before stowing it back into her pocket.

I love you, Darren... and I'll live for you. Try what you never tried; do things you never had the time to do... because a part of you would always remain in me forever.

Wiping her tears away, she started to her school with renewed spirit.

-Owari-

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