I looked at the corner, and found that Ben
had come.
He was looking at Chloe, and said, “When you watched my mom get sick, why didn’t you save her?”
“When you had people kill Ashley, did you not
Join the bookshelf
<
think that she didn’t want to die?”
“Chloe, you have to pay for your actions. How
can you want to live?”
Chloe started to cry. “So, the wedding, was it fake? You made me happy, then let me fall, just for revenge?”
Ben smiled.
Chloe’s hope disappeared. She started laughing. “Even if you get revenge, Ashley isn’t coming back. She’s dead.”
“I forgot to tell you that before she died, she wanted to tell you the truth. But the car
Join the bookshelf
<
accident took her away.”
“And what were you doing? You were
sleeping with another woman.‘
I felt sick, and wanted to throw up.
I couldn’t do anything.
Frank wanted to pat my back, but his hand
went through my body.
“He’s not worth it.”
He wasn’t.
I was in too deep.
Join the bookshelf
L
I saw Chloe’s ending, and I felt light.
After leaving the court, Frank looked at me,
with sadness and understanding.
He teared up, and his voice was shaking.
“Ashley, I’ll take you to the ocean.”
I looked at my feet, and I was transparent.
I smiled. “Okay.”
The car was fast, and the images outside flashed by.
Frank gritted his teeth.
Join the bookshelf
<
He was stressed, and his eyes were focused
on the road.
I wanted to tell him that he didn’t need to
speed, and that I wasn’t in a rush.
Frank heard me, and slowed down.
He smiled. “Almost there, Ashley. Are you
scared?”
His eyes had an emotion that I couldn’t
understand.
I shook my head.
Frank smiled. “That’s good. Next life, don’t
Join the bookshelf
L
hurt yourself like that.”
I paused, and opened my mouth to say,
“Okay.”
The car stopped at the beach.
Frank didn’t want to leave the car.
He held the steering wheel, and his hands
were shaking.
We knew that we would be separated after
leaving the car.
I touched the back of his hand. I knew he
couldn’t feel it, but I still wanted to do it.
Join the bookshelf
<
Frank smiled. “Let’s get out.”
He took off the necklace.
The necklace had a glass bottle, that had my
ashes in it.
Frank and I walked on the beach.
He put his hands in his pockets, and smiled.
I watched the transparent parts get bigger, and I stopped at the rocks.
“Here?”
I nodded.
<
“Okay, here.”
Frank opened the glass bottle, and poured the
ashes into his hand.
Then, he threw it into the ocean.
He shouted, “Go on Ashley, you’re free.”
The wind blew, and took my ashes into the
ocean.
Frank and I smiled.
I was free.
“Frank!”
Join the bookshelf
“Frank!”
Ben shouted.
Ben ran toward me, with tears in his eyes.
“Frank, give me back Ashley’s ashes. Please, give her back to me.”
I had seen Ben at the court.
Now, I found out how tired he was.
The dark circles looked like he hadn’t slept in
days, and his eyes were red.
He looked like he came from the hospital.
Join the bookshelf
く
“Frank, did you pour Ashley’s ashes into the
ocean? Did you lose her?”
Frank punched Ben, and said, “You lost her,
Ben.”
“Aren’t you marrying Chloe?”
“You hate Ashley? Why are you acting loving
now?”
Ben coughed. “I wasn’t marrying Chloe. I just
wanted to make Ashley angry.”
“Angry? You used a wedding to anger your
wife.”
“You’re so disaustina.”
Join the bookshelf
<
“You’re so disgusting.”
Ben couldn’t say anything.
Even if the wedding was a plan to get
revenge on Chloe, he was thinking about it.
If I wasn’t dead, I would have been
heartbroken from that wedding.
Ben laid on the beach, saying my name.
I felt myself fading away.
Frank punched Ben twice.
Then, he turned to look at me.
Join the bookshelf
<
He was saying goodbye.
I smiled, and Frank smiled.
He laughed.
Ben heard him.
Ben looked at me, but he couldn’t see anything.
He pushed Frank away, and asked, “Can you see Ashley?”
“Where is she?”
く
Tell me!
He was looking around.
Frank laughed. “Yes, I can see her.”
“I could see her since you ran to my house
looking for her. She was with you, didn’t you find out?”
Ben was confused.
He stared at Frank.
Frank said, “She was at your wedding.”
“When you poured her ashes, she was there.”
Join the bookshelf
<
“Ben, you did everything, and Ashley saw it.”
Ben was shocked.
“Where is she?”
Frank pointed to me.
“She’s there, but she’s leaving. You won’t see
her.”
“Ashley left one last word.”
“She hates you, and she regrets meeting you.”
Frank looked at me. I never said that, but I
Join the bookshelf
<
you.”
Frank looked at me. I never said that, but I
didn’t mind.
I knew he wanted to get revenge for me.
I smiled, and looked at Frank.
Frank, I hope you’ll be safe.
We won’t meet again.
My last glance saw Ben shouting my name,
and running into the ocean.
Frank sat on the beach.