My third term was drawing to a close. I felt relieved that I would be recieving a degree soon, but the uncertainty of my future weighed me down. I felt like an extra in a horror movie. You know...the one person that everyone knows is going to die just nobody knows how until its too late.
On a side note, we had a fire at the dorm. One of the Jock's forgot he left the oven on when he went outside to grill burgers. Maybe I should introduce him to Alani.
Kale called regularly he and I both tried to keep it upbeat and light. We both felt the strain of being apart. One day before he hung up he hesitated. "Darling, I hope your still not seeing Kanoa everywhere you go." Kale paused trying to be delicate. "He's not there. I have a private eye keeping tabs on him here. He hasn't left the city since you've been gone." I thanked him and hung up.
I looked at Kyle accusatively. "Why did you tell him about what I saw. If it wasn't real then why tell Kale! Do you want him to think I'm going crazy?" Kyle defended. "No, Holly, but someone needs to prepare him for how-" He cut himself off. "How different you are." I couldn't disagree. I was still seeing things but told Kyle about it less and less. I'm sure if he or Kale knew the extent of what I saw I would be committed.
The day before my graduation I walked downstairs and nearly fell. Kanoa was standing at the bottom of the stairs. This felt so beyond real. I pinched my hand and winced. I was passed the point of utter fear. I just wanted answers.
"What are you doing here?" It was the first sentence I could put together. Kanoa answered. "You will find out soon enough." I bit my lip trying to stare past him. "Are you...real, I mean here?" He thought about it and I saw a similiar amusement that Kale sometimes expressed. It made me shudder now. "Does it really matter are this point?" He asked. "Well, as long as we agree is doesn't matter I think I'll just....KYLE!!!!! KYLE GET DOWN HERE!" I couldn't help shouting. Kanoa was actually talking this time, thus it couldn't be a hallucination. I turned to the dining hall as Kyle ran in.
Much to my dismay, the talking Kanoa had disappeared. "He was here, Kyle, I swear and he was talking to me! Talking, Kyle!" Kyle snapped at me. "You have ONE day left on campus...one day! Tomorrow you graduate and I don't want to hear another word about a talking Kanoa that only you can see! Kale is feeding into this irrational fear of yours and I am putting a stop to it starting now!"
I stared at him, for the first time really feeling angry towards him. "Not a thing." I said it with enough conviction to convince myself of this, and turned and walked up stairs.
The next evening I graduated! It felt so great getting my degree after all my hard work and time away from Kale. More than that I was thrilled that Kale would be here soon! I took a picture with our mascot and sent it to Tammy, who wasn't able to make it.
I threw myself into Kales arms when he arrived. And I cried. Alot. I couldn't help it. I had been putting off thinking about going home for so long and now that it was time to go home I was scared. Scared for me, scared for Kale, and just hoping we would actually be able to get married.
Kale held Holly and realized how little Kyle had told him about Holly's state of being. She was scared that much was certain. Kale could feel her trembling and felt furious with his brother. Today should have been a happy event and Holly was crying like she was at a funeral. He tried his best to soothe her. Unfortunately, he had to fly back to the city due to a crisis with the club. Holly wasn't ready to go and agreed to let Kyle drive her back. Kale kissed her forehead once more. "I promise you, we will get through this. If we have to leave everything and start over somewhere far away we will, okay?" Holly was still sniffling but agreed. Kale didn't want to leave but had to, to make his flight. He shot Kyle a look. "Take care of her please." With that, he pulled himself away from the woman he loved to hurry back to a city he was beginning to distain.
Kyle watched Holly crying and felt remorse for his attitude of yesterday. He coughed. "Holly why don't we pack up tonight and leave? Alot of the graduates already left." Holly shook her head. "No, I just need one more night here to think." Kyle was about to say something else, when he saw a friend. "I'll be right back." Kyle talked to his friend less than five minutes when he got a bad feeling in his gut. He turned to where Holly had been and saw her graduation gown in a heap. This was not good.
Kyle scooped up the gown and put it in his backpack. He knew that Holly had worn casual clothes underneath her gown, along with her favorite jacket. He looked every which way trying to figure out where she had gone. He spotted a supermarket down the road. If something, anything happened to her...Kyle forced himself not to think that way.
Holly was standing in front of the supermarket. Kyle,out of breath, saw the moving van before anyone else did."HOLLY LOOK OUT!" He screamed as loud as his burning lungs would allow him.
Tires screeched as the vehicle took off leaving a crowd gaping in disbelief at the crumpled woman on the ground.
As Kyle reached her he stopped running. He stood very still watching for any sign of breathing. People were already calling emergency numbers. Kyle could hear the sirens in the distance. He felt like he was underwater. Kyle had been trusted to protect his sister and he had failed.
Kyle pulled out his phone and somehow was able to make sense of the numbers and call Kale. Kale answered on the first ring. "Hello?" Kyle swallowed, holding back tears, trying to complete a rational sentence. "Holly was hit by a van." Kyle fell to his knees as he realized his only sibling might be dead. And it was his fault.
End of Part 2
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