Facing the Sea, Spring Warmth and Flowers Blooming
Chapter 1
Ashley’s always been my best friend, but
she’s also a total drama queen.
When we finally became a couple, she faked
a suicide attempt by jumping into the lake.
On our anniversary, she pretended to slash
her wrists.
I knew she was lying every time, but my
fiancé, Chris, always enabled her.
“Come on, Riley, Ashley’s just a kid at heart.
Her parents spoiled her rotten. Just try to be
understanding.”
Then, just as Chris and I were about to get
married, Ashley conveniently produced a fake
cancer diagnosis.
Chris dropped me like a hot potato. He tore
through the city until he found his precious
Ashley, passed out in the arms of some
random dude at a dive bar.
He trashed the place in a rage and swore he
was done with her.
But later, she poured a bucket of ice water
over her head to get his attention, and then
drove like a maniac up to Eagle Point.
He went tearing after her without a second
thought.
I begged him not to go. I told him I’d die if we
<
didn’t get married that night.
He didn’t even look back. “Ashley already
pulled that stunt, Riley. You’re not original.”
That night, he held her as they watched a
spectacular sunrise from Eagle Point.
I spent that night alone and dying in a pool of
blood.
- 1.
The system blared its tenth warning just as
Chris pulled his hand away and ran out the
door.
“Ashley’s being childish, Riley, and you’re
acting like it too? I thought you were mature.
Stop fighting with me, okay? I promise I’ll
bring Ashley back safe, and then we can get
married.”
The sound of the door slamming echoed,
bringing with it a gust of freezing air that
stung my eyes.
Tears welled up and spilled over.
It was always the same excuse. “Her family’s
a mess, and she doesn’t have anyone else.”
So no matter how many times Ashley lied, he
was ready to go running.
And now, one phone call about a midnight
joyride and Ashley had easily snatched him
away from me.
The system in my head was flashing red.
く
[WARNING, HOST. THIS IS YOUR LAST
CHANCE. YOU MUST EXCHANGE RINGS IN
THE CHURCH BEFORE MIDNIGHT TONIGHT,
OR THE SYSTEM WILL TERMINATE YOUR
LIFE ACCORDING TO THE AGREEMENT.]
Chris’s car was already disappearing down
the street.
My hands trembled as I dialed his number, the
pain in my body an oppressive weight on my
chest.
It rang six times before he finally picked up, panting. “What is it?”
“Can we just exchange the rings? Is that
okay?”
I stared at the last sliver of sun on the
<
horizon, trying to calm myself.
“Come to the church, the one we picked out,
before midnight. We can just do the rings.‘
وو
Chris’s voice softened. “Do you really have to
do this right now?”
“Chris, I don’t have any time left…’
وو
“Whoa! Faster, Chris, faster! This is
awesome!”
Ashley’s giddy voice drowned me out.
Chris patiently coaxed her. “Hold on tight.
Don’t fall.”
“Chris, I’m talking to you.”
く
My voice shook, but he just brushed me off.
“Yeah, yeah, I heard you. I’ll be there. Just
wait.”
He probably still thought I was just trying to
copy Ashley.
But it didn’t matter, as long as he went.
As long as he went, I could live.
I put on my wedding dress, grabbed the rings,
and waited in the church.
The moon rose, then disappeared behind the
clouds. I looked at my watch, barely thirty
minutes left, and still no sign of him.
The system’s warning echoed in my head.
The closer it got to midnight, the worse the
pain in my body became.
My hands shook so badly I could barely dial
Chris’s number.
He didn’t answer the first few times, but he
finally picked up on the fifth try.
As soon as the call connected, I heard the
wind roaring in the background.
Then, his voice, impatient. “What now?”
“You promised you’d come.”
My mouth felt like cotton. A coppery tang flooded my throat.
My pure white wedding dress instantly
く
became stained with red.
He still didn’t take me seriously. “Ashley really
needs me right now.”
“But I’m going to die, Chris. I’m running out
of time.”
Blood choked me. Every word felt like shards
of glass scraping my throat.
Chris’s breathing changed. He finally seemed
to realize something was wrong. “Are you
seriously trying to pull this on me again?”
I clutched my phone tighter as blood
splattered across the screen.
Chris was losing his patience. “Riley, do you
really have to compete with Ashley over every
く
little thing? Getting married to you means all
my time is yours, but right now, she’s not
doing well. What, you want her to die? Is a
stupid wedding more important than a
person’s life?”
He called me by my full name. That meant he
was angry.
Didn’t he think it was a little funny?
“Ashley needs some help with her problems,
but why is it always you? Can’t you see what
she’s doing?”
I forced out the words, and my body gave
way beneath me.
“What’s wrong with you?”
r
Chris finally realized something was seriously
wrong.
I lay on the floor.
He didn’t have much patience for me. “Look,
stop messing around. I promise this is the last
time. She said if I spend a few days with her,
she’ll go overseas and start a new life. After
that, no one will bother us, so just be a little
patient.”
“Oh, Chris, you said you’d hang out with me!
What are you doing hiding here talking on the
phone? Stop it!”
The call was cut short.
The pain consumed me.
I stumbled to my purse and spilled an entire
bottle of painkillers into my hand, swallowing
them down.
It wasn’t enough. The pain ripped through me,
burning me alive from the inside out.
I curled up in a ball, shivering.
The countdown in my head kept ticking.
With one minute left, Chris called back.
I thought he was finally here. I grabbed the
phone and hit ‘Accept‘.
“Chris, I’m at…”
“Chris, if I said my last wish was for you to
marry me, would you do it?”
Г
I froze.
Ashley’s voice was thick with tears. “Never
mind, I was just kidding…”
“Sure,” Chris said.
[BEEP-]
[TIME EXPIRED. HOST FAILED TO
COMPLETE THE MISSION. TERMINATION
SEQUENCE INITIATED.]
