First And Forever (under reconstruction) (Wattys2018)

Chapter 29: Sophomore Year, Things Go Downhill From Here (edited)

Mystery person POV

She's happy. MY girl is happy. Without me. This will not do, she is my girl. If Liam mended their relationship against my orders, I am never going to let Clair live. She will be my girl, or she will be no one's girl from six feet under.

If I can't have her, no one can. Liam must die!

And if he defiled my girl, Clair must die too to become pure once more!

Clair's POV

I skip down the sidewalk happily, texting Liam. Just like what has happened for the last several weeks, I feel the prickly feeling on the back of my neck usually associated with being watched. I shudder lightly, trying desperately to ignore it before I continue walking. I hear footsteps behind me, Ok this isn't illegal, I mean this is a public sidewalk. Nonetheless, I speed up my steps to a light jog.

The footsteps speed up too, keeping a continually shrinking distance between us. Fuck fuck fuck! I start running, keeping a quick pace. The footsteps start sprinting, catching up to me faster than I thought possible. I light out, using my dormant track skills and all the power packed in my body.

A hand on my shoulder stops me, I scream. I turn around and scream once again, to have a knife plunge into my abdomen and something hard and long thrusts harshly into my nether region.

My scream cuts short, blood bubbles over my lips as the pain consumes my body. My trembling hands grasp the hilt and I almost fall to my knees. The hands gripped in my hair keep me on my feet as one thought loops through my mind. This is my end.

Liam's POV

"NO!" Clair's hands drop to her stomach, blood spilling from her mouth as her attacker continues to violate her wounded body. "CLAIR!" Her killer looks up at me, his eyes demonic as a grin sick with pleasure crawls across his face.

I feel my breath get knocked out of me, the iron fingers of dread curling tightly around my heart as I watch his face in horror. I know who he is!

Liam AND Clair, 3rd person POV

Two teenagers wake up screaming. Identical nightmares, a terrible outcome. The death of Clair, Liam's heartbreak. Similar needs, two windows silently yanked open. The lovers run, running right to each other.

Their pattering feet pound the ground, they run into each other's arms at a middle ground. Liam buries his head in Clair's boyishly feminine smelling curls, taking comfort in her touch as her tears hit his chest.

Neither are dressed very much, Clair in shorts and a tank, Liam in pajama pants with no shirt. Neither care, they just cling to each other for comfort to chase the night terrors away.

Similar fears, teenagers in love. Can this be their end, or is this their beginning?

Clair's POV

I sigh, rubbing my face tiredly. I've been having nightmares for weeks now, all with the same outcome. Either I end up dead and raped, or Liam ends up dead. My insomnia helps me avoid the nightmares for the most part, keeping me up later at night than I'm used to just so I don't have to see these horrid images. Liam doesn't have the same relief I do. He hasn't been kept awake for 13 years. He's constantly sneaking into my room sobbing, or I sneak into his bedroom to comfort his sobbing. Of course, I have cried too, but I need to be strong for him, I need to be his relief. We take solace in each other's presence, we're getting so much closer as a couple than we thought possible. Interrupting my thoughts, a quiet tap on my window catches my attention. I drag my eyes to the sill, mechanically tugging both locks open as I slide my window open, and move away so Liam can slide in silently. He grabs my waist immediately, pulling me tightly to his chest. His face buries in my curls, tears hitting my head in torrents. He's shirtless, dressed only in loose pajama pants. I wrap my arms around his warm, bare flesh, pressing a gentle kiss to the middle of his chest, something I know helps calm him. I know he's still shaken up about the call that threatened my life, but I don't push him to tell me everything. This is our sophomore year now, we're both close to turning 16. This year will be different, I'll make sure.

~Time Lapse~

I walk into school, grinning at my old buddy Sarah. Sarah looks at my worriedly, biting her lip. "Clair, are you ok? You look really really pale, and for you, looking pale is extremely alarming."

I smile slightly, touched at her concern, "I'm fine, Sarah. Just tired. You know how my insomnia and nightmares can be." She nods, not pushing. Due to all the drama we've endured, Liam and I have planned a weekend getaway to escape. My parents think I'm going to a girl scout camp to volunteer all weekend, and Liam's parents think he's going to be hunting with Calvin. We've set up witnesses and everything in case our parents question things too closely, but our alibi is airtight. Pulling out my burner phone, I shoot off a forlorn quick text. "Friday needs to get here already :( I hate being this long without being able to kiss my soldier :'(" Liam instantly responds, "I know Baby, it's killing me too :'( just four more days. You can hold on that long, right? :)" Groaning, I march into my lame ass high school without answering him. Four days can't pass fast enough, and neither can the remaining years of high school.

~4 days later~

"Woo hooooo!" The wind blows my hair from the open window, hitting my face. Liam chuckles at me from the driver's seat, keeping his eyes on the road as he smiles at my antics.

We're going far away to Austin, far enough so no one will know who we are. We hate having to hide like this, but Liam wants to protect me and I'm not going to protest. I love him too much to push him away over something as stupid as him being overprotective.

I mean, be in his shoes. He got a death threat that threatened the elimination of the girl he loves unless he broke her heart.

That would make anyone overprotective. Shaking off these thoughts, I concern myself only with this weekend.

~Time Lapse~

Liam and I have fun. We spend the day swimming and exploring our location, enjoying being able to actually act like a couple. When we get back to the room, we order dinner. We start making out, a dull burning passion between us. Things are heating up, but neither of us stop. I lose my virginity to the one I love early in the morning on the day of my 16th birthday. The panic grips its iron fingers tightly around my heart, but I struggle to not let it show. It hurts when he claims me, but the pain is worth it. Because Liam is worth it. Even as the panic is gripping my body in its iron fist, I know. I know there will never be another in my heart. Liam is the only one I will ever love. In the grey beams of autumn dawn as we lay snuggling, my heart is complete and my soul content. In those grey beams of the dawn, it's just us, we are untouchable and unreachable, we are invincible.

Clair and Liam live on :) whose the mystery person? Will they kill Clair? Only time will tell.

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