Something Different

Chapter 30

Alex hated leaving Colorado behind. She hated every one bit of it.

She couldn't stop thinking about Lynn. Why, just why, did this have to happen to her? There were so many people out there who didn't deserve to live, yet Lynn was the one who had to leave.

Alex's heart wrung. After all this time, all the years they'd spent together, she was going to go. Forever.

Donna kept her eyes on the road. She wanted to talk to Alex, but that'd only make things worse.

'I know you want to talk, Donna. It's okay, I'm fine.'

'It's alright Alex, I'm okay.'

'My heart would break if Lynn died. I just wouldn't be able to move on.' said Alex, her voice breaking. She stared out of the window.

'I'm so sorry, Alex. No one deserves that. Ever.'

'Yeah, well... we go on. People die, people forget you... but that doesn't affect the rest of the world. They go on. So should we.'

'That's... harsh, but it's true. She's amazing though, I can see why anyone would be friends with her. She's the type of person who'd stick by you your entire life.' said Donna.

'She is, yeah.'

The corners of Alex's eyes were red. She shut her eyes and tried to sleep.

Donna put on some music. 'Stand By Me' started playing.

"When the night has come

And the land is dark

And the moon is the only light we'll see

No I won't be afraid

Oh, I won't be afraid

Just as long as you stand, stand by me"

Alex was holding a picture between her fingers. Donna reached out and took it.

It was a picture of her, around sixteen, with Lynn, who looked so cheerful, healthy and happy, it was hard to believe that it was her.

They were standing on a cliff, with mountains capped with snow behind them. Making silly faces, they grinned at the camera.

Donna couldn't help but smile. If life were as joyful as that one moment, no one would have any worries. The world could collapse, but nothing would affect them.

Donna tucked the photo back into Alex's hands. She started thinking about Julia.

Julia and Donna had been best friends for as long as Donna could remember. They'd done everything together. The first time they went to a water park? They went together. They helped each other get boyfriends. They always partnered up, during P.E, or group projects... anything. Julia was the twin Donna never had.

And all of a sudden, they were nineteen, in college, yelling at each other. Donna called Julia a 'backstabbing bitch' to which Julia retorted, calling her 'a narrow-minded asshole'. Her heart broke all over again.

"Oh stand now, stand by me, stand by me

Whenever you're in trouble won't you stand by me

Oh stand by me, oh won't you stand now, stand

Stand by me..."

The song faded out, just like Julia and Donna's friendship. Something that took years to develop, built on secrets and words they'd have never uttered to anyone else, just over, in a matter of seconds.

As someone once said, every rose has it's thorn.