Aspen
My father won’t stop yelling. I chose right, I honored my commitment to the guy who loves me. And yet, now that we're alone in his car, he won’t stop yelling. “Of all the idiotic things to do,” he says. “You get yourself caught up with him again?”
“He’s dying,” I say, more calmly than I feel. Inside my emotions twist and rage inside my chest like a hurricane. The horrible panic that I may never see Sebastian again floods into my limbs bringing chills.
You’d think that would be enough to shut my father up. That he would at least have enough compassion to understand why a boy might want to see the girl he loves before the end. But my father, he only pauses, then says, “Good riddance.”
And that’s the straw that breaks my back. I’ve tried so hard to be his perfect daughter, to make myself worthy of my last name. But there is a cruel streak in my father that I’ve always known about and always overlooked. The only time i ever stood up to him was the moment he threw Sebastian and his mother into streets. But I came groveling back, didn’t I?
“Stop the car,” I whisper.
“What?”
I clear my throat. Summon my courage. “I said to stop the car.”
My father has to look at me. “What the hell’s the matter with you?”
“I love him,” I say.
My father’s face flushes bright red. “Things are already in place, Aspen. Our families have gone into business together for Christ’s sake. And you honestly expect me to pull this car over so you can go running back to a man than can offer you nothing? No, you’ll thank me once this is all over. You'll be glad I helped you come to your senses.”
“This is my life," I tell him. "My future. And I’m capable of making my own decisions. Stop the car!”
My dad doesn’t respond. He just keeps driving.
Right past the entrance to my sorority.
“Where are we going?”
“Home,” he says. “I’m not letting your selfishness ruin things for this family.”
I panic, and in the midst of that panic comes desperation. I pull on the door handle and push open the door. “Stop the car!”
Dad gives me a warning look. “Close the door, Aspen.”
The light turns red up ahead. I only have to wait for him to slow down. A fact my father realizes too. He leans over, reaching across me for the door.
“Daddy, the road!”
A car horn blares in my ears, then comes the terrible crunch of metal crashing into metal. The sensation I experience is my body floating. Vaguely I’m aware that we’ve been hit, that I’ve been thrown from the car, right through the door I was so desperate to keep open. My escape.
The grass comes rushing up to meet me and I allow myself to think that it will cushion my landing. It doesn’t. My body slams into the earth, and my whole body screams with pain. Black spots freckle my vision and I lift my head and see the chaos of cars piled up in the road, people running to and from the wreck.
My father’s Mercedes catches fire and I try to push myself up to help him. It hurts like crazy trying to move but I keep trying anyway. I manage to get to a knee before my strength gives out entirely. Everything fades to black.
Sebastian
I’ve pulled it together by the time we get back. I’m not sure how many grown men Lexi has seen breakdown like that, but she’s pretty good about it. I’m also thankful she hasn’t tried to convince me to give Aspen another chance. There comes a point when you have to move on. And though it hurts like hell, that’s what I’m gonna do.
