My feet were dangling in mid air. One wrong move and I'd fall to my death. So strange it is how I've become close enough to death that it doesn't scare me anymore.

My hands had red imprints of tiny rubble and pebbles. I threw a stone and listened to its sound colliding with the water. I couldn't hear it; it was a really high cliff.

I wondered if it would be easier if I jump. Or if it would be fair.

Fair to whom you may ask? I don't know either.

To my family, maybe? To mom, or Aiden?

To Thomas?

No, it won't be.

Just a couple weeks ago, I've been near death.

Just a few weeks ago, I've been here, in this same place, scared of falling to my death.

Now, not so much.

Strange it is, how the fear of death became the fear of losing Thomas.

As if prompted, I heard the familiar sound of wheels spinning on the dirty ground.

His footsteps neared me, and then he plummeted and sat behind me.

It was like a motorcycle ride, minus the motorcycle. His arms snaked around me, careful not to hurt my healing wound.

"Can you not scare me like this? Please?" Thomas pleaded in my ear. His breath sent shivers down my spine.

"I don't fear anything anymore. Well maybe one thing, but it's not sitting on the edge of a deadly cliff."

"Well this is progress." his mouth was softly touching my hair.

"How can any of this be called progress?"

"See for one thing, a few months back I would've needed your written permission to do this" he kissed my neck. It wasn't easy letting him do it, but I was coming around.

I hated when he made valid points.

"I shot a person, Thomas. With an actual gun. I could've ended up a murderer."

"But you didn't. You were defending yourself either way."

A soft silence settled. "Yeah" I said.

"Yeah."

"how do you do this?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"Do what?"

"Endure." I tightened his arms around me. If anything, his mental pain was way worse than my physical one. "you went through all this hell too, in your way, but you still did. You never went to anyone for help, and you've been and still strong. How?"

"it's simple, Rai," a whiff of cold air brushed us. "I had my mind set on a goal, and I didn't stop till I got it."

"What goal could possibly be worthy of all this shit?"

"You." his word made me wanna tighten his arms even more.

"Why me?"

"Because I love you, so much."

"Thomas" I waited for his response.

"Yeah?" it came after a few seconds, as if he was debating answering or not.

"I love you too," I leaned my head backwards until his face was above mine, and kissed him, long and soft. "Always will."

My thoughts stopped for a second when I was reminded of her.

"What about Rose?" her name made me ache. I felt his body tense too.

He looked toward the general direction of the river. "The Rose I loved died the day she threw herself from this ledge. The one who came back is not her. Merely her physical body, but that's it."

"Yeah."

"Yeah."

----------------------------
*3 Years Later*

I was prepared for a lot of things. But reciting wedding vows was never one of them.

Under a familiar tree at the Reds' mansion we stood. An archway of roses and tables of food. I was really nervous but it felt so good. I tried to keep calm as much as I could, but I was sweating way more than I should.

A tall boy with white hair and a silver grey tux stood before me. My husband to be.

A younger boy with darker features stood next to him. His best man and brother, Harken.

My best man and brother, Aiden.

A few friends from school and a few family members were seated in rows.

Zac, Evan, Lucas, Rue, Scarlet- yes, despite all her deeds, Doctors Grayson and Linda, and a few other people Thomas knew.

Spencer was there too; A guy we almost ran over on a rainy day a few months ago.

Elliott, the town's flower boy and Major Alder's son, decorated the whole yard flawlessly.

It was a perfect June 6th.

Thomas and I were getting married.

Blake was in jail.

Life was good.

My vows weren't anything special, but Thomas was so moved by them he teared up.

Though when it came to his vows...

"I wrote you a poem." he said. "It sums us up and I think today is the most perfect day ever, and I want you to hear it from me right here."

He pulled out a piece of fancy looking paper and started reciting:

Our story was something pure.
Something about a rose and a vine.
A thorn and a shrine,
Of all the love you can't decline,
For when our fingers intertwine
My soul becomes yours and your soul becomes mine

Our story was something sweet.
Something was budding at our feet.
It was smooth calm steady and slow,
Just like the way your emotions flow,
And no matter how hard you try not to show,
Your eyes hold an ethereal glow.

To many, our story was something bland.
Something breaking where we stand.
I didn't let you go,
I didn't let you wane,
Though all of that was not in vain,
For I knew we'd have something grand,
The moment you let me hold your hand.

When he finished, everyone was crying.

"Will you Thomas Red, take Raiden Haile as your husband?"

"I do."

"Will you, Raiden Ha-" before the priest finished, I was jumping Thomas, legs around his waist and arms around his neck. "I'll take that as a yes."

He didn't need to tell us to kiss either, for my lips were not gonna leave his anytime soon.

One last thing I did, though.

I carved the date into the tree instead of one that already existed.

The end.

Thank you so much for reading and I'll see you in upcoming projects.
Edit: Let Go, the sequel of this book is published!

Follow me on Instagram @ Rivertownaiden for more!

Aiden Summers.