Wish We Could Change What We Can't

A sweet sensation hit my tongue, making my mouth water in delight at the taste of sugar and cream. I closed my eyes as I tried to savor every bite of the sweet treat. Hits of raspberry and lemon created a tart yet pleasing touch to the frosting and the cake was soft, but not too moist.

I could hear my sister in the background laughing at me as I almost swallowed that cake whole.

"Maybe I shouldn't have asked you to help me pick out a cake if I knew you weren't going to pick a favorite," my friend giggled taking a bite out of the lemon raspberry cake.

I gave her a glare and continued eating more of the lemon raspberry cake in spite of her comments.

"It's not my fault that every flavor is so good, it's hard to pick okay?"

My mouth was filled with cake when I said that, but I had to get my point across or else she would keep making fun of me. Once I was done with that slice, I slid a different kind of cake towards me, imagining the warm and spicy tang of the pumpkin spice.

Jesslyn quickly pulled the slice away from me before I could get a bite.

"I think that's enough cake for you and me today," she said, getting up from her chair.

"But we still have 20 more flavors to try," I wined looking down at the abandoned pumpkin spice.

Before I could complain anymore, he walked in. My best friend's fiance and soon to be brother-in-law, Kent Boards. He is the definition of the perfect guy: tall, devilishly handsome, charming, polite, and can bring any woman to her knees.

"Hey babe, how was the fitting?" Jesslyn asked, strunting over towards him.

He intertwined his fingers with hers, which made me gag a little inside. "It was fine, nothing too interesting, unlike yours."

Kent bent down a little to bring her into a kiss, probably tasting the buttercream on her lips. When they parted, Kent turned to take in my presence in the room. I could feel his bitter stare at me, his breath hitching as I returned his stare with a colder one.

Jesslyn never understood why we never got along and each time she asked either of us about it, neither told the truth. Eventually she gave up on it and kept us separated, but it was growing harder and harder as her wedding date approached.

"Catherine," Kent montonely stated.

"Kent," I replied back.

Jesslyn most likely could feel the tension in the room, so she quickly pulled Kent away, telling him to wait for her outside while she gathered her things. He nodded, giving me one last glance before leaving the bakery.

With a sigh, Jesslyn turned back to me, shaking her head in disappointment as usual. I shrugged my shoulders, grabbing a half-eaten piece of cinnamon cake, and started digging my fork into it.

"I just don't understand why both of you can't get along. You know eventually you will have to once we get married," throwing her purse over her shoulder.

My eyes tell her that it's never going to happen, making her grunt and walk out in reply. Even after they both leave, I continue to look out the door. The watch on my wrist ticked as the minutes went by, lives passing away as the clock strikes.

I turned my eyes to my watch, only 9 more minutes. Putting down my empty plate, I grabbed my bag and headed out the bakery.

During this time, the streets weren't busy. People were most likely staying inside from the cold weather, which I tried to get Jesslyn to do with me, but she was insistent as usual.

Down the street I could spot Kent and Jesslyn. Kent had his arm wrapped around her waist, holding her protectively. Jesslyn was saying something to him and using hand gestures to get her point across. I made me laugh a little, until I checked the clock.

5 more minutes.

I sighed heavily. Wrapping my long coat tighter around myself and crossing my arms to secure the hold. Kent was on edge now. At this time he usually is.

I got into position, sitting on the same metal bench right by the old coffee house on the main street. Bells chined as people entered and exited the cafe, clueless of what would happen in a few minutes.

Kent and Jesslyn were waiting at a crosswalk with some civilians. The both of them were focusing on the light on the other side, but I could see the Kent was looking around the area. His eyes wandered to the alleyways and cars passing by, watching and waiting.

The light changed from stop to walk, it was time. His arms quickly tightened around Jesslyn and eyes shifting violently side to side.

Nothing was happening so far, no car was coming at an abnormal speed or a building wasn't collapsing into the crosswalk. My jaw dropped a little and my eyes went wide

Could this be it? Was this the end?

I almost believed it before I heard a gunshot. It was loud and cracked as multiple heads turned towards the noise. The shot didn't hit a civilian, it had hit the back of Jesslyn's head. Kent's eyes got wide and became dark.

His fiance and my best friend's body swayed back and forth before she started to fall towards the concrete. Kent caught her in his arms and clutched onto her dead body for dear life.

Civilians were running around and some ran towards Kent to help him with Jesslyn. Phones were pulled out as people were dialed for an ambulance and police, fracitially screaming that someone got shot and was bleeding out.

Tears welled up and slid down my cheeks to my cold open hands. I clutched them into fists, grabbing a hold onto the fabric of my maroon dress. Slowly, I got up from that bench and carefully walked over to Kent.

There I stood, figure hovering over his sunken one. He was sobbing and screaming out to the sky saying "take me instead God, take me instead". My hand met his shoulder, but he shoved it off.

"Kent, you knew this was going to happen," I whispered, finding my voice to speak.

"No.....no....I can stop it, I know...I can," Kent sobs.

Walking around him, Jesslyn's dead body came into full view. Her once tan skin became pale and blue. Cherry lips were now cracked, blue eyes turned dull. I knew that we had lost her again.

I stared down at her body a little longer, not being able to take my eyes away from Jesslyn.

"Kent, you can't change what happened, no matter what world or universe, the story can't be rewritten."

"NO! No...I refuse to believe that, there has to be some other way. She can't die, she can't leave me. I won't let this happen to her in any world or universe!" Kent shouted as he turned his eyes towards me. Pools of anger and emotion spit its fire into my heart.

I knew Kent was never going to accept the fact that there was no way to save Jesslyn.

"Fine, keep doing what you're doing, reset time again. Let's see if you can save her, because I know you can't. You just have to move on like I did," I scoffed.

Walking away from the scene, I reaccounted all the memories I had of Jesslyn. Those days were long gone. I closed my eyes and opened them again.

I was sitting at a small tea house, in the same spot I always sat. The dark olive chair and wooden table, the same light green walls with the painting of potted plants and tea becoming a depressing memory in my mind. On the table, there was a cup of cold lemon tea I drank on that same day.

My red hat and mini dress that used to be abandoned in the back of my closet, fitted my body and head perfectly. I stared at the cup, tipping it back and forth with my fingers.

Footsteps in the distance became louder and louder as they approached and stopped at the side of the table. A girl, who would later be dead, wore a pair of blue mom jeans and a white tank top with her usual pearl earrings stood there.

"For the past weeks, I have seen you sit in that exact same spot with the same drink everyday. Never meet anyone in my lifetime who loves lemon tea that much," she laughed, coffee cup in hand.

I smiled, "well some things never change, am I right?".

She giggled and held out her hand, her nails painted with a pretty cherry red.

"I am Jesslyn by the way," she smiled again.

I returned her smile with a sad one, "I know".

She seemed a little confused with that statement, but I shook her hand and thanked her for the chit-chat. I got up and turned my heel towards the door. Maybe in another universe or lifetime we would never be separated by death.