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Fiction

β€œThat's the thing about this city,” Will said, looking at the two lane highway. β€œNothing changes, nothing stays the same.”

β€œWow, Will, that was real philosophical.” I shoved him playfully on the arm.

β€œWhat?” He asked. β€œJust because I’m a handsome skier doesn’t mean I’m a total airhead.”

I giggled.

β€œRiley Grace!” My mom called. β€œYoung man, why are you still here?”

Will Jackson, my boyfriend, looked up at my mom. β€œSorry, ma’am. I’ll be going now.”

He stood up from his seat on the stairs and trudged through the mud as soft flakes started to fall, landing on his soft bronze hair. He looked over his shoulder and flashed me a small grin, and stuck his tongue out at me. I stifled a giggle.

β€œRiley Grace, I told you to have that boy gone by an hour ago!” My mom said, her face contorted like she had just drank sour milk.

Will was never Will to my mom. He was always that boy, or young man if Mom was talking to him directly.

Will disappeared into the snow flurry.

β€œWell?” Mom asked.

β€œI’m sorry, Mom.”

She sighed, then said, β€œCome inside. It's freezing out here. It's also dinnertime.”

I sighed and walked up the steps.

Snow wasn’t a rare occurrence in Truckee. Will would probably be happy about the snow. It would make for great ski practice tomorrow. And he had a race this weekend. The fresh snow would be helpful.

I watched the big, fluffy flakes fall as I chewed my pasta.

⛷⛷️⛷️⛷️⛷️

I liked to ski, but I never participated in races. I just helped Will practice.

β€œCome on, Ri, make it a challenge.” He teased.

I dug my mitten into the snow and grabbed a handful. I rolled it into a ball and threw it.

It exploded against his green parka. He looked down at it, then at me, then down, then back at me.

β€œOh, it is so on.”

Me and Will were famous all over our school for our ability to lead the best snowball fights, Will heading one team and me the other.

I ran for a tree and hid, gathering the snow off its limbs and shaping it, while Will threw almost nonstop. The snow exploded upon impact, and splashed onto my parka.

Almost an hour later, we finished the fight.

Will fixed his beanie. β€œDarn it, Ri, stop getting me off track!” He said jokingly. β€œWanna race?”

β€œSure.” I said. β€œI’ll beat you, the usual.”

β€œIn your dreams.”

We raced.

He won, of course.

⛷⛷️⛷️⛷️⛷️

That night, Will walked me back to my house.

β€œI’ll see you tomorrow?” I asked.

β€œWell, I hope you come to my race tomorrow.” His mouth pulled into a little smile.

I smacked my forehead. β€œOf course. I’m sorry.”

He pulled me in for a quick goodbye kiss that left my lips tingling.

As he said goodbye, I looked up at my house. Mom looked out of one of the front windows.

She sighed, shook her head, and closed the curtain.

⛷⛷️⛷️⛷️⛷️

β€œWhat’s your problem with him?” I asked Mom, looking up from my chicken.

β€œWhat?” She asked.

β€œWill. You treat him like he’s a plague, or inferior in some way. Why? Why can’t I just be happy?”

β€œRiley Grace. We are eating dinner.”

β€œSo? I know you’re gonna make some excuse, or disappear into your study until I go to sleep. We talk about this now.”

β€œNo.”

β€œYes! What is your problem?!”

β€œHe reminds me of your father, okay? I don’t want you to end up like him...end up like me…”

β€œThat's what this is about? You’re worried Will’s gonna disappear on me?”

But Mom was done. She had pushed her plate away and her head was in her hands.

I stood, leaving my plate, and went to my room.

I texted Will later that night:

found out why mom isn’t a fan of us

why? He typed back immediately.

dad. whoever he is. she’s worried you’re gonna disappear on me.

i would never do that.

i know. mom is just being paranoid, i guess.

yeah. i’m sorry, but i’ve gotta rest up for the race. talk to you tmrw?

sure <3

<3

I set my phone on the bedside table, it’s LCD display fading as I heard Mom’s socked footsteps trod past my door.

Shortly after that, I fell asleep.

⛷⛷️⛷️⛷️⛷️

I woke up to the harsh sun shining through my curtains. A beautiful day for a race. Unfortunately, I had woken up two or three times last night with nightmares I couldn’t remember.

I threw on a t-shirt, my parka, some jeans, and my sneakers before making the trek to the course.

We lived just off Highway 267 in an apartment building. Will lived nearby, and I was meeting him there.

It was nearly a five minute walk to the course.Β 

β€œHey!” Will said, running up to me. β€œSleep well?”

I forced a smile, hoping he didn’t see in my eyes that I did not sleep well. β€œYeah, pretty good. You?”

β€œCouldn’t wait for the race. I was awake for about thirty minutes thinking about it before I could fall asleep.”

β€œYou’re gonna do really well, Bill.”

He looked at me with a smile. β€œYou can’t call me Bill or Willy until we’re ninety and in the old folks home together.”

β€œNo promises,” I said, shoving his shoulder lightly. β€œGo get β€˜em, Tiger.”

β€œWrong sport!” He said as he jogged off.

I smiled.

⛷⛷️⛷️⛷️⛷️

β€œWill! Will! Will!” His teammates chanted as they lifted Will onto their shoulders.

Will had won first place in his races, and his skiing buddies were ecstatic.Β 

β€œCome on, guys, put me down!” He said, laughing.

They set him down after some well deserved parading.Β 

β€œWill!” One of his teammates yelled. β€œLet's go into Truckee, to DQ, and get some celebration Blizzards!”

β€œHUZZAH!” The rest of the team cheered. They were the Tahoe Knights, after all.

β€œDo you want to come?” Will asked me.

β€œSure, why not?” I said.

The other Knights went to their carpools, but me and Will went to his truck.

He started the engine. β€œAbout your mom,” He said.

I looked down into my lap. β€œYeah.”

β€œRi, I love you. I won’t abandon you like your dad did. I promise.”

β€œI love you.” I said, looking at him thankfully.

Snow was starting to pelt the windshield. Clouds had suddenly started to cover the bright blue sky.

Will leaned forward towards the windshield. The windshield wipers flicked back and forth. Thwip, thwip, thwip.

We made it to one of the many roundabouts of the Truckee area. The Interstate 80 off ramp looked clear, but it was hard to tell in the thickening storm.Β 

Will turned his steering wheel with the roundabout, and then

The world stopped.

When I woke up, my head was pounding. I opened my eyes.

β€œWhat happened, Will?” I tried to say, but my voice was just a whisper.

I looked over at him.

β€œWill?” I reached over to him. β€œWill?” I touched his shoulder. β€œWill?” 

β€œRiley…” He groaned.

β€œWill!”

β€œCall...nine-one-one...my phone…”

I fumbled for his phone. The screen was cracked, and it cut my finger, but I didn’t care.

β€œNine-one-one, what is your emergency?”

β€œI’ve been in a car accident, me and my boyfriend…”

⛷⛷️⛷️⛷️⛷️

I stood with a blanket around my shoulders in the emergency room.Β 

β€œAre you Riley Grace?” A nurse asked me.

β€œYeah, but you can just call me Riley.”

β€œHere, RIley.” She handed me a warm styrofoam cup. β€œCocoa.”

β€œThank you.”

β€œTake a walk with me, honey.”

We walked down the hallways, past beeping machines and the quiet sounds of people dying.

β€œHon, there’s no easy way to tell you this…”

β€œWhat?” I stopped walking.

β€œYour boyfriend, he came out of surgery.”

β€œAnd it was good? He’s good?”

He’s gotta be alright. He’s my Will.

β€œHe...didn’t make it.”

The cocoa fell out of my hand and landed with a splash on the ground, the thin brown liquid spreading over the linoleum.Β 

β€œNo.”

The room started to spin.

β€œNo.”

He couldn’t be.

Not my Will, not my Will, not my Will.Β 

I would walk into his room and he would smile and comb his hand through his hair.

Not Will.

Will couldn’t be dead.

I’ll never abandon you. Will wouldn’t lie.

I sank to the floor, the knees of my jeans saturated with the spilled cocoa, but I didn’t care.

It felt like nothing mattered other than the fact he was gone.

⛷⛷️⛷️⛷️⛷️

β€œSo I guess you’re happy now.” I said to my mother.

I stared straight ahead into the pale snow outside the hospital.

β€œWhat?” Mom said, giving me a startled look.

β€œYou wanted him gone. Now he is. Are you happy?”

β€œRiley Grace, I-”

β€œNo! Don’t even, Mom! You never listen to me! I say, Trust Will, he’s a good guy. Nope! I say, I would like to be called Riley instead of Riley Grace. Of course not! Because you don’t trust me, you don’t listen. I need you to start! Otherwise, I’ll find somewhere to live until I’m eighteen.”

β€œRiley G- Riley, I’m sorry. I was wrong. Wrong about Will.”

β€œIt took him being dead for you to say that, Mom!”

β€œRiley, I- Riley!”

But I was already trudging off into the snow.

⛷⛷️⛷️⛷️⛷️

I walked and walked and walked in the snow. I was miles away from my house, but I would keep walking.Β 

β€œHey, Riley!” Chase Gryff pulled up and slowly moved forward, matching my pace. β€œAre you okay?”

Chase was one of Will’s friends on the Knights. Him and I were pretty well acquainted.

I shook my head.

β€œWhat’s wrong?”

β€œYou haven’t heard?” I looked up at him.

His brows furrowed. β€œNo? Anyway, you may want to get in. It’s freezing. And you can tell me what's wrong, and I’ll give you a ride to wherever you’re going.”

My hand hesitated as I reached for the handle. I had thought Will was a good driver. Look where he was now. I didn’t know how Chase drove, but I decided to take a risk. I pulled on the handle and climbed inside the warm space.

β€œSo, what’s wrong?” He asked once I was settled.

β€œIt’s Will.” I began.

β€œHave you two been fighting?” He asked.

β€œNo. Will…” I paused. β€œYou may want to pull over.”

He pulled the Tacoma to the side of the road.Β 

β€œWill’s gone. We got into an accident earlier. I was fine, but...he didn’t make it through surgery.”

Chase put his head in his hands and whispered, β€œOh, God, no.”

And then he looked up. β€œI’m so sorry, Riley.”

β€œIt’s-” I started, then questioned my statement. Was it really okay?

β€œIt’s heartbreaking.” I said. β€œI really loved him.”

β€œHe really loved you, I know it, Ri.” He said through his hands.

I thought back to what Will had said a few days ago. Just a few days ago, but it seemed like a lifetime.

β€œThat's the thing about this city. Nothing changes, and nothing stays the same.”

March 13, 2021 04:46

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37 comments

I immediately fell in love with Will, and that kinda carried throughout the entire story. WEll done!

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Jasey Lovegood
05:10 Mar 13, 2021

AM I THE FIRST ONE HERE TO EXPRESS MY PAIN CAROLINA- BC THIS IS NOT ALLOWED. NOPE. TOO SAD.

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Jasey Lovegood
22:02 Mar 13, 2021

No problem! :)

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Okay guys, can i just say: I AM SO SORRY. I knew when I started writing this Will was gonna go, and i'm sorry for it. I am also sorry for letting y'all get to know Will before he died. AHHHHH I'm sorry.

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Hi I loved the opening line. I just thought I’d let you know how cool it is. Bye

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15:45 Mar 16, 2021

You created perfect characters... Everything was so sweet... Then you KILLED WILL?! Yur story was terrific, but seriously? It was a perfect miserable ending... I love your stories, I know you are probably busy but any advice for a newbie writer, em, like me XD, or any feedback on my stories?, sorry for the botheration! (and your profile pic is cool) Happy Today!

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Thank you.....HA! Yep! Just get ready for it, I'm working on a tragic story right now.... No! Totally not too busy! I'll definitely check out your stories and offer some feedback! (thank you!) Right back at ya! :DDDD

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15:58 Mar 16, 2021

Seriously?, don't turn sadistic! XD Thank you so much! so, have any tips for writer's block and artist's block AT THE SAME TIME? =)

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16:14 Mar 16, 2021

by the way would you give feedback for my new story too?, so sorry for the botheration!

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Yes, Seriously! :D No prob! uhhhhhhh so what i do for that......i always tell people to go take a walk or a hike outside and as you go along, describe the scene in your head as descriptively as possible. i.e. "The keys clacked as my fingers danced along, making letters appear on the page." Of course! It's no prob!

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16:26 Mar 16, 2021

thankyou, i will try that, tomorrow, it's night here and I seriously don't wanna be bitten by a snake XD =)

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whoops! sorry! yeah,being bitten by a snake isn't good. It's the morning here so...i didn't take time zones into account.

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TJ Squared
16:36 Mar 14, 2021

oh, btw, HoO, just started, already a fan :)

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aweeesssoooommeeeeee, i won't spoil! how are you feeling about the Percy Situation?

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TJ Squared
19:06 Mar 14, 2021

it's quite interesting, literally only on chapter 16 of the first book :) PLS DON'T SPOIL!!! :)

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TJ Squared
19:11 Mar 14, 2021

that's good :) How have you been doing?

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Amaya .
03:49 Mar 14, 2021

hi! I was just wondering where you found your profile picture, it's so cute!

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Hi! I got it from picrew! here's the link, you design your own :) (The website is in Japanese so i hope you have a translating service on your computer) https://picrew.me/secret_image_maker/1ATjYgP9eVbd7xP9

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Amaya .
00:57 Mar 16, 2021

thank you thank you thank you! this was so much fun to play with :D

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:( :( >:( :( Whyyyyy did you have to end I like thatttt I became attached to the characters throughout the story, so when Will died I was like nfjebfkshdJFIEBFJDHHFIEB Separating the paragraphs with skiers was so cute, great job in this story Carolina :( ;) - Amethyst

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np! I've never killed off a character before so ;) Have I? I don't tHiNk sO XD

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Echo Sundar
19:53 May 07, 2021

Wow! Amazing story!! Also πŸ§ƒ :) I love reading bio's

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