5 Scar

There's a girl with short, straight brown hair standing a little ahead, facing her back to me. But, the weird thing is, I'm seeing everything in the third person.

Ashton: Claire?

She turns around and brushes her hair behind her ear, revealing a tiny mole near her left eye. Her hazel eyes stare into mine. She smiles slightly.

Claire: Ashton...

However, her gently smile disappears in a flash and is replaced by an emotionless face. She slowly walks towards me and takes my hand.

Claire: I think we should go separate ways. I want to be a journalist and you an actor; we can NEVER be together.

She places something in my hand, turns around and starts walking away. I look down at my hand and see the bracelet I gave her on her birthday. I fall down on my knees, looking at the ground.

Ashton: Chase her!!

I say to the Ashton in front of me but, he doesn't even do so much as to hear me. Darkness surrounds us both as she disappears into a distance. Memories of her flash through my mind, consuming me. I keep hearing her voice again and again saying things like "Why didn't you stop me?", "Am I nothing to you?", "I'm better off with someone else." or "You're a nobody!". I shut my eyes and cover my ears but her sound only keeps ringing louder.

Ashton: No!! Stop!!

I feel someone shaking my shoulders.

???: Ash?! Ashton!! Wake up!!

That voice! I fling my eyes open to see Leah's face.

Ashton: Leah!

Leah: Are you okay?

She looks at me with concern. I look around at my surroundings and notice I'm in a car. Right, we're heading home from the party. I must've fallen asleep. So that was a dream. Relief washes over me.

Ashton: I'm fine. It was.... just a dream.

Leah: Okay then. We're almost there.

I sigh and look down and notice the business card Claire gave me. It's all crumpled; maybe I was clutching on to it when I had that nightmare... which isn't really a nightmare, it's the truth. I slide my thumb over her name. I'm going to find you, and get the answer I want. Quit hiding behind this fake attitude, Claire; I know you remember me.

Meanwhile-

Claire opens a door of an ordinary looking apartment and walks in. She keeps the keys on a table and goes straight to her dresser in her room. She just starts removing her dangling diamond earrings when an elderly woman appears behind her. She keeps standing at her doorframe.

Woman: Why didn't you tell me you came back?

Claire: I thought you were sleeping so I didn't want to disturb you.

Claire puts one earring down on the dresser and reaches for the other one.

Woman:... I heard he's back. Did you talk to him?

Her hands freeze for a split second before she continues to remove her jewelry again.

Claire: Who do you mean?

She says, playing dumb.

Mom: I know you are not happy in your current life. Would reaching out to him-

Claire: Oh look at the time! You should take rest, it's bedtime for you. You don't wanna be sick again, do you, Mum?

Claire gets up from her dresser and walks past her mother into the bathroom trying to conceal her emotions. She closes the door and sits down against it. A single drop of tear falls from her eye to her cheek. She tries to wipe it with her wrist, but ends up removing the concealer from it to reveal a scar on her wrist. She looks down on the scar that the person her mother talked about doesn't know the origin of.

Claire:...Why? Hic.

She whispers, her lips shaking

Claire:... It's his fault... hic.

More and more tears start pouring out of her eyes as she recalls the painful memory that caused that scar. That night, Claire cried and cried, her face buried in her knees until she fell asleep.....