Chapter 1: Blood and tears

-13th June 2014

The alarm sound can be heard through the living room as she searched for her everywhere on her bed, throwing away the sheets and pillows around the floor.

Turning off the phone alarm, she gets ready for her date this afternoon. After taking a cold shower, she wore a light pink crop-top along with ripped jeans and a pair of white sneakers that she wore often.

She thought of wanting to curl he hair, but Dylan -after spending some quite a long time with him- likes to ruffle on her hair like and made it go messy. So she figured out she'd just gonna let her hair down without giving anything to it.

-Tessa pov-

"Mom! Cole! I'm leaving!" I yelled, hoping they -my mom and my brother- heard me from the living room. I live with my mom and brother, Cole. And if you're wondering, no I don't have a father. They divorced when I was ten so mom is a single parent. Brave and strong enough to carry both of us on her shoulders.

At some point mom still finds it difficult of course, having to hold both responsibilities as both a mother and a father. I know sometimes she worries about having her children to live a life without any father figure, but we did tried her hardest to give us the best life we could have, as if our life is complete. But then again, our family is complete. Just the three of us is enough and I can never be grateful enough for them.

At a fine evening like this, they always lock themselves in each of their rooms either watching tv or sleeping. But mom might be watching some cooking some cooking shows today and replied to me saying, "Okay sweetheart, make sure to go home by nine!"

I closed the door as I saw Dylan, my one and only boyfriend leaning his back against his charming red Audi R8 like a main lead from a movie. So sexy I might add.

He opens his arms in a motion asking me to hug him. I bounce toward him happily, but then walk pass by him and hugged the car instead. "Oh my god Dylan if I marry you will you buy this gorgeous baby for me?" I said teasingly as I stand straight.

"So much for a warm welcome" He pouted slightly, teasing me then pulled me as he wrapped his arms around my back. "You're so annoying. I can't believe I missed you this much".

I snorted teasingly and hugged him back, "Of course you missed me, I'm amazing".

"Glad I can have you back monkey", he ruffles my hair into a complete mess that were once so perfectly combed.

He just came back from a trip with his mom. His mom is a single parent after his dad, a pilot died from a plane crash. Dylan always wanted to bring his mom to visit Washington since their grandparents live there. At first he wanted to bring me along, but I refused because I didn't want to disturb his family time together, especially when it his hard for his mom to get a holiday as she works as a doctor that mostly works overnight.

Sometimes she barely had time to greet each other for breakfast, even comes home late.

And he looks so happy through the pictures he sent me. It felt like a year though he's actually just gone for five days. I missed him so bad.

"So! What are we going to do today?" I asked, excited knowing that he had planned a date for us which he said, "It's gonna be a long trip, be ready to have a blast".

"A surprise. I will not spoil anything to you" He told be as we both get into the charming Audi. "Don't expect too much from me if the surprise is boring" I teased.

"Says the girl that gets excited for every time I brought her to a surprise date" He playfully raised his eyebrows, giggling like a baby. He's so cute I swear.

Suddenly a loud blast of thunder shocked me. "Damn I didn't know it will rain soon" He said mumbling some curses when he rain gets heavier.

"Hey it's okay," I held his hand that is rested on his thighs, "the rain won't stop us".

After an hour of jamming to the random songs on the radio and talking nonsense, finally we had arrived to our desti- wait this is a rest stop, not a for-a-date destination. "Why are we here?" I asked, walking out of the car, following him to the food court.

"I stopped by when I saw this place since I'm pretty sure you haven't eat anything for breakfast. Plus we've been driving for an hour and half, we need a little rest" He told me, "Did you eat this morning?" I asked.

"I haven't. Mom went work so early as always, and I'm just too lazy to go to the kitchen, so I just left right away after changing" He smiled sheepishly.

"Thank god you're cute or I would've scold you Mr. Martin"

"Dear god thanks for creating me as a cute person. I swear I owe you one from my feisty little girlfriend" He teased again.

While we were busy walking around, I saw this food stall on the opposite side of the road. There isn't any zebra-cross lines so I decided to pass by the road even tho I know it's too hectic since there are many cars passing by, especially since its raining a little.

I was about to walk when I felt a strong grip grabbed my hands, "Hey where o you think you're going Tessie?" I turn my back to see Dylan. "I want to buy something from that stall" I told him, pointing the stall that I wanted to go at.

"It's dangerous, I'll buy it for you. What do you want?" He asked, he's such a good boyfriend, but I don't want him to do it. "Nevermind, it's too dangerous like you said" I told him, but he doesn't look satisfied.

Dylan is always like that. Every time you want something he'll always get it for you. So when you say you want that and suddenly goes, nevermind, he's going to force you to keep saying it until you actually does.

"Says the girl who almost did it herself. Just tell me what you want to eat, I'm not gonna stop" He literally whined while holding my hands, swinging it like a little kid wanting to buy a toy.

"No forget it" but Dylan being Dylan, he's the most stubborn kid ever. "Tessie tell me, or I'll keep asking you this"

"The chocolate kitkat waffles. Are you satisfied now?" He nodded cutely before letting my hand go.

Little did i know this will be my last time holding his hands.

"Stay here okay? I will be back with your waffles". Giving his trademark wink, he left. He passed the road without any problems and successfully bought the food. By the time he finished buying, he waits in front of the road for the right time to pass. It made me smile when I saw him waving at me cutely with his both hands raised up and then never forget to give me a flying kiss.

I watched him as he starts to walk. But unfortunate things happened when I saw a flash of light coming to his way, fast.

"Dylan!!"

I shouted, witnessing with the both of my eyes when the truck came rushing toward where he stands, but it was too late for him to avoid it. There's no more time to run away because it was just too close. Too close.

Running to him, I looked at his body covered with blood. There he lays his lifeless body on the road, with no signs of him moving.

As the rain gets heavier, more people gathered around us, gasping over at such tragic incident that happened. They looked at the victim's body covered in blood, still hot and fresh, and followed with another gush o blood dripping from his head.

"Hello? Ambulance! Please help! There is a truck accident here and the victim is a male guy, around eighteens maybe. Please hurry, he might lose blood more!" A voice called for an ambulance, while me here feels so numb. Everything feels so faint and quiet, and I scream for his name multiple times but its helpless.

"Tessie" He spoke my name, but it sounds weak. Very weak.

"Don't talk, save your energy" I told him, while still crying. He tried to move his hands to wipe away the tears but he doesn't even have the strength even to move an inch.

"I love you"

"Why are you saying this? You made it sounds like you're going to die."

"I'm not leaving, but i'm just reminding you that I love you so you won't forget it. I always will Tessie."

The irony. I wont forget it, but he will.

Little did we know, we are leaving each other. And it will be the last time, him saying my name with that nickname he gave. The name that when he said it, it comes with so much love and warmth. Like home.

But the home is going away.

That's when it started. With the rain that i hate the most more than anything. The start of where i lose someone very important to me. My home, my world, and my everything.

And in that moment, that very moment, it felt numb. I shut down. Like a broken computer, I broke and shut myself down. Keeping myself in darkness with lonely sleepless nights. No matter how much the visible the light is, it felt so far, somewhat far at the end of the tunnel, but I am too exhausted to walk.

It was hard, but it's still harder to accept the truth and reality even when I tried.