Part XXIII

" _Promise me," Dylan says almost in a whisper, "promise me you won't hate me. Please."

"Dylan," I look him in the eye, mustering up all the courage I have, "I love you more than anyone could ever imagine and that fact is never ever going to change."_

A promise. A promise I made. A promise I couldn't keep. I stare wide eyed at the lifeless man in front of me, trying to figure out my feelings, trying to make sense out of everything that's happening.

Just when I was about to kill him, he put a knife in his own heart to save me from an enormous inevitable guilt and regret. Even at the last minute, even when I was the worst I could be, even when I broke my promise to him, he still thought of me.

He loved me to death and I couldn't. I couldn't save myself nor him. He relied on me to come back alive and I did, but only to take his own life. I should have never come back. I should've remained dead! I'm such a weakling. I can't even protect the one I love.

Suddenly, the door slams open with a loud bang that should have startled me but I can't even find it in myself to fear or feel anything. I'm numb to everything.

The only difference between I and Dylan right now is life, a life I'd give anything to be taken away from me.

I look towards the door and see Betty standing in the doorway, looking shocked and confused. So she made it. I'm glad she wasn't here before now, who knows what I might've done to her.

Turning away from her and back at Dylan, she hurries towards us and falls on her knees, touching him with shaky fingers.l

"What have you done Crystal," she says lowly but obviously hurting badly, "what on earth have you done?!" She yells when I keep mute, not being able to say anything.

"Where's Jake?", She asks and gets up, suddenly cautious as she looks around the room. Few seconds and she sucks in a deep breath, obviously finding Jake's body.

"Y-you k-killed him too?", She whispers again, her voice shaky and she falls to the ground, "how?"

My gaze is fixed on Dylan, not being able to move or talk or feel.

"You met him, right? You met Sean?", She scurries closer to me, shaking my shoulders, beckoning me to say something, "talk to me goddamn it!" She yells in my face and tears stream down my eyes, my mouth unable to respond.

"Get up," she stands up and pulls me by my hand, "you have to leave. You have to leave now. Stand up." She drags me, but I pull back my hand from hers and she looks at me confused.

"I can't", I whisper, looking down at Dylan not being able to look her in the eyes.

"What?", She asks bewildered and frustrated.

"I can't leave him alone I have to stay back."

"You can't. Do you know what might happen? Do you have the slightest idea what you're doing right now?!. We could have a freaking repeat of the same history we're trying to eradicate!." She yells and try to drag me but I pull back, shaking my head.

"Please," her voice breaks and I try to find pity and compassion in my heart but I might as well be looking for a needle in a haystack.

"I can't. I c-", I'm cut of by a loud applaud coming from behind me, the loudness resonating in this silent and horrendous room.

A familiar eery aura encompassing the entire room, engulfing me but fear far away from me, only a tiny bit curiosity.

Betty gasps and I hear footsteps approaching me from behind but I stay put, not finding the strength or will to run away from whatever it is.

The best thing that could happen to me now is death. Me right beside Dylan.

"Hello there Anastasia," Sean's voice resounds from beside me as his legs come into view, just in front of Dylan's body. Anastasia? Who's Anastasia.

"It's been a while, my love." Did he just call Betty Anastasia? My love?. Who cares about all this anyway. I just want to lay right beside Dylan and never wake up again.

"Sean." Betty says fiercely. So she knows him after all. Is that why she wanted us to leave as fast as possible?. Who's she? Who's he? What's going on?.

"Ah, you remember me. I never thought we'd meet again, Not after all that happened." He says coyly, obviously amused by something I'm not aware of.

"Neither did I." She says with anger dripping in her voice like a venom, ready to spit out words that could kill.

"That doesn't explain the running away though", he chuckles, "you wanted to take her away from me. Were you jealous?."

"What?" She scoffs "I was scared for her Sean. No one is safe with you."

"So you knew I was coming." He caught her in her lie and chuckles again. "You're still so bad at lying."

"You're still extremely smart."

"I see it's not what you expected."

"Please let us go."

"Us? She doesn't seem like she wants to leave though", he looks at me and drags me by my hair making me look into Betty's angry yet sad eyes,

"do you want to leave with her or stay with me?" Betty looks at me with fearful pleading eyes, screaming at me to come along but I remember Dylan.

I don't deserve an escape. I don't deserve to leave. I should be treated like the worthless tramp I am. I'll never love again, I suck at it and I don't deserve to be loved either.

"I'll go with him.", I whisper and he lets go of my hair as I try to convince myself that it's the right thing to do.

"What?", Betty kneels in front of me, holding my face in her palms with a streak of tear rolling down her cheeks, her eyes holding so much pain and hurt. "You don't mean it. Tell him you don't mean it. You'll go with me and everything will be okay, we'll live a new life, just you and I. Okay? Tell him. Tell him you don't want him. Say it!"

"I'm sorry", I whisper and she hugs me tightly, probably scared that I'd disappear if she lets go of me.

"Whatever happens Crystal, don't forget who you are. Don't lose yourself." She whispers into my ear then lets go of me, standing up.

"Goodbye Anastasia." Sean says and at that moment, the fear of what the future holds for me engulfs me in a painful embrace.