The tears formed in his eyes and threatened to spill over. He reached up and angrily swiped them away. Damn tears. Damn funerals. Damn everything, it didn't matter anymore.

"Friends and family, we are hear to acknowledge the passing our dear friend, ..."

He blocked out the preachers words at that point. He couldn't bear to hear her name. Not anymore, not now, not ever.

Finally, it was over. They proceeded outside the church to the cemetary in the back. The coffin was carried out, gently placed next to the fresh grave, all flowers removed and given to her mother, who was in quiet hysterics.

With a final prayer, the coffin was opened, permitting last goodbyes of some sort. Her parents went first. Torture, to see their youngest daughter awaiting her deathly trap. Friends went next. Her best friend, weeping over the casket, was almost enough to push him over the edge.

His turn. He dreaded the moment with all his heart. It had been 4 days since her death, and he was finally beginning to realize that she was gone. Gone forever, trapped in a parallel universe, always guiding him even if he didn't know it.

His brother waited for him nearby as he approached the casket. She looked peaceful. Eyes closed, shutting out the bluish colour he knew so well. Her hair lay at her side, waving over her shoulder.

Around her neck, a necklace with a small heart. Despite the situation, he grinned through his watering eyes. Her sixteenth birthday present. He had given it to her less than a month ago, and she had loved it. He reached down and opened her hand slightly.

He pressed a tiger lily into her hand. Her favourite flower. The orange and black contrasted with her red hair beautifully. He kissed her cheek softly.

"I love you. Goodbye."

The threatening tears spilled over without a second thought.

He backed away as her coffin was closed forever and lowered into the ground. He felt lightheaded. His tears blurred his vison as he searched for something. Anything. Some object or person that would give him his life back. His brother was at his side in a second. He put his arms around him as he cried.

"It hurts, Taylor."

"I know."

"It hurts so bad."

He went back later. The freshly refilled grave was evident by the brown dirt smoothly packed below the tombstone. He traced the lettering with his fingers.

"It wasn't supposed to end like this, you know." He said softly. "We were supposed to get married. Have kids. Grow old together."

Tears splashed onto his shirt as he angrily remembered the headline he and the rest of the town had read the morning after her murder.

Teen killed in jealous battle over superstar Zac Hanson.

How dare they!? How dare they take his life, his feelings, and display them like it was some odd sort of entertainment!?

Damn her. He thought. Damn the b*tch that took her from me. He pondered a minute, then decided to release his feelings in a more physical matter. You couldn't blame him for being pushed over the end.

"Damn you! Damn you, Jenika!" He shreiked at the top of his lungs, referring to her killer.

If the b*tch hadn't been so obsessed with me... Then he realized. It was my fault. If we'd never met, she would still be alive and happy!

The guilt flowed through him, even though he knew it wasn't entirely his fault. They'd only been two young teens, eager to fall in love, not knowing what would happen in the future.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the weapon. He caressed the smooth metal and carefully welded trigger. He shook it gently and heard the rattle of the bullets inside.

"I had to do it, you know." A soft voice came from behind him.

Jenika.

"Damn you!" He screamed, crouching protectively over her grave. "What, now you won't let her rest in peace either? You f*cking b*tch!"

"She wasn't right for you." She continued, staring lovingly at Zac. "Now we can be together, like it was meant to be."

She approached him, but halted immediately when he pointed the trigger directly at her forehead.

"You b*tch." He whispered angrily. "If I shot you, you'd deserve it."

He was at his limit. Anything would shove him over the edge. For her own sake, he hoped she kept quiet.

"Zac, we were meant to be together! Don't you understa..." She stopped in midsentence. Didn't make a sound, just dropped to the ground as the sound of the trigger echoed off the forest.

He didn't think twice about it, just dropped the gun and turned back to the grave. He traced her name with his fingers again.

Lindsay...

"We should be together." He murmered. "We should be. It's fate."

The voices in his head screamed at him from both sides. What about his family? His friends? Well, they could get along without him.

He chose to listen to the worser side of the argument and lifted the gun to his head, placing his finger on the smooth metal trigger as he began to cry hysterically.

"I love you!"

The gun went off.