Chapter 1: Beth

Will you marry me? Those are the four words I will never forget in my entire life.
"I can't believe it!" My ex best friend Stacie Milling says, as she walks through the doors. Everyone's heads turn to her. I stare down at the ground. Oh please don't be what I think it is. "Elizabeth Lemming is pregnant!" She looks at me. I can feel her gaze burning into my skin.
"No!" I look up to see Lane Misery standing up, anger showing on his face. I look down at my lap.
"Oh shut up Lane. Can't you see that Beth is already ashamed enough." Stacie says. That's enough. I stand up. Everyone looks at me.
"That's enough Stacie!" I say, angrily. She looks at me, surprised and a little taken aback. "I am NOT ashamed! I love this baby inside of my body! I never feel lonely because I always know that he's with me. I'm afraid I can't say the same for you though. Whenever I seem to need you, your never there! I can't wait for Adam to come back so he can come take me away from this horrible place! I hate being cooped up in this stupid town! I hate it!" And with that, I turn on my heel and stomp out of the door just as the teacher comes in.
"Miss Lemming! Get back here! School is not out!" She yells after me. I just ignore her. Once I'm outside I don't head home but I head down the lane to the place I first met Adam. I see the bridge I was standing on.


"Little girl." Says a voice behind me, I swivel around to see a boy from my school. His name is Adam Camern. I had never talked to him before but I had always admired him from a distance. He was a year older than me and one of the most beautiful boys I had ever met. With his longish wavy brown hair that hung over his eye, his gorgeous green eyes, his nice smile, and his beautiful personality. "Why are you so lonely?"
I look away. "Leave me alone." I growl. I don't need his or anybody else's help. I don't need to be loved. My father had died when I was five and my mom just died last month. I was miserable and the only relatives I have is my grandma and grandpa. I hated them. I blamed them for my mom dying. I didn't want to be the one to blame. I had been the one supposed to take care of her but I wasn't strong enough to, I remembered her saying to me,
"Oh Bethie. You know that I love you. But I don't want you to worry about me. I can take care of myself. I need for you to take good care of you and your brother. Please for me. I love you both. You are my big girl. Always remember that I will be here for you. You just need to believe. Please go to school."
"But mommy." I cried, clutching at her hand. "Your dying. I don't want to leave you. Please don't make me."
She smiles at me. "Elizabeth Agatha Lemming. My beautiful, smart daughter. You know I wont leave you. I will be here when you get back. I promise, love. I love you so much and am so proud of you. You've grown up to be such a beautiful, lovely, strong and independent girl. Please go to school." She kisses my forehead. I know that I must go to school.
"I will be back right after school, mommy. I love you too." I stand up and walk to the kitchen and grab my ten year old brothers hand. "Come on Tommy, we have to go to school. We will see mommy when we get home."
"Is mommy gonna live?" He asks, looking up at me with those big eyes of his. Our father died a few weeks after Tommy was born. Tommy blames himself but I know that he is in no way responsible.
"Yes." I squeeze his hand and smile down at him. He hugs me.
"I love you sissy." He says into my skirt. I stroke his hair.
"I love you too, little brother." I tell him.
When we get home from school later that day however I can tell that theres something wrong. There are three ambulance cars in front of our house. I run up to where chief Wilcum is standing, pulling Tommy behind me. I push him behind me.
"What is happening?" I ask. Chief Wilcum looks up at me.
"Ah, Beth." He says, nodding. "I was wondering when you'd get here." But then I spot them rolling a gurney with a body on it.
"Mommy!" I scream, running to the body and clutching it to me.
"Excuse me miss but I must ask you to back up-" Someone starts telling me.
"Get away from her!" I yell, pushing him away.
"But miss-"
"It's okay, johnathan. The girl just lost her mother. She can see her "But miss-"
"It's okay, Johnathan. The girl just lost her mother. She can see her for another minute." Chief Wilcum puts a hand on the boys shoulder.
"Yes sir." The boy says, backing away.
"Mommy?" I hear a voice behind me. I spin around.
"Tommy!" I cry, having momentarily forgotten him.
"Mommy's… Dead?" He asks, eyes wide. I hide my face in my hands. I should have stayed with her.
"Yes." I whisper. He clutches my dress and I put my arms around him. If nothing else I will take care of the boy in my arms. Forever and always. I knew that he's the only reason for living. If it weren't for him I'd probably lie down on the ground and hope for a quick, painless death. So that I can be with the people I love once again.
My brother died from an illness a month later. I look up at Adam.
"I don't have a reason for living." I whisper, covering my face with my hands. "I promised i'd always take care of him. I promised both of them! I failed." I start sobbing. He lets me.
"I understand what it's like to lose everyone you cared about." He tells me. "I lost my sister three years ago. She was five and she drowned in a lake because I wasn't there to save her. I know what it's like to feel guilty about losing someone you love. I always blamed myself. My mom was way too drunk to even notice her screaming or care. I should have been there." I look up to see that he was crying too. The next minute I found myself in his arms. "But that doesn't mean that there's not someone out there who is worth living for, Beth. I know that we will both find that special person who's worth living for." We both fall on our knees, arms wrapped around each other, crying. I had lost my parents and little brother. He had lost his sister. We had both lost the people we loved but had also found each other.


I look up into the sky. Tears sparkling in my eyes. Please, Adam. I need you. Don't leave me. I hadn't heard from him since monday. He had told me he was coming home soon. I fall onto the ground, sobbing. I remember the day he told me he loved me.


"Beth, please don't cry." He said, pulling me close. "You know that she didn't mean it. She's just jealous. She isn't you and she can never be. Please ignore her." He kissed my forehead. "You know that you are the only person I love."
"But she's right." I sob. "I don't deserve you."
"Please stop being so ridiculous. If anything I'm the one who doesn't deserve you. But you chose me, didn't you?" He puts his hand on my chin and makes me look him in the eyes.
"Of course." I say, looking into his beautiful eyes. "How can I not choose you? You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."
He sighs then pulls my face closer to his. "Please stop crying. I love you, Beth. You and you alone." He kisses me. I finally stop crying and kiss him back. I couldn't imagine anywhere that i'd rather be than here in his arms. Except, there is one place. Home.


I sob. I'll die if he doesn't come back. I miss my family so much. My beautiful mother, My loving father, My little brother. I miss My little brother the most. He never got to see life farther than his tenth year. I wish he could've lived this life instead of me. I lay on the ground, sobbing and let the cold and tired come over me. I will be with you soon, Tommy. Then everything goes black. The last thing I think is home and… Adam!

. . .
I gasp and sit up.
"Beth." I look to my right. Am I hallucinating? No, Adam is sitting right there in a chair, watching me. He has a few cuts and scratches on his face but other than that he looks just like the last time I saw him.
"Adam!" I gasp. I suddenly find myself in his arms. "You're here."
"Yes." He says, stroking my hair. "But sadly I come home to find my fiancee lying on the ground, hardly breathing." He chuckles but not cheerfully. "You would not believe the state I was in when I find you lying there, so peacefully. "
"You found me?" I ask, studying the way his jaw tightens. Did I cause this?
"Oh yes, I almost had a heart-attack. You looked so peaceful I was sure that you had already passed on. I was sure that you had left me." He looked so sad it broke my heart.
"Never." I told him, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him. He finally kisses me back, a little more rough than I expected. I could feel tears slipping down his cheeks. I pull away and look at him. He's crying. "Please don't cry." I whisper.
"But I'm so scared. What if you decide you don't want to be here anymore? What if you decide you want to go on? What if you leave me? What will I do if I find I'm all by myself?" He's sobbing now. I grab his head and make him look at me.
"That's not gonna happen." I tell him, searching his face. "Adam, do you hear me? It's never gonna happen." But he's not listening.
"What if I hadn't gotten to you on time? You were almost gone."
"Well I'm not." I say, I put a hand on the side of his face and make him look into my eyes.
"You almost were. I barely made it there." He whispers, looking in my eyes.
"Adam. I'm never leaving you!" I say, exasperated.
"Do you promise?" He asks, his face now so close to mine.
"Yes." I whisper. He presses his lips to mine. "I love you so much, Adam." I say against his lips. "I could never leave you, even if I tried."
"I love you too." He tells me, running his fingers through my hair. "So much. I don't think I could bear it if you weren't here. I think I'd die. And not just if you died but also if you fell in-love with someone else." He looks into my eyes. I can read the question that appears in his eyes.
"Never." I whisper.
"You sure?" He asks.
"Yes." Thats good enough for him. He kisses me again. Suddenly my grandma flings the door open. We jump apart.
"Ever heard of knocking?" I sneer. I'm still not really fond of my grandparents but I like grandpa better.
"Ah, your finally up. Good morning, Elizabeth. How did you sleep?" She smiles at me.
"Oh just dandy!" I say, sarcastically. "The best sleep I've ever had in my entire life!"
I watch her face fall. "Well I'm going to go make some breakfast. Would you like some, Adam?" She says, smiling at him.
"Yes please, Mrs. Lemming." He says, grinning back at her.
"Oh just call me grandma." She says, smiling. I know that she's charmed by him. But not in the way I am. More in a 'God do I wish Melissa had had him instead of this wicked, cruel witch of hers.' I feel kind-of bad about that.
"Thank you, grandma." I call after her. She stares back at me for a second then smiles.
"My pleasure, sweetie." She says, then leaves closing the door.
I stand up and walk to my closet to pick some clothes out.
"That was really nice of you, Love." Adam says. I look back to see him sitting on my bed, watching me. I shrug.
"I felt kind-of bad." I say.
He smiles. "Well at least it's a start."
I snort. "That's all though." I pull on some jeans and a top.
"You know that she loves you." He says.
"Yeah. Whatever." I say, looking in the mirror. I pull a hair band off of my wrist and put my hair into a ponytail. I feel his hands on my waist and turn in his arms.
"You look beautiful." He tells me, pulling me closer and kissing my forehead.
"Ellie! Adam!" I hear my grandma yell from the kitchen. She always calls me Ellie but all my friends call me Beth. It's kind-of confusing sometimes. "Breakfast is ready! Come and get it before it gets cold."
"Coming!" I yell.
"Come on." He takes my hand and pulls me with him out the door.

Chapter 2: Adam

I look out of the window.
"Ad-dam!" I look over to see my best friend, Charlie Shingle standing behind me.
"Hey." I say, grinning at him.
"Where you been, man?" He says, slapping my hand.
"Sorry, man" I say. "But I had to take care of Beth. She was almost dead."
"Oh yeah, I heard about that. Poor Beth." He smiles at me. "Well I'm glad that you got to be with her for a little while."
"What do you mean, a little while?" I look at him, suspiciously.
"Did you not hear?" He says. "Your dad's sending you to some mens boot camp. My dad's sending me there too."
I stare at him. "No." I say, angrily. "No way! He cant tell me what to do. I came back to be with Beth and be with her I will."
"Sorry man." He says, shrugging. "But I don't know what to tell you." But I'm already stomping out of there.

. . .
"Dad." I say, rushing into his office.
"Ah, my son." He says, widening his arms to me. "I heard you were back in town. Welcome back to America."
"Quit the sweet talk." I growl. "Just so you know, I'm not going to any Men's boot camp." I glare at him.
"Ah, but you can't decide what to do yet, My son." He says, shaking his head.
"I'm almost twenty years old!" I practically scream at him.
"You are still so young." He tsk-tsk's me. I roll my eyes.
"I can't believe you! You just don't like Beth!" I yell.
"Adam, Adam. Elizabeth Lemming is a fine young woman. But-"
"But, but, but, theres no buts. You just think that Stacie Milling would be much more suitable for me." I say, glaring at him.
"Yes that is true." He says, not ashamed of admitting it. "Adam, I want you to marry Stacie Milling. Nine days from now you will be wedded."
"No Father." I say, my hands curling into fists. "You cannot control my life."
"Yes Adam," He says. "You are only nine teen years old. Until you are married I will be in control of your life."
"And how am I supposed to be married if you wont even let me choose my wife?" Then I stomp out of the door, slamming it shut.

"What time do you have to be home by?" I ask. We're walking along the street. She's huddled against my body, her hand in mine. She shrugs.
"Before midnight." She stops and looks up at me. "Is it true? What everyone's saying? About you and Stacie?"
I sigh, rubbing my face with my hand. She pulls me along with her to a bench and we sit down next to each other. I lean forward, looking up in her face. She tries to smile for me but I can see the sadness in her eyes.
"My dad seems to think that he can rule my life. He wants me to marry Stacie, he wants to send me off to boot camp. He just doesn't want me to be happy. He knows that I am happy with you and that's why he's trying to take you away." I squeeze her fingers. "But I'm not going to let him win. I want to be with you and you alone."
Her eyes are glistening with tears. "You need to go through with it."
"What?" I stare at her, disbelieving.
"You need to do as your father says." Her jaw tightens but she continues on. "I love you Adam but I don't want to anger your father even more. I want him to like me. So you must go through with it." She starts to stand up but I grab her hand.
"Beth. Don't. Do. This. Please. Do. Not. Do. This." I beg with her, trying to pull her down with me but she won't budge. She just shakes her head, sadly.
"Adam. I love you so much. And I won't stop fighting for you but I need to give you a little time. Maybe in a few years we can be together again. You will be such a great father and such a great husband. But it's not for me right now. I'm sorry, my love. But I must say goodbye for now." Then she yanks herself away from me, looking down. Tears glistening in her eyes as she turns and hurries away. Not even remembering that she has my jacket on her. But I don't care. All I care about is the fact that she just left me. All alone. Hoping that this was just a nightmare. Then it begins to set in and I find myself crying. How can I live without her?

I'm dying, I'm dying. How can you feel this way about someone who has been out of your life for about one day? I know. Because they ARE your life. I've been avoiding my father the whole day. Suddenly there comes a knock on my door.
"Son, please open up." My father bangs on the door.
"No." I call.
He bangs even harder. "I swear Adam, if you don't open this door in 10 seconds I will break it down!"
I turn on my side and ignore his knocks. Finally I hear my mom's voice say,
"Honey, just leave him alone. He's upset."
"I don't care, Melissa." He says back to her. "He is 19 years old. He can handle himself."
"Stop being mean to him." My mom says. "You know what it's like to be in-love. He loves Beth. Not Stacie."
"Honey, listen. I know what it's like to be in-love. I have you but I also know what's good for him. And I'm sorry but Elizabeth Lemming just isn't good for him right now." He sighs. "I wish you could understand that I'm just trying to do what's best for Adam right now."
"I understand that your doing what YOU feel is best for him." She sighs too. "I just wish you could understand that what you feel is best for him and what really IS best for him are too different things." Then I hear them walk away down the stairs together. Then I fall asleep.

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 04.07.2012

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