Forever and Always

Scarlett zipped her large green hoodie up and put the hood over her now short chestnut red hair. She stared at herself in the full length mirror for a minute. She could see the reflection of her dark room, clothes littered the floor, books piled high. She glanced into her amber eyes. The hood covered them ever so slightly which made her happy, she didn't want to be noticed. Scarlett grabbed her school bag and headed out of her room, down the hall past her younger brother's room, past her parent's room, into the spacious living room. Her mother looked up from the magazine she was reading and cocked her head at Scarlett.

  "Where are you going sweetie?" She asked quietly. Emma Jonas had been yelled at enough lately that her voice was meek.

  "I'm going to school." Scarlett said as if it was obvious.

  "Hun, they said you could wait until next week."

  "It's Monday, and mom I just wanna go to school. I've been out of that school enough, I need to catch up." Scarlett's voice was on the edge of shouting.

  "Annie can bring over some home work." Emma tried to get her daughter to listen, she even stood up. She wore her long blond hair in a braid today and her amber eyes stared at her only daughter. Emma Jonas was a rather tall woman, she had curves and her face was rather plain yet she radiated a sort of unique beauty.

  "I'm going to school." Scarlett said quietly and walked out the door before her mother could say anything more.

  The walk to school was short, it only took Scarlett ten minutes. She looked down at her feet, today she wore black ballet flats with her jeans, they were her favorite pair of shoes... Levi had given them to her. She blinked hard, keeping the tears back.

  "Scarlett, oh my god!" Her best friend Annie hugged her tightly. They stood on the stairs leading up to the front entrance. Scarlett pulled away and saw tears in Annie's eyes. "I didn't know you were coming back so soon."

  "It's been a week Annie, how long do you want me to stay away!" Scarlett said coldly.

  She saw understanding flash through her friend's light blue eyes. "I'm glad you're back." She said and patted Scarlett's shoulder. "Do you want me to go in with you?"

  "No, I'll be fine, you should just go. I'll call you." Scarlett said not even looking at Annie, she just pushed past and opened the door.

  "Okay fine we'll go see your stupid chick flick!" Levi said holding the door open for her.

  "You're such a good boyfriend, always giving me what I want." She laughed and stepped into the hallway. It was already buzzing with students and teachers scurried around.

  Levi grabbed her from behind, she smelled his familiar scent, she smelled fresh linen smell coming from his green hoodie. It was his favorite and he practically wore it everyday... it gave him character.

  "Action packed shooting movie it is." He whispered into her ear.

  Scarlett groaned, "fine... but I get an extra kiss at the end of the night."

  "Always working your magic." He said making a clucking noise with his tongue.

  "It's a deal." He said and spun around her so he was facing her. "See ya after class." He said and kissed her for a short minute.

  Scarlett watched him go, smiling from ear to ear. She truly loved him, she was pretty sure they were soul mates.

  "Excuse me!" A kid pushed past Scarlett jolting her from her thoughts. She felt a tear run down her cheek and quickly wiped it away. She saw a few kids glance her way, others looked at her and then whispered to there friends. She hated it, being the center of attention and not for a good reason. She made her way to class as quickly as possible, wanting to get out of those hallways. Once safely inside she realized it didn't really change, not only her classmates stared and glanced, the teacher gave her a sad look.

  Scarlett broke out of her last class, wanting to leave before more eyes could look her way, before one of Levi's friends could come up to her, before Annie had a chance to find her. She ran the blocks home, she ran harder, faster, tears streamed down her face. It wasn't fair, it wasn't right. She cried harder, busting into the front door of her family's medium sized house. She ran past her mother in the kitchen and into her bedroom. She slammed the door loudly and flopped onto the bed. Her face was red and her eyes puffy. She hadn't truly cried, not the day it happened, not the day of the funeral not since then. Now she made up for lost time. She buried her nose in the hoody, it hadn't been washed and still smelled like Levi, still gave her a remembrance.

  Scarlett broke out of her last class, wanting to leave before more eyes could look her way, before one of Levi's friends could come up to her, before Annie had a chance to find her. She ran the blocks home, she ran harder, faster, tears streamed down her face. It wasn't fair, it wasn't right. She cried harder, busting into the front door of her family's medium sized house. She ran past her mother in the kitchen and into her bedroom. She slammed the door loudly and flopped onto the bed. Her face was red and her eyes puffy. She hadn't truly cried, not the day it happened, not the day of the funeral not since then. Now she made up for lost time. She buried her nose in the hoody, it hadn't been washed and still smelled like Levi, still gave her a remembrance.

 

  Chapter2

  "Hey!" Scarlett hugged Levi, they were by his locker right before lunch. A few kids still gathered books or chatted.

  "Why are you so happy?" He asked with a laugh.

  "Nothing, I just love you so much."

  "I love you too, you know that right?" He asked kissing her. Levi was at least a foot taller then her, she felt small when she was around him, but in a way she liked it. He had blond, longish hair that she now ran a hand through.

  "I know you do." She said blinking up into his green eyes. "Now, come on let's get to lunch I'm starving!" She said taking his hand and dragging him down the hall. A few kids waved at them and said "hi" as Scarlett and Levi passed them. She rounded the corner heading for the cafeteria.

  "It smells like rotten cat food!" Levi said and without turning around Scarlett knew he was making a face.

  "Rotten cat food? Wow." Was her reply.

  "It does!" He retorted. "I'd rather eat bark off a tree!"

  "Have you actually tried bark? Because trust me, it is nasty stuff." Scarlett said grinning.

  "You've eaten tree? How can I even be dating you! You know I'm a tree rights activist!" He teased and let go of her hand.

  She laughed and turned to look at him. "You eat cat food, I eat bark... the way I look at it nobody else would want us!"

  He thought a moment and then hugged her, enclosing her body into his. "Ain't that the trut-"

  Scarlett heard a gunshot from behind Levi and pulled back to see what was going on. Grant O'Hara stood down the hall, a gun pointed at Levi. The rest happened in slow motion. Scarlett looked at Levi, his back was bleeding. Then she let out a scream as another gunshot rang out, this time the bullet hit the back of his head.

  "NO!"Scarlett shouted as she grabbed Levi's falling body. "NO!" She knew he wasn't breathing, but she tried to convince herself other wise. She could hear the screams of students and running. She realized Grant stood there with a smirk on his face, like he'd done something good for the world.

  "NO!" She shouted again burying her face into Levi's shoulder. "You can't die! I love you."

  Scarlett woke up gasping for breath. The day of Levi's death had been her nightly and daily nightmare for the last week and a half. She clutched her stomach and cried again. She cried loud and called out his name. She just wanted him to come bursting in with a movie, pop it in her DVD player and snuggle close to her.

  "LEVI."

  "Baby, come here." Christopher Jonas, Scarlett's father, pulled the girl into his chest. She didn't pull back, she let him hold her well she sobbed. She heard her mother's muffled tears in the doorway, she heard her little brother, Pa
ul, hug their mother.

  "Levi." She cried softly. "Levi."

  Sarah Onash, Levi's mother, stood in the doorway of his room. She watched Scarlett take the things the girl wanted. Sarah really didn't care what she took, maybe it was just the shock. Her only child had died four days ago, shot in a school hallway... the victim of a boy who thought Levi had it all. She knew in a way Scarlett was also a victim, the school was a victim... Sarah was a victim. Sarah watched Scarlett carefully pick up Levi's favorite green sweater, the one she had talked him out of wearing that day, because he was going to play football and she didn't want to wash mud out of it. Sarah broke down again and rushed into her room shutting the door. She picked up the cross that lay on her bedside table and threw it against the wall. She looked up to the ceiling and yelled

  "Screw you! You let my son die!"

  Scarlett heard Sarah's cries and quickly picked up Levi's things and left the oh so familiar house. It was a welcoming home, a place where Scarlett felt secure... a second home. She passed the balloons, posters and flowers that lined the front fence of the Onash home. She didn't cry, she didn't even shed a tear, she kept her head straight and walked away... it was probably the last time she would set foot on the property, she knew that.

  "She needs to let go!" Christopher yelled. It was early morning and Scarlett awoke to her parents fighting.

  "She needs to mourn! Chris, Levi." She paused. "She loved him, she can't just move on. She needs some more god damn time." Emma shot back.

  Christopher's fist hit the table, making it quiver. "I love her Emma, I can't bear to see my little girl like this. You saw her last night." His voice was breaking, he started to sob.

  "I know, I know, but she just needs a little more time." Emma said hugging her husband, rocking back and forth.

  Paul walked past Scarlett's door and then turned around. He stared at the door wondering if he should say something.

  "What are you doing?" Scarlett asked angrily as she opened the door. She stood their in a cami and underwear, her face still red from crying.

  "N-nothing." Paul said looking down with sadness.

  "Whatever." She pushed past him and went down the hall to the bathroom. She warmed up the shower and then got in. She felt her short hair, it used to be a rather long length, but the day after his death she cut it into a short bob... anything to help her move on.

  "I love your hair almost more then I love you." He said stroking her long hair.

  "Should I be jealous of my own hair?" Scarlett asked her fingers running up and down his arm. They were laying on his bed, cuddling together.

  "Maybe..." He said smiling.

  She closed her eyes and sank down. She let the warm running water hit her face, her back. She sat there, her knees pulled up and her arms around them. She sat there for a good hour, her mind filled with memories and grief. "I love you." She whispered.

  Chapter3

  Scarlett walked to the window and looked out. It was raining once again.

  "I thought spring was rain season, yet it's October and we're drowning." Paul commented flopping down on the couch and flipping on the TV. He was 14, 3 years younger then Scarlett. They shared many features, their hair color, eye color, noses, face shape. In fact if they were closer in age they could be twins. Scarlett looked at her brother now, she wanted to smile, to make a comment... but she hadn't done either of those things in two weeks.

  "Scar, phone." Emma stuck her head out of the kitchen holding out the home phone.

  Who could it be? Wouldn't they just call my cell?

  She took the phone from her mother, "hello?" She asked quietly.

  "Um hey... it's Jared." Levi's best friend said.

  "Oh. Uh hi."

  "Sorry, you weren't taking my calls on your cell and you haven't been at school. I was just wondering how you were doing." He said. Jared had been Levi's best friend, no, brother, since third grade and when Levi died Jared went into a state of shock. Levi was one of those guys pretty much everyone liked or at least got along with... Grant was just so jealous and messed up.

  "I'm doing good. I guess." Scarlett replied. She in fact wasn't doing good, she was having constant nightmares and break downs... if she wanted to go back to school she was pretty sure her parents wouldn't let her.

  "Yeah... I just wanted to call." Jared sighed, she could sense him running a frustrated hand through his dark blond hair.

  "I'll let you go then." He said.

  Scarlett paused and nodded. She pulled the phone away from her ear, but quickly put it back to her ear. "Jared wait."

  "Yeah Scar, what?" He asked almost relieved.

  "Could we meet... um maybe you could come over here." She said not wanting to leave the house.

  "Okay, I could come over now?"

  "That would be good, I'll see you in a few minutes."

  "Alright. Bye." Jared said and hung up the phone.

  "You're Levi's best friend?" Scarlett let out a laugh. Jared and Scarlett had went to an eigth grade dance together, before she even noticed Levi. Jared was a sweet guy, always there to make things better. Scarlett figured they completed each other in a way. Jared was the caring, kind, shoulder to cry on type... Levi was the funny one, he tried to make things better with humor. He had a heart, no doubt, he just had a different way of showing it.

  "You're his girlfriend?" Jared asked equally surprised.

  "Okay now that we've established the relationship." Levi said totally confused.

  "Levi, dude... this is the chick I took to that dance in eighth grade!"

  "Whoa, wait... man that's gross, the things you told me you wanted to do to her."

  "Ew, seriously?" Scarlett said making a face.

  "Maybe." Levi teased. He was grinning and wrapped his arms around her waist.

  It was February of Sophomore year and Scarlett had only been dating Levi for about a month. They had really click when they met during lunch. He found it amusing when she came up to their table. He knew he wanted to ask her to be his girlfriend at that very moment.

  Jared flinched slightly when Scarlett opened the door wearing Levi's green sweater.

  Scarlett noticed too and she looked down at the hoody. It was actually a bit filthy, she didn't want to wash it in fear of losing a little more of Levi.

  "Hi." He said softly, his deep brown eyes looking into her amber ones. "You cut your hair I see."

  "Yea." Scarlett started choking up, tears welled up in her eyes. She just couldn't take this.

  Jared pulled her into a friendly embrace. She started crying into his shoulder, he cried into hers. Scarlett figured they stood their for at least ten minutes before Christopher came into the room.

  "Jared." He nodded a polite hello.

  "Sir." Jared said clearing his throat. He looked down and wiped his eyes, he pulled away from the embrace, stepping closer to the still open door.

  "Jared is spending the night dad." Scarlett said quickly and grabbed him by the sleeve, dragging him down the hall.

  Christopher wanted to stop his daughter, but at least she was opening up to someone... or at least having sleep overs, even if they were with boys.

  "Who was that?" Emma peaked her head out of the bedroom.

  "Jared." He replied with a heavy sigh.

  "Oh?" She looked quite surprised actually, Annie... Scarlett's best friend, hadn't even been able to come in the house. "That's good." She finally said a little confused.

  "I'm really glad that you two started dating, he's really happy, but if you hurt him Scar." Jared took his coffee from the woman behind the counter, she had her's in hand.

  "Why would I hurt him?" She asked as they walked out of the small coffee shop.

  "I don't know, and I like to think you won't... but, just be careful. I know he puts on a strong front, but he's senstive." Jared snorted thinking he sounded so grown up for a sixteen year old boy.

  "I won't! And besides we aren't serious, serious yet." She said rolling her e
yes and playing with the silver necklace she wore.

  "You let me down! I thought I had a shot when we went to that dance!" He exclaimed.

  "Jared, that was different... sure we liked each other, but that was 18 months ago, not to mention we wouldn't work out in the end anyway, I did what was best."

  He knew she was right, he figured if they had met four years later they probably would've clicked, but 18 months ago she was just a kid and he was dealing with his parent's split.

  "He's best friend Scar, you're one of my good friends too... I don't wanna see anyone hurt."

  Jared stroked Scarlett's soft, chestnut red hair as they laid on her bed. Her face buried in his chest, although she wasn't crying anymore. Scarlett blinked sleepily, she focused on the rising and falling of Jared's chest, the warmth it gave to her face. She felt a pang of sadness and then a moment of betrayal. She was laying next to Levi's best friend! She wanted to move, but something kept her pulled to him. Not a physical attraction, a feeling of neediness.

  They didn't talk, they just laid there until they both fell asleep long after the sun had set.

  They needed each other, although it would seem Scarlett needed him more. Jared was moving on, sure Levi was like a brother, but he knew he had to continue on with life. Scarlett though, still hadn't even tried moving past it, when you lose someone you love, even if you're a seventeen year old girl, it hits you like a moving bus.

 

  Chapter4

  Scarlett kept her head down as she made her way to her familiar locker. Nobody really whispered about her or gave her glances. This made her happy, relieved. She could see Annie coming for her, weaving through the crowd. Scarlett grabbed her books and slammed the blue metal door closed.

  "Are you avoiding me?" Annie joked givng Scar a quick squeeze.

  She managed a smile, it wasn't much, but it would tell Annie things were getting better. Even if that was hardly the truth. In reality life was a bumpy road and as much as she hated to admit it, Jared was the only thing getting her through.

  "Wanna come over to my place after class?" Annie asked for the fifth time that week.

  She sighed and looked down. Annie had always been her best friend, but it was hard to go very many places.

  Then she saw Jared strutting down the hall, high fiving some guys, smiling at girls. He was tall, easy to spot and he had dark blond, curly/wavy hair that fell right above the base of his neck and his bangs stopped just a little after his blue eyes began. He was handsome, no doubt... but that's not what she was thinking.