Existence 2.5 - Leif

boyfriend,” Pagan’s best friend since childhood whispered as I made my way toward them.

Right as I reached her locker, she closed it a little too loudly before turning to face me. I wanted to laugh at her angry glare but I figured that wouldn’t win me any points. Seeing her brave enough to be angry with me was a nice change. Anything was better than her being terrified of me.

“Leif,” she mumbled. Her eyes darted everywhere but directly at me. She was so dang cute.

“Pagan, it’s good to see you too.”

“What do you need?” She sna pped and Miranda elbowed her a little too hard. I clinched my fist to keep from reaching out and grabbing her friend ’ s arm and moving her away from Pagan.

“Well, I was wondering about the tutoring. I mean, now that I’m back I need to keep up my grade and you know I can’t do it without your help.”

Pagan’s eyes finally focused on me and went wide. That hadn’t been what she was expecting me to say. Good. “Ah, well, when you left I filled your spot. But I’m sure there are other tutors available if you feel you really need one.”

“But you were so helpful. I doubt anyone else will be able to help me the way you did.” Anger flashed in her pretty eyes as she pulled her backpack up her arm and stepped around me.

“I’ m so sorry, Leif. I don’t know what has gotten in to her today,” Miranda began babbling. I was affecting her. The emotion was a good thing.

“It’s okay. I did leave without a word. I’m sure I have a lot of making up to do.”

“Well, she has kind of move d on, ya know? ” I didn’t want to listen to Miranda tell me about Dank Walker and his claim on what was mine.

Brushing her off with a nod, I walked away without a word in response.

The sirens drew me from my path to the homeroom I would now be sharing with Pagan. Instead, I headed out to the backdoors and followed Pagan and Miranda who had both broken into a run toward the football field.

As I neared , I saw the field filled with emergency technicians, students, and the sounds of panicked crie s drifted through the air as Miranda dra ped herself over Wyatt’s lifeless body. Lifting my eyes, I found Dankmar standing there unnoticed by the crowd. The pain and confusion on his face told me all I needed to know.

Wyatt had been what my father’s riddle was about earlier . He’d taken Wyatt in Pagan’s place. He hadn’t taken just any soul but a soul s he would mourn— a soul that would get her attention.

Pagan lifted her eyes and I watched as she glared at Death. She finally understood. She didn’t understand that this death was not one taken by Dankmar but she did get a taste of what his purpose in life consisted of. He wasn’t the rocker that girls fawned over. “He is Death, see him for who he is,” I whispered before turning and leaving the tragedy behind me.

9. “It looks like it’s just you and me. ” - Leif

“Whoa, not who I expected to see here,” I said aloud in order to announce my presence. Pagan and Miranda hadn’t realized they weren’t alone in the cemetery. But then Pagan seemed to have her hands full with a very drunk Miranda. “And drinking?” I shifted my gaze from the bottle of wine to Pagan.

“She wanted to come here. I figured she needed some courage to face it.” The annoyed snip in her voice I’d recently grown accustomed to was gone. She sounded… tired.

Being the cause of all the pain I’d watched her experience since Wyatt’s death weighed heavy on my chest. Now, she looked like she was at her breaking point. “I can understand that,” I replied .

Miranda scooted over and patted the spot beside her on the bench in front of Wyatt’s grave. “Come sit,” she instructed me with a slur.

I took the offered seat. “Here, it’s good,” Miranda shoved the bottle into my chest. Yeah, she’d had way too much.

“Don’t mind if I do ,” If I drank some maybe it would help me deal with what I was about to do. Time was running out. If I didn’t get Pagan’s attention tonight it was very possible my f ather would take another soul—s omeone else close to her. I couldn’t let that happen .

“Sorry I ran off today and we juslefyouthere .” Miranda apologized for the episode I’d witnessed at the mall earlier. Pagan didn’t respond. Instead she reached across Miranda and took the wine bottle out of my hand.

“You’ve reached your limit Miranda. Any m ore and you’ll hate me tomorrow. ” Pagan said as she