Frail Tears

Chapter Two : A New Way Of Being

I noticed I felt different . I could feel energy coiling off of everything . It was quiet and colorless . Olivia noticed my curiosity .

"It's called Auras . It's lingering energies of past feelings . They float around the object like a living memory ." She explained .

I nodded , staring at the invisible tendrils around the lamp post we were passing . It felt incredible . Everything had a certain feel to it , like different flavors . Something I'm sure Olivia was used to by now . A few people walked across the street in front of us , living people . The more I focused, the brighter their tendrils shined . Vibrant colors infused the air around them . Their auras spread out like octopus legs .

The more I studied it , the more my senses opened up . I could taste their colors , their energies , and their feelings they felt not only now , but in their past . Olivia watched me , happily immersed in my new experience . We strolled past them toward a bar . There were a few people outside conversing , but one caught my eye . She was leaning on the corner of the building with a glass in her hand . Her face was expressionless , completely blank .

You'd have no idea she was heartbroken if you weren't paying attention . She stared intensely at the clear liquid sloshing in her glass , as if waiting for her reflection to tell her fortune . As we were striding past her , I felt her pain . Her blue and black aura licked out at me, begging me to save it . I started crying hysterically when it touched me . It was her tears I was feeling . It was horrible , the emotional pain was so much I had to keep walking before it crippled me .

Olivia put her arm around my shoulders , and helped me to walk faster . The strange woman holding her drink may have looked fine , but she was suffering . She was beautiful , with bright red lips , and curly blonde hair . No tears escaped her deep blue eyes , even though I could feel they desperately wanted to .

I don't know what happened to her to slip into a depression like that . I don't think I'd want to ever know . I wept for her pain as we walked , sympathizing . Olivia stood by me , and rubbed my back . She was silent until now , "I should have told you , auras can be really sticky if you're too close ." She brushed my hair out of my face , and gave me a small smile .

I paused . The aura I encountered completely distracted me from my head pains . The people from today , those mourning at my funeral , are falling asleep now . The thoughts started to calm down , and I could pick a few people out if I listened . I finally started to relax . The effects of the woman's aura were wearing off .

A new aura suddenly came into view , taking my attention completely . It was black , with deep reds on the ends . It was disturbing how large this one was . It completely engulfed the man carrying it . The way it flowed around him was like poisonous air . Death surrounded this man .

"Evening Olivia ." He muttered in a low tone . Olivia smiled warmly at him .

"Hello Sebastian , this is Della , a new friend I made earlier tonight ." She beamed at him . The stranger bowed his head in respect to me . His brown hair rustled with the wind , and he glanced up with amazing brown eyes , almost red .

"I'm sorry to hear that . It's nice to meet you . " He grinned at my unease . He wasn't a spirit . He knew that I knew he wasn't . His grin spread wider , " Vampire , " was all he said .

Olivia placed a hand on my back, making me jump . "Everything you can think of is pretty much real , my dear ." Sebastian flashed a shiny pair of fangs in response . My eyes widened , it really was a whole new world . Dimenson ? She said realm earlier .

"If only I'd gotten to you sooner . You look beautiful . I'd hate to see you roam eternity alone , but it's too late to change you ." He chuckled , and wiggled his fingers devilishly at me .

"I think I'm starting to realize the whole alone thing ." I said , referring to the deafening silence in my mind . Friends that were thinking of the great memories of me ended up totally silent , still in their beds . One person was still making noise in my head , though .

Sebastian nodded , " Please excuse me , I should head home . If you need a friend in the supernatural world , don't hesitate to haunt ."

I giggled at his joke , and he smiled sweetly , leaving . We continued on our trek to Vince's house . People still walked the streets , some feeling our cold presence , and shivering , thinking it was the wind . We finally got to the street he lived on . I walked up to the door , and was about to knock when I remembered it was pointless .

"I'll give you some time . I'll wait out here . And don't worry , just walk right in . They won't see you, so it wouldn't matter if you knocked or not ." She winked at me , and sat down on the porch swing . She crossed her ankles , and leaned back, placing her palms down on the wood .

"Thank you ." I whispered , and I walked through the door . Through the small living room I found Vince's younger brothers . They were watching TV , and snacking on sweets like usual . I passed their parents' room , and could hear them snoring through the walls . Both Martha and Dean sounded like chainsaws . I made my way down the hall , and at the end was Vince's door . A tingly feeling went through my body as I carefully walked through his bedroom door .

Vince was lying on his bed , on his back . His hazel eyes were closed , with a hand behind his head . The pose made his arm muscles prominent . He wasn't sleeping though . In his other hand , he held my photo above his stomach , just clutching it . He was thinking . He was thinking about me . It was a sweet , warm scenery . Something I don't remember happening , but we were walking in front of this big tree . The sun was out in full force . It touched everything except underneath the tree .

He put me in a white sundress with my regular braid down my back . My honey brown eyes looked at him with passion . Did he see me this way all the time ? It looked like an entire movie in his mind . I was clasping his hand in this daydream as I led him underneath this massive tree . We sat down on the grass , and I put my head in his lap, looking up at his handsome face . He looped a lock of my brown hair on his finger over and over again .

His aura snapped me out of it . It began to bleed all over the room , and looking at his face I realized he was crying . His tears streamed down the sides of his face . He ran a hand through his blonde hair , and then wiped his eyes , going back to the position that he started in . I decided to sit on top of his desk beside the window . I usually sat there when we would hang out , or do homework . I'd sit on the edge , and run my fingers over his muscled shoulders .

"You shouldn't have been driving that night , and you know it . Why'd you do it ?" His whisper was so strained , I barely heard him . He held his breath , trying not to think of me . Vince's attempt wasn't a success .

"I know . It was dumb of me . I was upset . I wasn't thinking about what would happen , and I didn't care," I answered .

I scooted off the desk , and crawled in bed with him . Flat on my stomach , I propped myself up on my elbows so I could look into his hazel eyes . He raised his head , and looked around , particularly in my direction . "Della ?!" He lurched up , feeling the spot I was in . Touching me failed , Vince's hands went right through me . I was surprised . Did you hear me ?

"Vince ?" I said softly . Nothing . No reaction , and no answer .

I was on the verge of crying again . He could feel my presence , but he'd never know if I was really there . His aura was a sad one . Vince's aura was a story that went so much deeper than the pain on top . Blue sat on the outer corners , while yellow and purple claimed the inner areas . The colors go deeper the farther you focus on them . The main color right now, though , was the watery blue that leaked from his silhouette in a fog .

He was as heartbroken as the woman I encountered earlier , but in a different sense . I shook my head to clear it of the painful memories of earlier . Vince jumped up from the bed . He was completely disappointed , and by the sound of his thoughts of me , I could tell he hoped I was beside him giving him signs I wouldn't leave him . Vince wanted it to be a cruel dream . Yet , it wasn't , and I'm stuck here without a way to tell him how much I really care .

Vince grabbed his leather jacket , and walked out of his room, turning off the light . I jumped up quickly to follow him . He told the twins he was going back to the cemetery . He wasn't , but he knew that if their parents woke up , that's what they'd tell them . And like the wonderful family they are , they'd leave him some time alone .

What he was really doing was heading toward The Pit , which was downtown . The Pit was the place to be if you wanted to spice up your life with a little grass , and much more . It was the usual teen hangout . He promised me he wouldn't go back there . Guessing since I'm dead , he doesn't believe in promises after the expiration date .

I followed him as he walked out of the house . Olivia jumped up from her spot in the swing , confused . He was already headed down the street . A terrifying thought flashed from his thoughts to mine within a second . "Della , what's going on ?" She asked .

I was starting to sob , "He's giving up ." We were both strides behind him . Vince pulled out a lighter , and started to light a cigarette he pulled from his pack . "In our years together , there was a short timeline where he spent time with the wrong kind of people . Vince was a full-blown addict by the end of it . He even sold for them . Olivia , he's giving up ."

I walked backwards in front of him , hoping I could do something to snap him out of it . I waved my arms in front of his face , and screamed at him . Vince's gaze went right through me as I begged for him to hear me . He picked up the pace , walking right through me . I stopped , and turned toward him . I fell to my knees in defeat .

"Della .. I'm so sorry . This is .. a mortifying part of the process . People grieve in different ways ."

"This isn't grief ! This is destroying him !" I took off in his direction , leaving her there . She was speechless . But what could she really say ? We both knew she didn't know how to handle this .

Tears flooded my eyes , and I couldn't control the screams that escaped my throat . I remember how bad it was . I remember how broken he was . And when I didn't think it could get worse , it did . The fear of him doing this to himself was too much . It wasn't worth all of this pain .

Pleading , I chased after him , trying to hit everything in my path to get his attention . Nothing worked . I saw a shadow in the corner of my eye suddenly .

"I need you to stop ." Sebastian's sweet voice rang in the night .