Chapter 17
Love doesn't last
Hazel
"Come on, keep up, will you? You want to find your friend? Use those chubby legs!"
Xavian
"Chill out on the fat jokes!"
Hazel
"Well then, move faster."
Xavian (internally)
How does this Hazel girl even have so much energy after all that happened?
Is she on Adderall?
how is she moving this fast?
I know I'm not the fastest guy in the world, but I can't even close the distance no matter how fast I run.
Also, every time I try to stop to check a room, she just drags me along and tells me to follow her.
Why is that? Isn't it better if we split up anyway to find her?
Hazel
"Oh my God, how long are you going to have your internal monologues? It's getting creepy. Speak your words!"
Xavian
"I wasn't... Never mind.
Anyway, shouldn't we be checking more rooms instead of just running aimlessly?"
Hazel
"Gosh, where have you been? Were you even listening earlier, I told you I ran through the whole school to look for you."
Xavian
"Wait, you were being serious about that?!"
Hazel
"Shut up and lock in. If Quinley was around, I would have seen her by now."
Xavian
"So you're saying she left the school entirely?"
Hazel
"Not quite. There's one place I still have yet to check."
After those words left Hazel's mouth, she halted in front of two large blue doors. Xavian eventually caught up with her and almost dropped to his knees, not even asking why they stopped.
Xavian
"Why is this place so damn big?"
Hazel
"Oh... we're here You really got to work on your cardio."
Xavian
"The auditorium? So this is the place?"
Wait didn't you come from here?
Hazel
"No time to question-let's go in and check." She hyperly pushed me almost through the doors of the auditorium, with surprising strength for her size.
Xavian
"Hey, bro, what are you doing? I can go in there myself. Geez, why are you so pushy?"
Hazel
"Why are you so big? Just shut up and get in there!"
With one final push, she shoved me through the doors into the auditorium.
The room was dark, with most of the lights cut off. There were still some dim ones illuminating the area, enough to see how jam-packed it was. Surprisingly, there were no seats-everyone was just standing together.
Some people whispered amongst each other. Some were on their phones. But most kept their eyes on the stage, as you'd expect.
I didn't feel like looking through all these people, and I heavily doubted Quinley was here. I was about to turn to tell Hazel I'd look for her on my own-and maybe ask her not to help me-when I heard her voice.
voice cracked before the first note even settled in the air.
Quinley
Guitar intro
(fingerpicking, fragile, airy - like each note might break)
Verse 1 (soft, almost whispered)
There was once a girl... living the dreeeeaaam
Playing alone through the late spring
Her shadow was the only friend she knew
Still she swore she felt somebody move...
Verse 2
She never knew her mom and dad
But as she got older, she was glad
Not many knew what she went through
But on that day... when you looked in my eyes, you always knew
Pre-Chorus (gentle lift)
You carried the weight I couldn't hold on to
You stood by my side when I thought I was through
Chorus (emotional release)
Girl, why did you have to leave so fast?
Did you lie when you told me our friendship would never last?
When I close my eyes, I still see your face
That beautiful smile and those kind eyes, The way you look to the sky watching the sun rise.
I'll still keep your mug warm, I'll keep our plaaans
Even the ones you knew I couldn't stand
Verse 3 (memory-heavy, trembling)
I swear, when I hear your laugh it makes my day
If yesterday was the last time, I'd never be okay
I know you fought hard for a chance to stay
So I'll fight hard to find you, baby please, don't fade away
I'll always wait for you, each and every day
(whisper: doesn't last)
Bridge (fragile → breaking)
Don't you worry a single hair on that head...
( whisper: love doesn't last)
I'll keep on searching, even if they say you're dead...
(Xavian quietly joins in, sobbing to himself, singing-echoing the lyrics: "Love doesn't last." A mantra.)
love doesn't last, love doesn't last
love doesn't last, love doesn't last.
That love, I want it back.
Love doesn't last, love doesn't last.
That love, God I need it back.
(Love doesn't last)
This goes up to my friend Zelina wherever she is right now.
(Love doesn't last)
Just know I'll never forget the memories we had.
playing in the rain, jumping kids who tried to pick a fight with us, or competing with each other in spelling bees.
(Love doesn't last.)
I want you to also know: I'll never stop until I have you in my arms again, so I can make more memories with you.
Thank you. I love you.
For that love I will get it back.
Humans are often social and loud creatures, especially when they're in groups. Put them together with friends and loved ones, and you'll hear overlapping voices, laughter, arguments, stories-each person carrying their own tune of conversation.
And yet, there are very few things that can silence a crowd. Even fewer things can hold that silence.
Quinley's song did both.
Almost 7,000 students sat or stood frozen in the massive auditorium, the sound of her voice still echoing faintly through the rafters. Words died in their throats. Even thoughts seemed stilled. The air itself felt heavy, like everyone was caught in the same trance.
Maybe it was shock.
Maybe disbelief.
Maybe confusion.
Or maybe-just maybe-they wanted to hear her, to understand her pain.
For five long minutes, nothing but silence.
The stage lights glared down on Quinley, painting her in a pale glow. She clutched the microphone in trembling hands, knuckles whitening as her grip grew too tight. A sharp screech of feedback ripped through the air, making several students flinch and cover their ears. The noise crawled along spines and set teeth on edge.
Quinley
winced, her shoulders hunching as if she wanted to shrink into herself. Her wide eyes darted over the sea of faces, searching for something-understanding, forgiveness, anything. Instead, her gaze only reflected back the thousands of staring eyes.
Xavian,
watching from within the crowd, felt his chest tighten. He could almost hear the shift in the room, the fragile trance beginning to crack. He knew how quickly silence could turn into chaos.
All it takes is one spark, he thought. One tiny flame, and the whole forest catches fire.
The squeal of the mic was that spark.
Even if most of the crowd wasn't truly bothered, the noise was enough. All it took was one person to break-and the rest would follow.
The first voices rose, sharp and uncertain, cutting into the silence.
Student 1 (frowning, leaning forward): "What the hell was even that? Was this even supposed to happen?"
Student 2 (arms crossed, muttering to his friend): "The hell if I know... That song she sang though-so sad. It really killed my mood. Isn't the valedictorian supposed to do the opposite?"
Student 3 (groaning, rubbing his ear): "That fucking mic, man... I was not ready to hear that bullshit this early. And after something so damn depressing too. Who even is this girl? What's her deal?"
Their voices spread like ripples across the auditorium. Confusion grew teeth. Frustration sharpened tongues. Students whispered, muttered, grumbled. Chairs creaked as bodies shifted. A wave of chatter rolled forward, louder and louder, until the silence was shredded.
From the wings, Xavian's stomach dropped.
"Great. Now everyone's getting aggravated. How can people switch up this fast? What the hell do I do? Should I get her off the stage-pull her away before it gets worse? But no... there's no way I can reach her in time."
On stage, Quinley's breath started to stutter. Her chest rose and fell too fast. Her grip tightened again, the mic squealing once more, worse than before. The sound scraped across the room like nails against glass.
Her shoulders shook. The tears she'd held back while singing now welled up, blurring her vision. Every voice in the crowd-whether angry, pitying, or curious-pounded against her ears until they melted into one overwhelming roar.
Her lungs struggled to catch up.
In and out.
IN and out
IN AND out.
IN AND OUT.
The spotlight above her burned hot, trapping her in place. She bowed her head, hair falling forward like a curtain, too ashamed to meet the audience's eyes again. The song had taken everything from her-it stripped away her armor, leaving her fragile, vulnerable, trembling in front of thousands.
And then, in the faintest voice, barely audible over the restless crowd, she whispered into the mic:
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry. I just wanted to share... and for y'all to be aware of my... my... my-"
Her words cracked and broke apart, vanishing into the noise.
But one noise somehow louder than all the others The sounds of someone's voice in that moment that could never be We vanished Pierce through her ears