"Biannca! I thought you weren't coming for another week!" Monique exclaimed.
"Yes
well I had this bad feeling. It was really bad so I came to-" her eyes
settled on Alivia. Isabella
sat her down and the three explained what had
happened to Biannca. When Biannca was caught up, they continued with their
story.
"So
I remember the two of you were even afraid to knock on Claudia's door!
I had to do it!" Biannca
laughed.
"Yeah.
But anyway, we drank the same thing Alivia did. So we're just like her.
And when I went home, Justin had drunk himself into an early grave. I called
Biannca, and the three of us left Charleston and
haven't been back since." Isabella finished.
"And you guys know the rest." Alivia concluded.
Justin stood up and faced Alivia, "You're like 90?That's just sick. I'm ottie man"
He slammed the door on his way out.
"Listen,
why don't we leave you two alone? You certinly have a lot to talk about
now." Alivia said to
Isabella and the three got up to leave.
Once they were out, the two remaining people were silent. Isabella sat nervously in her seat. "Well, you got your answers."
AJ looked at her sadly. "You can't die then? You're immortal?"
"That's putting it in a nutshell, yes"
He looked down again.
"AJ
listen. I really do love you. I've never loved any man like I have you.
You're my world now. I want
to be with you. I couldn't take it if you left
me."
He glared at her. " Isabella, you drank a magic potion that made you immortal! And you know what? I STILLLOVE YOU! I don't care how old you really are-it's only creepy if I think about it a lot which I won't do. But I wanted us to have a life together."
"I know baby" Isabella stroked his cheek. "I know. I still want us to have a life together."
After
a brief pause, AJ looked at her with determination written all over his
face. "I'm gonna
do it"
"Do what?"
"I'm
gonna drink whatever the hell it was that you drank. I'm going to be with
you forever and a day
Isabella. I don't care what it takes."
"AJ no. No. You are not going to do that to yourself. I won't let you."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that I wish I could die. I want to GROW OLD with you"
"But that's why you took it in the first place. So you wouldn't have to grow old.”
She shook her head, "No, it was because I didn't want to grow old with Justin. Because he wasn't my soul mate. Because he wasn't you."
AJ stared at her, "I don't care"
He
got up and left the room. Isabella sat there motionless. She began to cry
when Alivia and her sisters re-entered the room and she told them what
had happened.
Charlestone, South Carolina-two days later
"Are you Claudia?" AJ asked impatiently of the young woman standing before him. He hadn't slept since the scene in London. After he had left Isabella, he had boarded a plane and come directly here-to Claudia's house.
"Yes, I am. How may I help you Mr. McLean?"
"You can help me by cutting the bull shit and giving me the good stuff. Now"
"I have to warn you-"
"NOW"
"Ok but I tell all my customers that-"
"What don't you seem to get?"
Claudia smiled. He's just as bull headed as his girlfriend. Good.
"Right this way" She said smiling as she opened the door of the room. She got the goblet without a word and filled it. She handed it to AJ. "Drink, and before ever young"
AJ raised it to his lips.
"AJ NO!!" Isabella screamed at the top of her lungs.
AJ
turned and to see her and the goblet dropped to the ground. It was empty.