The Wanderers Beginning: The Wanderers, Reborn, & Unforgiven (53 page)

  
              “You know, Jack, it's a shame what happened to your girlfriend.” I knew aggravating him wasn't the best idea, but with his emotions running wild, he would be careless and I could catch him off guard. “Although, she was kind of a bitch. You know there was this guy she used to complain about all the time. She said how much of a wimp he was and she was only keeping him around to be her lackey. Come to think of it...wait...I guess that would be you,” I said with a smart ass smirk.

  
              He leapt for me but I blocked him. He was being careless and not thinking straight. We battled it out, each getting equal hits in. I kept up with the banter, knowing he'd slip up and give me the opportunity to take him down. “Jack, you had to know she was only using you for her dirty work.”

  
              “No, she loved me!” he spat.

  
              He was letting his emotions get the best of him allowing me to get the upper hand. “Please, the only thing Cadence loved more than herself was that football player she was messing around with.”

  
              “You're lying!”

  
              “Am I?”  He paused for a slight second, giving me an advantage. I took it and knocked him down.

  
              Now I had him pinned. “I know you're lying,” he said between breaths.

  
              “And why is that?”

  
              “Because, we were always together and besides she was always too busy taking out the threats,” he smiled. “You should have seen the way she cut into Skylar.” His eyes glazed over with the look of admiration. I gripped him harder smashing his head into the ground. “Did I hit a nerve?” He laughed, exposing his blood stained teeth. “Now Josie, that was a team effort. Didn't plan to kill her at first, but mmm, she tasted so good.”

  
              My rage grew and I let go of his arms so I could smash his head into the ground. I struck only once before he was knocking me off of him. He picked me up by the neck and slammed my body into a tree knocking the wind out of me and rendering me defenseless.

  
              For a brief moment I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe.

  
              He gripped his hands around my throat tighter, squeezing the life out of me. I clawed, punched, scratched at his hands, arms, but it was no use.

  
              I truly thought this was it, this was end. Jack had won.

  
              Just when I thought I was about to black out I was dropped to the ground and Jack's body went sailing in the air, landing off in the distance in a crumbled heap. “Ella?”

  
              I blinked a few times, adjusting my eyes, trying to catch my breath. “Tristan, you're alive?” He smiled weakly. “Jack!” I said, trying to get up, but Tristan held me down.

  
              “He's knocked out.”

  
              I followed Tristan's eyes to see Jack lying still on the grass. “We need to get him. He won't stay down for long,” I said, managing to stand and then only to have Tristan pull me back down.

  
              He pulled out a cell phone from his pocket and handed it to me. “Call the guardians.”

  
              “It will take too long for them to get here, I can –” I looked up.

  
              Jack was gone.

  
              “Where is he?” I asked, looking all around.

  
              “He's gone,” Tristan said, growing weak.

  
              “You don't know that, he could be anywhere.” I said, still searching, waiting.

  
              “Ella, he's too weak. He needs to regain his strength and he can't do that here.”

  
              I looked back down at Tristan who was fading in and out of consciousness. “We need to get you to a hospital,” I said, trying to help him up.

  
              He winced at the movement and fell back against the tree. “Ella, I can't.”

  
              “Then I'll call the guardians and they'll –”

  
              He reached up and took my hand. “No Ella, it's too late,” he coughed, spitting up blood.

  
              “What are you saying?” I asked, blinking back the tears.

  
              “It's okay. I kept you safe, for now at least. That's one promise I can say I kept,” he said, flashing me his cocky smile.

  
              “Tristan, you're not going to die. I'm not going to let that happen.” I stood up and tried to dial for the guardians but I had no reception. I screamed frustrated and then yelled for help. “HELP! SOMEONE HELP US!”

     
              “Ella...Ella,” Tristan called. I knelt down next to him. He wiped a tear from my cheek making me cry even harder. He took my hand and held it to his chest. “It's okay,” he said, squeezing my hand tightly while he went into a coughing fit.

  
              “Stop it. You can't leave, you can't leave me now.”

  
              “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I can go knowing I felt true happiness.”

  
              “I know now. I know it was you who saved me that night of the accident. I remember. I thought it was just a dream, but I remember,” I said. I didn't understand at first when he said he found the necklace the first night we met, but now I did. Tristan was the man who pushed me out of the way of the fire.

    
              He smiled. “That was when I knew, you were the one. I never thought I'd see you again,” he paused to take a breath. “But then you showed up here and you turned my whole world upside down.”

  
              “Tristan,” the tears were now pouring down my face.

  
              He reached up and touched the star necklace he gave me. The one I forgot I was wearing. “La mia bella stella,” he whispered.

  
              “My beautiful star,” I said, closing my eyes, finally understanding what it meant. I opened my eyes to look at his beautiful face, his eyes. I held his hand over my heart. With his other hand he reached up and touched my face, smiling, and with his last breath he whispered, “I love you...”

    His hand fell by his side, his head lolled, and he was no longer moving. “Tristan?” I shook him. “Tristan?” I closed my eyes and leaned in to kiss him goodbye. “I love you, too,” I said, as I lay my head on his chest and cried...

To be continued...

PLAY LIST

Chapter one

Consolation prizes (Opening sequence) * Sia – Breathe me

Courage is (Drive to cabin) * The Airborne Toxic Event – Missy

Chapter two

Bird on a wire (Party at Kevin's cabin) * Neon Trees – Everybody talks

Don't let me be misunderstood (Ella's talk with Kevin) * Of Monsters and Men – Love, love, love

Dog days are over (Dancing with friends) * Group Love – Tongue tied

Chapter three

Who's in your corner (Ella's fight with Dean) * Mumford and Sons – Timshel

Splishin’ and splashin’ (chilling with Josie at pool) * Matt Kearney – Hey Mama

Chapter four

Less is more (skinny dipping in the lake) * Fun – Some nights

Walk this way (search for Jake) * Florence and the machine – Seven devils

Chapter five

Head full of doubt road full of promises (Ride to airport) * Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic
Zeroes – Home

Welcome to the black parade (Tour of school) * The Airborne Toxic Event – Gasoline

Chapter six

Step by step (Party at Fraternity) * Fall out boy – Grand Theft Autumn

It's a man's world (Introduction of Tristan) * Mirah – The Garden

Free your mind (Talk with Cadence) * Ben Francis Leftwich – Stole you away

You spin me right round (Ella returns to the party – keg stands) * Fun – We are Young

Hello, goodbye (The morning after, Tristan checks on Ella) * The Blakes – Don't Bother me

Chapter seven

Get it while you can (Hanging with Jack at student center) * The White Stripes – We're going to be friends

You can't always get what you want (First day of school) * The Black Keys – Hell of a season

Pour some sugar on me (Study session) * Bright Eyes – First day of my life

Chapter eight

Never say never (Party at fraternity) * The Airborne Toxic event – It doesn't mean a thing

Hit me with your best shot (Playing pool) * The Airborne Toxic Event – The girls in their summer dresses

White blank page (Ella trying to paint) * Sarah McLachlan – Bring on the wonder

Call me, maybe? (Tristan's distant behavior) * Massive Attack – Teardrop

Chapter nine

Please allow me to introduce myself (Getting ready for initiation) * Modest Mouse – Missed the boat

Super massive black hole (After party) * The Airborne Toxic Event – Changing

True colors (Tristan and Ella's private talk) * Band of Horses – The funeral

Take me as I am (On the stairs) * Imagine Dragons – It's Time

Too close (Study break) * Digital Daggers – Head over Heels

Everybody talks (Study session with Jack) * Noah and the Whale – 2 atoms and a molecule

Momma said knock you out (Fight with Skylar) * Rise Against – Prayer of the Refugee

Chapter ten

Unnecessary roughness (After fight) * The Airborne Toxic Event – Happiness is overrated

Child's play (Paint fight) * Walk the Moon – Anna sun

Shake me down (Find out about Skylar) * Gary Jules – Mad world

Rolling in the deep (When Tristan returns from police station) * Natalie Merchant – My skin

Chapter eleven

Breakfast at Tiffany's (Morning after with Tristan) * Maroon 5 – Sweetest goodbye

Your place or mine (Tristan asks Ella out) * Dashboard Confessional – El Scorcho

Hell in a hand basket (Getting ready for her date with Tristan) * The Airborne Toxic Event – Something new

It takes two (First dance) * James Morrison – Better man

Bright light, city nights (On the roof) * The Black Keys – Meet me in the city

Giving him something he can feel (First kiss) * Fiona Apple – Across the universe

Yesterday was just a memory (ride home) * Norah Jones – Wish I could

Chapter twelve

I ran so far away (Ella's run) * My Chemical Romance – Helena

Chapter thirteen

Chapter fourteen

Dream a little dream (Ella's nightmare) * Plumb – Damaged

One drink, two drink, red drink, blue drink (Drinking in Tristan's room) * Phoenix – Consolation prizes

Dare to be me (Playing truth or dare) * Ida Maria – I like you so much better when you're naked

Chapter fifteen

Let's pool our luck (Tristan surprises them with a pool) * Portishead – Glory box

Safe and sound (Ella attends to Tristan's wounds) * Sarah Bareilles – Courage is

Confessions (Ella tells Tristan about her past) * Damien Rice – Delicate

Say goodnight not goodbye (Tristan and Ella's night together) * Plumb – Cut

Chapter sixteen

My momma told me (Breakfast with Ella's mom) * Postal Service – Such great heights

Fading fast (Skylar's memorial) * Eva Cassidy – Fields of gold (live)

Party like a rock star (At the club) *
Beyoncé – Single Ladies

Breakup or makeup (Ella and Tristan's fight) * Sara Bareilles – Gravity

Chapter seventeen

Hope is gone (Opening sequence) * Marina and the Diamonds – Lies

Hanging by a thread (Tristan and Ella's argument outside) * Mumford and Sons – After the storm

The usual suspects (Tristan talks with Ella in the quad) * Fisher – I will love you

Things aren't as they appear (Ella's date with Jack) * Sense Field – save yourself

Dance with the devil (Ella finds out about Jack's secret) * Mumford and Sons – Thistle and weeds

Chapter eighteen

Helping hands (Tristan fixes Ella's headache) * Cyndi Lauper – Fearless

Trick or treat (At Halloween store) * Monster mash

Two faced (Decorating the masks) * The Black Keys – Dead and gone

What was the question (At the police station) * Mumford and Sons – Broken crown

Chapter nineteen

Say yes to the dress (When Tristan runs into Ella in the hotel) * Travis – More than us

Do's and Don'ts (At the salon) * Gavin Degraw – Let it go

Once around the dance floor (Dancing with Dixon) * Adele – Crazy for you

Where I belong (Dance with Tristan) * Colbie Caillat – I never told you

Chapter twenty

Hand in hand (Dancing with Tristan in hotel room) * Otis Redding – I've got dreams to remember

My heart will go on (Ella invites Tristan to spend the night) * Foy Vance – Be the song

Chapter twenty-one

What a mess (Return to the dorms) * Adele – Set fire to the rain

To eat or not to eat (Dinner in hotel room) * The Airborne Toxic Event – All I ever wanted

Sweet dreams (Tristan and Ella say goodnight) * Lauren Hill – Selah

Chapter twenty-two

Starry starry night (Ella takes a break on balcony) * Florence and the Machine – Falling

Two freaks or better than one (hanging with Josie) * Pink – Trouble

Giving thanks (Tristan puts Ella to bed) * Juliana Hatfield – Make it home

Chapter twenty-three

So much for the afterglow (Ella wakes up) * Ok Go – Shooting the moon

How much is that doggie in the window (Time at animal shelter) * Plain White T's – Rhythm of love

Breakfast with a breakup (breakfast with Tristan) * Mumford and Sons – Where are you now

Saying goodbye (Tristan tells Ella he's leaving) * Glen Hansard – Leave

Aftermath (Ella's reaction to losing Tristan) * Pink – Glitter in the air

Getting to know your strength (Dinner with Gabe) * Jet – Move on

Chapter twenty-four

It's a dead man's party (Halloween party at sorority house) * Florence and the Machine – Bedroom Hymns

Twist and shout (Ella dances with Tristan) * Lana Del Ray – Summer time sadness

Party crashers (escaping the guards) * Remy Zero – Save me

Chapter twenty-five

Lonely hearts (Tristan explains why he left) * Ron Pope – A drop in the ocean

Monsters in the closet (When Ella finds Josie) * Jason Walker – Down

Endless wonders (when Ella receives her powers) * Innerpartysystem – Don't stop

When all said and done (Ella says goodbye to Tristan) * Kate Voegele – Hallelujah