Chapter 151 - Hello From The Other Side

Madeline knocked on Briar's door. She called, "Briar, you there?"

The door opened, revealing Briar, who looked better than usual. 

"Hey," she greeted, her voice raspy from all the crying. 

She shot Madeline a look, wondering why she was dressed for a date. Well, it wasn't easy to tell but Madeline didn't usually dress up like this. 

Briar came to her senses. 

She gasped, her voice sounding a bit different than usual although she seemed happy for her friend. 

"He asked you out," she said aloud, adding, "You're going on a date."

Briar had finally accepted the truth. Well, it wasn't really like she had accepted Indiana's death just like that. She was just… in higher spirits because she had been visited by a certain someone in her dreams. 

Call it just a dream, or something Briar made up to cope. But Briar had finally gotten to talk to Indiana one last time before Indiana was gone for good. In the middle of the night, whilst she was asleep, Indiana had paid her a visit. Briar never thought of it as a dream. 

The moment she recognised Indiana, she was ecstatic, thinking it was real. That Indiana had never died at all and that Indiana had come back. 

'Indiana?' She asked, reaching for her friend to see if Indiana would vanish.

Briar and her were in a place that seemed to have no end. A place that was filled with nothing but brightness and light. 

Indiana waved at her, and Briar gasped. 

'You're here. You're actually here.' 

Briar tried embracing Indiana, to no avail.

'What–'

'I've missed you,' Indiana admitted, a smile in her twinkling eyes. 

'That's all? That's it? I've missed you?' Briar asked, looking hurt. She added, 'You- you died, you're not supposed to be here.'

Indiana nodded, 'I know. I'm not supposed to be here. But, I had to pay you one last visit.'

Briar asked, 'And Madeline?'

Indiana chuckled, although she didn't seem too happy the moment Madeline's name was brought up. Like she knew something Briar didn't. 

'I never needed to visit her. Seeing me wouldn't help her,' Indiana said to Briar, like it was a known fact.

Briar looked dejected, asking, 'Will I ever see you again?' 

Indiana scoffed, 'There's no need to go and ask these types of questions. They only bring down the mood. I came here to visit you, not to discuss sad, depressing details.' 

Scrunching her nose, she noted, 'I've heard what everyone said. How much they miss me, how they want me to come back, etc etc. The list goes on and on.' 

Briar's eyes shined, 'But that's the truth. We all want you to come back. If you can talk here then…'

Indiana breathed deeply, 'If I could talk here, I'd stay. I would never leave and would wait for you to come here every night. But that can't be the case, can it? I have to leave someday.'

'What are you talking about? Of course you can stay,' Briar cried. 

Shaking her head, Indiana told Briar, 'I can't. I have to move on.'

'So you came to tell me goodbye?' Briar asked. 

Indiana nodded, 'Exactly.'

Briar sniffled, 'But–'

Indiana smiled reassuringly at her, 'You won't need me. You never did. Neither did Madeline.'

Looking like she had just remembered something, Indiana said to Briar, 'And Jonathan. Make sure he's okay.' 

Briar scoffed, sounding both pleased and upset, 'You come here to say goodbye and yet you're telling me to make sure he's okay, and also her… What about you?' 

'Me? What about me? I'll be perfectly fine here. And I know you all will be too. So long as you remember not to let anything get in your way, especially not my death, even if I am your friend. I don't want you to continue spending all your time in your room, Briar. I never would. You still have a long life ahead of you, don't waste it. Not on me,' Indiana replied. 

Indiana stared at her hand, which had begun to fade away.

Briar cried, 'What's happening to you– What–'

'Seems like my time is up,' Indiana said calmly. 

She walked over and hugged Briar with one hand. And Briar felt Indiana's warmth surround her. 

'Goodbye, Briar. It was nice being able to talk to you one last time without any other interruptions this time,' Indiana admitted, letting go of Briar, who watched as she faded away. 

When Indiana had vanished, Briar awoke, realising morning had already come. How long was her conversation for it to already have been morning? She was left to assume it was a dream, and that Indiana had really said all those things. It all sounded like things she would've actually said. 

Then, hours later, she heard a knock at the door. Madeline had come to check if she was alright. 

Back to where we last picked off. 

"I'm so happy for you," Briar said, smiling. 

She quickly ushered Madeline in her room, and Madeline noticed Briar seemed happier than usual.

"And what's gotten you all smiles?" Madeline asked, pleased her friend was in such high spirits. 

Briar laughed softly, "I'm just happier today, that's all."

Madeline eyed her friend, hoping Briar would remain happy like she was now.

"Well, I'm glad you're happy, Bri," Madeline admitted, smiling. 

She had paid Briar a visit right before her date with Xavier. Perhaps that would help in calming her nerves. And besides, she had originally intended to sit with Briar till it was time for the date, but it seemed like that wasn't necessary any more.

"And I'm glad you're going on your very first date," Briar admitted, adding, "I hope everything will go well." 

Madeline joked, "Hey, if all goes well - and I really hope it will - we could always have a second date, but this time with you and Adrian. It can be a double date. Us four, all together."

Briar didn't seem to dislike the idea, her eyes glimmered with something. 

"Hmm, I'll think about it," she said.