"And if you ever need to scream again, and I mean really scream, I have the perfect place. So just let me know, okay?"
I blink. "You have a screaming spot?"
"Everyone should have a screaming spot."
I smile, appreciating that she's here right n
ow. "I may need it a lot."
"Then let's go now." I don't argue and follow after her.
Ashton doesn't ask what's wrong, or if I want to talk about it, as she takes me by my hand and practically drags me after her. I think she may be so used to hiding her truth from the world, that she feels like she doesn't have a right to ask another person theirs. And for someone who is so careful with the truth, it makes me sad for her, to be so lost in a contrived life. She's learning, in her own quirky ways, to interact honestly. It explains her riddling comments and bouts of candor; she's trying to let the world see her, underneath all of the glamour and beauty. And that's when it occurs to me, her curse is Authenticity. And maybe that's why I instantly felt connected with her, even if she is strange. We both seek the same thing, to be honest with who we are. I just hope I don't have to witness her destruction when her curse comes for her.
When we reach the foyer, we go through the doors of the main entry--that I have yet to use. We descend the stone steps and cross the gravel drive found outside the circle of buildings. I stop to take in what's before us.
A large field stretches out until it suddenly falls away. And all I can see beyond that is water--what seems like miles upon miles of water.
"It's Blackwood Lake. The same lake Lily's and Stefan's houses are on. Except they're farther north," she tells me. "In Kingston, everyone either lives on the lakeside or the mountainside. In the middle is the downtown. We are, obviously, on the lakeside."
"I always thought we were surrounded by woods. But I guess I never really explored the campus beyond the Court."
"This is one of my favorite places. Maybe because no one does come out here. It's like they forget there's anything outside of the buildings once they enter."
The field is bigger than I originally thought, and it takes us a while to reach the edge, and that's exactly what it feels like--a preschooler took scissors to the edge of the grass, cutting it off in a jagged line, leaving behind a steep and drastic drop to a rocky shoreline.
"Holy shit," I breathe out, experiencing a slight heart-palpitating sense of vertigo. There isn't a fence or any sort of protective barrier. If someone were to keep walking, they would plummet and land on the jagged earth below. I look down to see the lake water softly lapping at the sharp angles.
"This way," Ashton beckons, walking toward the woods. Oddly, the wrought iron fence extends all the way to the end of the property, determined to separate us from the other side.
Ashton unexpectedly takes a step off the edge and my heart skips a beat. It looked like she walked off the edge onto nothing. But considering, I can still see her, cut off at the knee, there must be something there. I have to walk all the way to the end of the grass to view the flat slabs of rock jutting out haphazardly. Each rocky shelf protrudes from the sheer cliff-face and looks like they might snap if jumped upon. They form a torturous path all the way to the water.
Ashton walks along the ledge until she reaches the furthest point that hangs over the water. Just watching her stand on the edge of the world quickens my pulse.
When I haven't moved from the safety of the grass, she laughs. "C'mon. It's not as scary as it looks."
I carefully lower onto the slab. Focusing on each step in front of me, I fear the slightest falter will cause me to fall to my death. I glance up to find Ashton. There's a slight breeze off the water, causing wisps of her hair to float around her head.
"This is Screaming Point."
"That's what it's called?"
"It is now. As of today. Because it's what we need it to be." She takes my hand. "Ready?"
I look out at the dwindling light dancing on the dark surface like the lake is capturing every last bit of the sun before it disappears. I close my eyes and find that place inside that is always angry. That hates my curse. That needs Allie to live. And Vic to burn. That wants to hurt every man who has ever broken my mother's heart. Or touched what wasn't theirs. And every person who has ever lied when they claimed to love. I don't have to search for long, because it's always there, waiting to explode.
I open my eyes to look into Ashton's sapphire blue ones, and nod.
We face the water and inhale deeply, giving our anger, frustration and sadness a breath of life before we unleash it onto the world in the most powerful scream that's ever been launched from this cliff. And it's freeing. More than I ever thought possible. I allow my heartache to take flight, releasing it into the setting sun to be dragged down beneath the horizon.
And what's left when there aren't any more screams to give is a radiant smile. Ashton and I face each other, our hands still clasped, and we start laughing. It's a true, bonding laughter because we just shared something sacred. If anyone were to witness it, they would think we're insane. And maybe it's that crazy within each of us that makes the laughter louder and deeper, until I have to wipe away the tears creeping out the corners of my eyes.
"Thank you, Ashton," I tell her as we start back across the field. "My soul needed that."
She smiles at me brighter than the sun, and I smile back. And without a doubt, I know, she is the best kind of friend. The kind who will always create places to scream, and reasons to hug, to make the pain easier.
When I get to my door, there's a Post-it waiting for me. "Open the box!"
"Crap," I mutter, realizing that I forgot to open the gift, too caught up in my screaming breakdown.