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still be' she replied, laughing. She took a sip of champagne, the feel of the bubbles in her mouth mirroring the party happening in her stomach. As she lowered her arm her bracelet clinked against her watch and she moved her glass to the other hand. He reached out, fingering the classic Tiffany's bracelet around her wrist, his thumb grazing the inside of her wrist in a move that was as calculated as it was electrifying. He let go and took a swig from the Corona in his hand. She twisted her body back around so she was laying flat on the sun lounger. He started to do the same and as he turned she saw her ex walking purposely towards them. He had his hand in his pocket and as he got to within 2 metres of them he pulled it out, continued walking and fired the gun in his hand straight through her companion's chest. His mouth opened into a little O and he gave a tiny little gasp, more like an exhale, the last exhale he would ever give, and he slumped on the sun lounger, his face pale and still. She screamed and pulled herself up on the sun lounger as he came around the chair. He was upon her before she could stand and she was crouched on her knees as he aimed the gun at her chest. Rather than staring at the gun she looked him straight in the face, her eyes pleading with him to stop. In his eyes she saw fear, she saw indecision. His face was white and sweaty and she could see the veins in his forehead. His hand was shaking and as her eyes pleaded with him he raised the gun and pushed the barrel hard into the side of his head, all the while staring hard at her, the chaos around them may as well have been on another planet. She stared at him, feeling her lips mouth the word 'don't' all the while trying to take in everything that had happened, her vivid imagination jumping straight to what was possibly ahead of her. He looked defeated, his previously rigid jaw slackened and she watched his wrist become slack as he lowered the gun to hang limply by his side. She sank back into the chair. Dizzy with relief. But as she turned to her right, grief took over as she reached out to the lifeless body beside her. She gently ran her index finger down his jaw line, stopping under his chin. Guilt raced through her body as she realised that if it wasn't for her this person would still be breathing, still be living. She didn't want to take anything else in, she knew there were people everywhere, knew he was still holding a gun, but nothing seemed to matter. Nothing except for her and the empty shell next to her that had housed a soul that had lit up her world. Then she heard the gun fire again twice, like the start of a race it jump started her into action she whipped around wondering for a split second if she had been shot until she saw him lying on the floor, gun limp in his hand, a pool of blood quickly expanding to form a macabre pillow for his lifeless body. As police and medics converged on her everything seemed to shimmer for a second with an odd golden glow. A young police officer on his very first assignment caught her lifeless body as it fell from the sun lounger. She was too young, he thought, her shiny dark hair caught up in his fingers, too pretty. He sat with her as the chaos continued around them, as the bubbles all burst.

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