Bridgeport. The place where people come to start new jobs and new lives. We had passed a billboard with Selena’s face on it on our way over the bridge. Three months since I’d found her cheating. Three months that I’ve been putting on a smile for my family, but deep down, I felt a growing hole. Every day it got bigger.

“Hey mopey, whatcha thinking about?” Ari asks.

She’s smiling in my doorway. Behind her I can hear Tilly and Reamus joking around and watching TV. Even though she was my aunt, we were really close. As a child I would tell her all my fears about fighting. She hadn’t wanted the Belle mantle either. Like Tilly had said though, we don’t always get to choose. Though she hadn’t gotten the tattoo, she had sieged the castle my mother was being kept at. She claims it was nothing and she didn’t help much, but I knew the stories. Her light grenades had taken out many of the vampires that had stolen my mother. Without her invention, my family likely would have lost.

“Nothing.” I mutter, forcing a smile.

“Yea right. I don’t have to be a mind reader or Tilly to know that something’s or…someone is on your mind.” She says, moving to sit on my bed.

“It’s only been three months Ari. We had three years. How can I just get over that? What’s the point of all of this if it’s just going to end one day?” I ask.

Ari’s eyes flick out to the living room where Reamus is with Tilly. I instantly feel like shit for asking her. I was cheated on, sure, but she was having to watch her husband die slowly while she never aged a bit.

“I suspect you ever get over it. Like many things in your life Jayden, you won’t forget. You’re always going to have those memories, those three years. But you can’t let Selena ruin your years ahead. You’ll find someone again that you want to be in a relationship with. Maybe it’ll last a year, or maybe it’ll last your entire life. But you can’t go through life thinking about the end. Life is the here and now, it’s the near future. Everything ends and everyone dies. But instead of letting that spoil your life and experiences, let it make them that much sweeter.” She gave that perfect smile of hers and stood, taking a deep breath.

“Now, let’s go out and celebrate your new beginning! Drinks on me.” She winks and walks out to the living room. I take one last look around the room and follow her out.