It was the dot.
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The dot that had followed me for years, that was now enveloping my vision, turning the world into a black void. The dot that gave me death.
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Oh, don't worry, it's happened before. Many times, in fact, so much that I could almost call the whole process annoying. And it was—is—annoying, but the right word for it is more...frustrating. Endless. Kind of like an injury that never heals, or having a constant stitch in your side.
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The worst part is, it’s always in the middle of the happiest moments when I die. Last time I had just gotten my new Porsche when I crashed and kicked the bucket. And the time before that, I was skiing in the Alps for the first time in my life when an avalanche happened. Right on me. I didn't survive, to say the least.
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Don’t pity me. I’m more or less used to it, and I’ve learned to look forward. This time, forward meant doing something more daring than any of my exploits—kissing a girl.
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The first time our lips touched, I quickly backed away in surprise. "Sorry," I muttered, feeling a blush creep up onto my face. The grass poked uncomfortably through my clothes and the sun glared harshly into my eyes. Kaylee, the girl that sat in front of me, looked at me with a confused expression.
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"What's wrong, Matt?" she asked, her blue eyes widening in the way that only she could manage. I shook my head to clear my discomfort, then looked back at her.
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"Nothing," I said. I hastily closed my eyes and leaned forward. I felt her mouth on mine after a few seconds, soon followed by her arms around my neck. I sat there and tried not to look uncomfortable. Although it wasn't the first time kissing had ever happened to me, it was still incredibly awkward. Even so, I tried to enjoy it while it lasted, but eventually Kaylee broke away.
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"You know you're really bad at this, right?" she said, giggling. She shifted herself so that she was lying down with her head on my knee. Sighing contentedly, she gazed up at the cloud-filled blue sky.
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"I never knew Central Park was so big," she declared. "I mean, I'm even from this city but I've never seen anything like this."
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I laughed. "Well, here you go. Happy birthday, Kaylee."
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She grinned, then sat up. She tilted her head and bent her head towards me, ready to kiss me again. But for some reason, I couldn't return the action.
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I gasped suddenly, feeling a pain that blossomed from my chest. It spread into my arms and throughout my entire body in an excruciating wave. The pain seemed to pulse in unison with my heart, and the edges of my vision grew darker with every beat. The last thing I saw before everything faded was Kaylee shaking me, screaming my name; and the dot, inviting me to close my eyes and slip away. I gladly obliged, and it shrouded my vision in a permanent veil of black.
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