her was trying to claw its way out. "No, NO! He CAN'T be gone!" she shrieked, her voice cracking, the words tasti

mbling, fingers digging into the tile floor as if she could anchor herself to reality.

omach rebelling violently. She heaved until there was nothing left inside her, not food, not breath, not hope. Just empty

ng hand, her body weak and shaking. She had to see him. Had to touch him one last time. Bef

The wires, the beeping monitors-gone. It was eerily silent

ightly, as if he was just sleeping. But he wasn't. He

e room, her body trembling violently. Her fingers gho

rling into his like she had done a thousand times before. Only this time, he didn't react.

deeply. He still smelled like him. Like home.

leep filled with fragmented memories-Bastian's laughter, his touc

r shoulder.

stas

oked up. For a brief, blissful moment, she thought it was him. But no. It was h

e have to go." His vo

eaving. She wasn

nst his slack jaw. "I love you," she whispered, pressing a desperate kiss to his

she couldn't leave. I

egs barely holding her. As she walked out, she fought t

grief, the weight of sorrow pressing down on her chest like a vice. The sky w

yone was dressed in black. Everyone was whispering, crying. But all she

ooked like him but wasn't. He looked peaceful. Too peaceful.

in her head. The argument. The slammed door. The text from Brit

it

r fault. That text. That stupid, manipulative text. The words had b

he night he told her he loved her. With trembling hands, she smoothed it out, pressing it ag

ed it, running her thumb over the engraving. His promise. His love.

her after the burial, his eyes rimme

More than anything.

ightened. "Y

yourself. Don't le

alrea

nd cold. She walked straight to her room, stripping out of her funeral dress and pulling on Bastian's hoodie. It still smelled like him-woodsy, war

y there, but exhaustion eventua

A

arp

you to accept responsib

pped open, h

her's voice. And

g in her ears. She had never h

of the stairs just in time to hear another v

it

ling, white-knuckled, as she stare

ritney, his face a mask

owled. "You think I don't know what you d

lips parting as if to pr

id, Bastian was in an accident be

ilence fell o

a's hear

r feet, her face cru

O ME!" her f

her entire body vibrating

er mouth, but no

kn

as ca

't going to let he