Ember:Love Reborn

too alive for what was happening. The room smelled like hand sanitizer and sadness. Machin

la was

like she was scared to take up too much space. Her dark hair, messy and tangled, spread across the pillow

ing her hand like it was the only

n flour, baking ridiculous things like cinnamon-maple-swirled croissants or chocolate-stuffed baguettes. But now his face looked

cracking like glass. "Just hold on

like a cough. "For what?" she whispered. "So I can

at her like his heart was breakin

nothing out there but the dark. "It's funny, you know," she said.

es started flooding

lege quad like he owned it. His hair was messy on purpose, and his smirk was the ki

see. He'd tell her, *"You're different, Drizzy. You get me."* But then he'd hold hands with

his parties. Brought him food when he was too lazy to get any. And every t

blankets. With soft words like, *"You deserve more

the stupid moth that flew into him ov

r cousin - quiet, sweet, always painting flowers and skies. Drizz

he d

with her. And then, one horrible, r

r voice was soft, but not soft enoug

something inside Dri

echoed in her tiny apartment. Her knees gave out, and she curled

iped her eyes. Put o

't care. Her thoughts were like shattered gla

n't see

ight. And then pain - sharp, crushing

as. Dying. And Dant

n a single flower. It was like

Theo was

ered. His hand gripped hers tighter. "You can't go," he whispered. "

e more from you," she said, her voice barely m

n't even try to stop the tear

es. She didn't say anything, but her e

Her hands were numb. The pain was fading, and

n. That empty, perfect face. And Clara, sm

ave one las

en...

onitor turned into

He leaned over the bed. "

was alre

ams, crushed by a boy who never saw the beauty in it. Her las

choose differently. Let me love s

in front of a mirror. He looked perfect, as always.

about to g

ng. He was supposed to feel excited or ne

. She was easy to be with. She didn't ask hard

ove him like

ed her out of his life like a bad dream. She was just another

flashes - her smile, her laugh, the way she looked when she talked about books

Never apologized. Never

died, he didn

ears, saying she was tired of feeling like she didn't matter. Dant

filled the ho

d by expensive things that meant nothing. No

he girl who loved him mo

ver reopene

ood wondered what had happened to the cheerful young man who used to

lking, holding a book that had belonged to Drizella or sitting

ed. Not for custo

stopped m

earing her voice,

ut he never re