I walked into the kitchen and saw my mom, "Hey mom, do you know where Tyler is?" She halted in her movements and looked at me. "I looked for him and called him but he wasn't answering."

"Anna." She slowly walked towards me.

"Yeah?" I was confused on what was happening.

"Honey." She spoke softly and rubbed my arms. "He.. he died two weeks ago."

"No." I shook my head pulling away from her. "He was with me yesterday."

She shook her head stepping closer, "No, honey, he wasn't."

I furrowed my brows looking at her, "Yes, he was." I stepped away from her.

"Anna, he jumped off the bridge." She looked pained. "Two weeks ago."

I shook my head backing up, "No he was with me ."

She flouted in the lake staring up at the cloudy sky.

She laid on her roof staring at the blank sky.

She sat on her bed coiled into herself staring at the water running down her window.

She laid spread out in the grass staring at the dull sky.

I grabbed my head, "No.. no.. no.. no.. he was there."

She rolled over and threw up before she rolled onto her back and closed her eyes.

She cried for the first time. She felt empty afterwards.

She sat on a bench and watched the little kids play jump rope.

She watched the rose burn into ash.

She sat and stared at his picture.

"He was there.. He was there.. He was there.. He was there!" My lip quivered as my head pounded to an unknown beat.

"Honey, are you okay?" She reached out for me.

"No!" I slapped her hand away. "Sorry." I whispered after I realized what I'd done. I ran out the door and wrapped my arms around my stomach. He was there. He was. He had to be. He threw me in the water at the lake..

She lowered herself beneath the surface.

He wrapped his pinkie around mine...

She held it out staring at it before wrapping it around her other cold pinkie.

I pulled at my hair. He hummed me to sleep...

She hummed to herself rocking back and forth.

I tackled him..

She laid in the grass.

He brought me flowers...

Her mom placed flowers in a vase before she left for work.

He brought me chocolate...

His mother gave her chocolate.

He hugged me..

She wrapped her arms around herself seeking out warmth that never came.

He kissed me..

Her mother kissed her forehead.

He felt cold..

She was cold.

NO! He was there. He had to be! I ran down the street wiping my tears as I went. I felt him hug me. I felt him kiss me. I felt him tickle me. I felt him move my hair. I felt his warmth. I felt his cold skin. He was there. I know he was. He's not dead. That's impossible.

I ran through the street barefoot.

"Anna, are you okay?" His mom looked at me worried as she paused in her walk.

I wiped my tears and ran faster. I ran down the street and turned into the woods. Everything felt hazy. Everything was blurry. I stepped on rocks and sticks snapped beneath my feet. Branches scraped against my skin. I didn't care. I didn't feel it. I didn't feel anything. I just felt numb. I slid down the hill and hit my knees.

I cried and sobbed.

"HE WAS THERE!" I screamed. My lungs hurt. I felt like my heart was beating in my head. I couldn't hear anything. The pounding was so loud. I sobbed into my hands. I pulled my hair chanting to myself, "stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid-"

"Your not stupid." I looked up and saw him. He stood there wearing that same jacket looking at that damn lake.

I squeezed my eyes closed, "Your n-n-not real." I opened them and he was still there.

"How am I not real?" He looked at me from over his shoulder.

"You're dead." I held back a sob.

His eyes softened as he continued looking at me, "I know."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I looked down.

"I was preparing you." I looked at him.

"For what? For you to leave me? You promised!" I screamed at him through the waterfall of tears.

He nodded, "I know and I'm sorry."

I shook my head, "I should have known."

"How could you?"

I looked into his green eyes, "You felt cold." I sniffed and rubbed my nose. "Nothing felt real. Everything felt off. And.. and you were confusing."

He chuckled stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets, "I know." He nodded.

I felt broken. Everything started falling apart before my eyes. I can't handle this. "You promised." I whispered, barely audible to my own ears.

He walked to me and crouched down in front of me. As he started to run his fingers through my hair he muttered, "I know." I could feel his touch. I could see him breathing. I could hear him. I could smell smoke and rain. He was here. He was real.

"Why would you do this to me? Why not just stay? Why did you make me see you for two weeks?" I threw question after question at him.

He smiled looking down, "I couldn't let you go. I didn't mean to jump, I just did- as confusing as it is." He shook his head, chuckling to himself. "It's selfish but I wanted- no, I needed more time with you." He looked into my eyes, "Pretty selfish huh?"

"So, so selfish." A tear rolled down my cheek.

"I'm sorry." He kissed it away. "I'm sorry for the pain." He kissed my nose. "I'm sorry for the suffering." He kissed my temple. "I'm sorry for jumping." He kissed my forehead. "I'm sorry for not telling you." He kissed my hair. "And I'm sorry for breaking my promise." He kissed my lips.

It felt warm and calming but cold and harsh all at the same time. I didn't kiss back. I couldn't. I didn't have it in me.

"I told you, you would see soon." He smiled at me softly, his eyes glossing over. "I have to go now." He stood up and started walking away.

"Wait!" I gripped his hand, he looked down at me. I looked into his mesmerizing glossy green eyes one last time and spoke with as much truth and strength as I could, "I love you."

A tear rolled down his cheek as he squeezed my hand in a death grip, "I love you too." Then he slipped out of my grasp. I sobbed. I covered my mouth as he was gone. He was no longer there. I didn't see him disappear. Or vanish... he.. just wasn't... there. He was gone forever.. and he wasn't coming back..

The End..

Edited : 2/10/2021

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