“I probably won’t have any signal while I’m out there, so I’ll text you when we get back Monday night, Nix.” Anastasia said in a message to her boyfriend, Phoenix. Ana was going on a camping trip with her older sister, Scarlett, over the long weekend, as they often did.

The couple had known each other since kindergarten and started dating around 7th grade. Now that they were in high school and still going strong, they were beginning to plan what college they wanted to go to, already deciding that they’d attend together.

“I wish they’d invite me along one of these times…” mumbled Nix, upset that he’d be unable to talk to Ana for a couple days. He rolled off his bed and moseyed into the shower. Well, it’s not like I don’t understand why they want to spend some time with just the two of them, Nix thought, remembering the accident involving Ana and Scarlett’s parents on Ana’s birthday 3 years ago.

Their parents had died in a hit and run accident on the way back from the store where they were buying a cake, and the perpetrator was never caught. The sisters had to support each other through the times following the accident, often spending hours talking together so they wouldn’t feel alone. Ana especially blamed herself, constantly having repeating thoughts such as if it just wasn’t my birthday, if they just had no reason to go out that day, they’d still be alive. 

Because their parents didn’t have life insurance, the sisters were unable to stay in their childhood home. Scarlett found full time work and rented a room for the two of them in a small apartment. 

Whenever Scarlett had work during hours that Ana was out of school, Nix would stay with Ana. They’d sometimes get something to eat, sometimes work on homework, and sometimes they’d just sit and talk, Nix trying his best to help her through her emotions in place of Scarlett.

That was the catalyst for the beginning of their relationship.

After months and months of this, and as Ana began to accept what had happened and the whirlwind of emotions she felt began to calm just a touch, a new one budded. One she wasn’t particularly familiar with. She had crushes before, but this felt different, fuller, scarier. Strangely, once she realized what it was, she felt calmer, almost as if this feeling was always in her but she only just noticed it.

Ana thought herself in circles for weeks, wondering what would happen if she told Nix, worrying what if he doesn’t feel the same? What if he only thinks of me as a friend? Ana had developed a bit of a negative self image due to her parents death and her belief that she caused it. Of course, as you know, she was worrying for nothing.

One day, Ana woke up feeling uncharacteristically hopeful, and decided that she’d ride that good feeling into her confession. After school that day, she told Nix she wanted to go to the local park for a bit instead of heading straight home, to which Nix happily agreed.

After walking for a couple minutes on a path shadowed by the trees that lined it, they arrived at a small clearing with a bench in the middle and sat down to rest. This is my chance! Ana thought. She quickly glanced at Nix out of the side of her eye and quietly began to speak.

“Hey Ni-” 

“Ana, I’ve liked you for years!” Nix blurted out, unknowingly interrupting Ana.

Ana turned towards Nix out of shock, where she saw him looking slightly away from her in an attempt to hide his reddened face.

“W-wait, a-are you serious?” asked Ana, stumbling over her words a bit.

“Completely. I was planning on telling you on your birthday, but… wait, fuck, why did I bring that up?! Sorry, Ana, I didn’t -” Nix cut himself short as he looked towards Ana and saw her bright red face grinning from ear to ear. 

She hadn’t heard a word he said after ‘completely’.

Ana lunged into him, hugging him tight enough that he didn’t need a vocal answer to his confession. Nix hugged her back, feeling happier than he ever had in his life before.

They walked home from the park hand in hand, and when they got to their respective homes they immediately started messaging each other, completely ignoring any homework or chores they may have had.

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After Nix stepped out of the shower, he did his homework, played games for a little while, and went to bed, wishing he could text Ana.

On monday night, Nix got worried when he didn’t get a text from Ana when she and her sister had gotten home. After contemplating on it for a few minutes, he convinced himself that they just got home late, and that Ana immediately went to bed.

After waking up from some of the worst sleep he had ever gotten, Nix realized that he was going to be late for school. He got ready as fast as possible, and sprinted to class. Only when he got settled in moments before class started did he think to check his phone to see if Ana had messaged him when she woke up.

As Nix reached for his phone, however, the teacher walked into class and began to speak.

“Everyone, please quiet down, I have horrible news." She said, her voice giving out a few times while trying to get the sentence out.

"Anastasia died in a car crash Monday night.”