POV: Liam Carter
After months of silence, uncertainty, and hidden guilt, I found myself standing at the front door of my uncle's house—the same place where it all began. The memories from that day years ago flooded my mind: the first time I noticed her, Ava Mitchell. The purple and maroon dress she wore, the sparkle in her eyes, the way time seemed to pause when our eyes met. I was just a guy in a blue shirt and beige jeans then—unsure of what I felt, but certain that she made me feel something.
Back then, it was just a glance. Just a moment. But it haunted me for months.
When I texted her on February 16th using my cousin's phone, I didn't know what I was expecting. I just knew that I needed to see her again. The next day, when she showed up after taking leave from school, everything fell back into place like it had never broken. We played games, laughed like we were old friends, and for the first time in months, I felt... peaceful.
But there was something heavy in her eyes—something she wasn't telling me.
When she found out I had a girlfriend, Claire Evans, I could feel the shift in her tone. I tried to make things clear—told Claire about Ava, told Ava that she was like a sister to me. But deep inside, I wasn't even sure I believed those words myself. I just didn't want to complicate things.
I didn't know then that Ava was carrying a secret that could change everything.
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Flashback: October 31, 2023
POV: Ava Mitchell
It was just a regular day. Midterm exams were going on, and I was still at school when my little brother came home early. Mom was at work—she's a teacher—and Dad was at his office. Grandpa was feeling unwell and sleeping in his room.
That afternoon, my brother went with a friend to a nearby farm pool. They thought it would be fun. But he didn't know the water was deep. He jumped in—smiling, alive, full of dreams—and never came back out.
I came home an hour later. I remember the silence. Then suddenly, noise—wailing. And then, they brought him in. I thought he had fainted. I kept shaking him, calling his name. I didn't want to believe what my uncle was saying behind me: "He's no more."
My world shattered that day.
And it shattered again months later when I discovered the lump in my chest. The doctor used the word I hated the most—cancer. He said I needed surgery. But after losing my brother, I couldn't bring myself to fight anymore.
I never told Liam. I couldn't.
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Back to Present
POV: Liam Carter
I could never explain why I kept going back to Ava's chats, even when Claire would ask questions. I told her it was nothing. Just a friend. A sister. But Ava wasn't just anyone. She was the quiet calm I needed in my chaotic world.
One night, I video-called Ava and introduced her to Claire. I thought maybe that would put a boundary between us and clear any misunderstandings. But something about Ava's eyes that night unsettled me. Like she was already saying goodbye.
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