TRIGGER WARNING:
EXPLICIT MENTIONS OF DEATH AND SUICIDE. PLEASE DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH IT.

PROLOGUE :
THE RIGHT SOUL , THE WRONG TIME.
( time stamp ; high school )

❝  It is a curious thing, the death of a loved one.
We all know that our time in this world is limited.
And yet it is always a surprise when it happens to someone we know. It is like walking up the stairs to your bedroom in the dark, and thinking there is one more stair than there is. Your foot falls down, through the air, and there is a sickly moment of dark surprise
as you try to readjust the way you thought of things. ❞

━━ Lemony Snicket ,, Horseradish : Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid

THERE WAS A SHIFT in the very breathing moment of existence, of the world. A darkness looming over the day, yet the sun still out and the rays burning every inch of the city. The children continued to laugh and play, the youth spoke excitedly, people were still happy.

Jade Nguyen felt it in her soul that something was wrong. But she ignored it all; the odd gut feeling, the heaviness that weighed down on her soul, the heaviness on her conscious. Because in that very moment there was Aaron.

Only Aaron.

She looked at him, like really looked at him. He was still laughing at something she previously said and she could've sworn she saw his eyes sparkle. And when the sunlight hit just right he looked godly. They were sitting there at the outdoor tables of their high school enjoying what little time they had together alone. That exact table was under Jade's favorite tree — a weeping willow.

"What is it?" He looked worried now, leaning closer, hand reaching upwards. Jade held her breath, her heart catching in her throat, she felt the urge to pull back, but stronger was the urge to lean closer.

Aaron's hand cradled her cheek and wiped away at a tear that escaped, she wasn't aware she was crying to begin with. Leaning into the palm of his cheek, leaning into the warmth, she was confused. Why was she crying?

Gazing into her eyes, he didn't pull his hand away if anything leaned closer, "Jade, why are you crying?"

"Um," it was then that she pulled away, embarrassed for all reasons, "I don't know."

Slowly Aaron pulled away, with an immense feeling oddly a sense of quilt, "We should walk home now." And they both collected their bags, the boy taking it upon himself to carry her duffel bag for her. Jade flushed tints of pink, it was an action he never failed to do and yet it still brought butterflies.

It was then when they reached Jade's house that she knew something truly was wrong.

There in the driveway her parents' cars were still in the same position as they were when she woke to go to school. As if never moved to begin with. The Nguyens never missed a day of work. Aaron noticed the change of attitude, "What's wrong?"

Jade reached for her bag, shaking away the feeling, "Maybe nothing. I'll catch you tomorrow? Same time?"

He didn't want to part ways, but he knew how stubborn she was. "Of course! Yeah, same time. I'll see you tomorrow then."

Jade nodded and walked to her house, up the stairs to the front door she turned around and motioned for Aaron to walk to his door too. He chucked, shaking his head as he walked next door to his own house and through his own door.

Turning the door knob, Jade took in a deep breath, walking through the door she noticed the lights were off. She took off her shoes and dropped her bag onto the bench by the door, then continued to walk through the hallway, "Mom, dad, I'm home!"

Silence.

Still she continued her tread through the home, slowly but surely she found herself coming to a halt in the living room. It was there that she was met with a trail of blood. Jade's heart stopped, her breathing growing heavy, a panic rushing through her veins. Her head whipped to glance all throughout the living room, there was nothing but the trail of blood and a letter on the coffee table. She didn't think twice of the letter, instead rushing to the kitchen.

The trail of blood led to nothing but a pool of blood, the kitchen was empty. She continued the next trail that led upstairs to the second floor of the home.

It was then that she was met with a heart shattering, life ending, scene.

Opening the first bedroom that was her parents, the blood trail led to their bed that was in the center of the room. Jade let out a heart wrenching sob. Her parents laid there brutally mutilated, torn to shreds and covered entirely in their own blood. One quick thought came crashing down onto her — her twin sister.

Tumbling backwards she slipped onto her back on a wet substance, she gagged as she glanced down to find another pool of blood she had missed before. Breathing in deeply she scrambled back onto her feet, this time avoiding the pool of blood, and ran towards her sister's room.

Pausing at the door handle her hand trembled, she was crying uncontrollably now and she feared opening the door. Fearing what she would find. Mustering up enough courage she slowly opened the door. There she found her sister hanging from the ceiling fan.

Jade Nguyen slid to the floor, screaming and crying uncontrollably.

She didn't know when or how the police got there or where they carried her. All she knew was that it was real, her family was dead. She was all alone.

༻❁༺

THE FUNERAL HAPPENED days later. All Jade knew was that she didn't plan any of it. Immediate family from Oregon was contacted to not only fly down there and take care of arrangements, but also to take Jade with them. She was still underage and everything was already situated. And she had no say in anything.

That was the reason why she now stood before Aaron nervously fumbling her fingers.

Aaron tried his best to be there for her as much as he could, but he knew she despised pity. So he tried smiling for her, the look on her face was causing it to be a very difficult task. "Jade?"

"I'm moving to Oregon," it hurt, extremely so that she found it better to be blunt rather than beating around the bush, "so I came to say goodbye."

The raven haired girl had laid awake overthinking about how to say goodbye to Aaron and if she should say goodbye to begin with. Regardless, she found herself rarely sleeping and finding it harder to close her eyes. She didn't need to close her eyes to see the image of her parents and sister dead, she saw it everywhere.

Every time she looked in the mirror she saw herself — mutilated and dead. She wished it were true.

"You can stay with me?" He wasn't even sure if it was plausible, but the idea of her leaving was harder to believe than anything else. Aaron wanted to do anything in his power to keep them together, especially after what she'd been through. Especially after coming to his own conclusion of how he has always and forever be madly in love with her.

Sighing she replied, "You know I can't." Looking down at her shoes they reminded her of when her bare feet had become stained crimson, she flinched in horror.

"Jade," he walked towards her calmly, slowly and carefully reaching a hand upwards. But she didn't let him touch her because she knew it would hurt more.

"No Aaron I'm sorry," he dropped his hand back to his side slightly embarrassed, but he understood. "I have to go Aaron they're waiting for me."

"Jade, I," I love you, he wanted to say, "I love you more than life itself," but the words were caught in his throat.

As she began sobbing uncontrollably she was able to mutter a few words, her last words before leaving, "Aaron I-I can't right now, I'm sorry," she begged for forgiveness on something that was out of her control, "I'm so sorry."

Aaron wondered then why God let Angels cry. She looked ethereal yet broken. He let her go, let her walk away from him, his only wish was for them to meet again. Aaron knew that he would wait for her until the end of time.

❝ In the future ...
if by some miracle you ever
find yourself in the position to fall in love
again ... fall in love with me. ❞

━━ Colleen Hoover, It Ends with Us

WORDS FROM PLUTO !!

it's  rushed <3