"I miss you so much, Aelita."
Jeremie pulled his coat tighter around himself as the bitter cold steadily sapped the warmth from his thin frame. He rubbed his hands together, but stopped soon after he realized it was futile to try and stay warm in this kind of weather. It was so cold, even the snow refused to fall. But he preferred it that way. Snow was beautiful. This emptiness he felt was just the opposite.
"I'm so sorry I wasn't fast enough."
Jeremie knelt down next to the gravestone, scraping away the thin layer of moss that had grown over the course of twelve months. Twelve long, heart-wrenching months. He traced one of his fingers over her name, following the curves in each letter perfectly.
A
He slashed the letter just as her death had slashed his very soul in half.
ELI
He closed his eyes, picturing the last time he had seen her alive. Even after so long, he could remember every detail of her flawless face. Her dazzling smile, her bubble-gum pink hair that fell just perfectly across her forehead, her sparkling green eyes that had held so much love and life. At one time they had been the sole source of his happiness. Now all they brought him was agony.
TA
His fingers lingered on the final letter, unwilling to let go just as he had been exactly one year ago to date. Tears welled up in his eyes as the memory crossed his mind.
Jeremie rushed out of the elevator, sprinting to her side where she lay motionless on the cold floor. He pulled her into his arms, tears spilling from his eyes as he screamed her name. He flipped the computer back on, willing her to breathe again but to no avail. She simply lay limp in Jeremie's arms as his salty tears matted down her hair.
Jeremie sat alone in the waiting room. The others had left long ago. The nurse had told him it was best to get his rest, but how could he sleep when his life and soul were behind those white doors wasting away. After an eternity, the doors in question swung open and a man wearing a grim expression stepped out. He strode solemnly towards Jeremie who had been frozen in place ever since the doctor's arrival. He placed his hand on Jeremie's shoulder, uttering softly, "I'm sorry, she's gone."
The funeral procession had made their exit several hours ago, but Jeremie still stood rooted in place. He stared in silent angst at the gravestone that stood as a reminder of what once was. "If I had just told her how I felt, she never would've felt like a burden. She would still be here with me." Tears he hadn't even known he was crying cascaded from his cheeks onto the frosty ground. Night had begun to fall but he still couldn't leave. If he left then he'd be leaving himself here with what was left of her. He knelt down by her grave and pulled a small pink rose out of his coat. He stroked the soft petals once before setting it gently upon the ground. He stood and looked her grave over one last time before striding slowly away. Oh what he'd give just to see her one last time.
An icy breeze pulled Jeremie out of his thoughts. He flipped his collar to the wind, willing away the tears he could feel coming on. Twelve months and the pain never seemed to fade. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small pink rose. He lifted it to his nose, letting the sweet scent drift into his nose. He kissed the petals and set it on the ground next to the eleven other roses, each one older and more decayed than the last. He stood and turned away. Jeremie knew it was time to move on, but he didn't know if that was even possible. She was his everything.
He silently strode away, only stopping to glance over his shoulder once he was at the gate. He watched a single pink petal float away on the breeze. He turned away for the final time and started making his way back towards school. Back towards what was left of his life.