It's one of those things that happens in preschool. Where you meet someone and five minutes later you're best friends, inseparable. Then preschool ends and you never see each other again, growing up and forgetting.

That's kind of how they start.

.

They really start when they meet each other again when they're both sixteen. Holden's father is back from his sabbatical in Portugal, and Aria is still being punished for her relationship with Ezra.

He kind of, maybe, falls in love with her when he sees her.

(And maybe she does too, but she decides to never think about that).

.

He asks her out, but when he realizes that she's in love with this Ezra guy, he pretends he was just using her too.

(He's just a good liar).

.

It continues for a while, Aria sneaking off to meet Ezra while he goes to karate practice, always pretending. He wishes it was different.

She's supposed to be his girlfriend, but he doesn't really know her at all.

.

The one time they actually hang out together, they sit on the floor of her room, listening to old songs on her vintage record player. A bag of gummi worms lies on the floor, fingers touching slightly whenever they reach for one.

A Beatles song comes on – or at least he thinks it's them – and she stands up, gummi worm hanging out of her mouth.

"This is my absolute favorite song," she says, and continues to belt out the lyrics.

I love you, eight days a week. She's a horrible singer, really, but he's absolutely in love with her, and nothing else really matters.

.

Ezra breaks up with Aria for a job in New Orleans, and it's just as big and horrific as it sounds. Aria sobs and cries and goes through about two cartons of pistachio ice cream while he holds her.

And then she looks at him with her blue febrile eyes, and the next thing they know their mouths are attached and her shirt is halfway over her head.

(They're always moving, too fast or too slow).

.

"It was a mistake."

Her stares at her, wondering if she's joking.

"Aria, we had – "

"I know, I know. But I was confused and upset, and it just happened. It didn't – it didn't mean anything."

And it burns, so much, for both of them; because they love each other, but she's lost so everything's fucked.

.

The worst happens on a Monday.

It's 3 o'clock in the morning when Ella comes into her room to wake her up.

"Mom, what –"

"Something's happened to Holden."

.

"Why didn't you tell me you had a heart condition?"

It's 11 am on the same Monday, and she's in the ICU, standing next to Holden's bed. He's conscious, only slightly, but he just had a heart attack and he's weak.

"It wasn't important."

She stares at him. "Of course it was."

He looks at the ceiling in silence, breathing in. She lies down next to him, and they say nothing.

Finally, he looks at over, and says tiredly, "I love you, you know."

"I love you too."

(It's not a lie).

"You're going to be okay, right?"

Holden swallows thickly, but he can't hide the truth from her. "No. The heart attack really weakened my system. I have about three days, before I die."

She sobs into his shoulder, and he can't do anything except hold her hand.

.

He dies on the most beautiful day in June.

.

They ask Aria to do it – spread his ashes – because his parents are too upset. So she goes to Gilgo Beach in New York, because she remembers that he told her that it was his favorite place in the world.

She arrives at 7 in the morning, when no one's there and the sun is just beginning to rise.

So she spreads them over the water, watches them float away on the small waves. She sits down on the sandy beach, the water lapping at her toes. The ocean spreads wide out before her, and the sky turns pink. She breathes in. Time keeps moving.

.

I love you, eight days a week.