Two weeks have passed since Theo's is you best friend Aiden left, and Theo's life seemed to have come to a standstill. His phone was filled with unanswered messages. Calls from his parents only ended in a busy tone. His friends? He avoided them as if their existence only reminded him of the unbearable pain.

Every day Theo locked himself in his room, drowning himself in alcohol, hoping that the pain would numb him. But no, the feeling of loss only gnawed at his heart. Today was different. Theo finally left his house, dragging his feet towards the park where he and Aiden used to share stories.

Theo sat on a park bench facing the swing they used to use together. He closed his eyes, letting the wind blow on his face. When he opened his eyes, everything suddenly turned white.

Theo was surprised, looking around, but there was nothing. He closed his eyes again, and when he opened them, everything was back to normal—the park, the swing, and...

"Aiden?"

The figure sat on the swing, smiling softly. His face was warm, just like Theo always remembered.

Theo was silent, his mind wavering between reality and illusion. "This... this can't be," he mumbled, his voice shaking.

Aiden chuckled, a sound Theo had missed. "Theo, you look so messed up," he said jokingly.

Theo closed his eyes, letting the tears fall. A test? That was before the accident. Back then, Aiden was still here, healthy and full of life.

[ notification ] time: you have returned to 3 days ago.