The air was heavy with the weight of loss. It was as if the world had stopped spinning, leaving only the deafening silence and the sharp, inescapable sting of reality.

"He’s gone!" you cried out, your voice cracking as you turned to Theodore, your hands trembling uncontrollably. Tears blurred your vision, but you could see the quiet anguish etched into Theodore’s face. He took a step closer, his lips parted as if to say something, but no words came.

"Please..." Theodore’s voice was hoarse, his tone soft yet pleading, as if he thought he could somehow soothe the storm of grief that consumed you.

You whipped around to face him, your sorrow morphing into an almost unbearable rage. "Get out!" you yelled, your voice breaking. "Mattheo is gone! He’s de4d! He’s not coming back!"

Your legs gave out beneath you, and you collapsed to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. "Get out!" you screamed again.

Theodore didn’t move. He stood frozen, his normally composed expression crumbling under the weight of your pain. His eyes, filled with sadness, bore into yours, but he said nothing.

Memories began to flood your mind like an unstoppable tide, drowning you in bittersweet recollections.

You saw Mattheo’s crooked smile, the way his eyes sparkled mischievously when he was about to break a rule or pull a harmless prank. You remembered his laugh—loud, unapologetic, and infectious. The way he’d pull you into his arms unexpectedly, his touch always warm, his embrace always safe.

You clutched your chest, gasping for breath as the memories overwhelmed you. "Why did he have to do it?" you whispered to yourself, your voice barely audible. "Why did he have to save me?"

"He loved you," Theodore said, his voice breaking, and for the first time, his composure faltered. Tears shimmered in his eyes, threatening to spill. "He wouldn’t have done it if he didn’t."

Your sobs grew louder, your body trembling as you cried out for the boy you’d loved with all your heart.