I gasped for air as if it were the same as grasping onto her life. With each breath, I looked for a glimmer of hope in her body. Her breath, flat. My own, an unstable flurry of repeated hiccups and piercing cries. The moon highlighted her limp, cold, figure as I cradled her in my arms. I sobbed uncontrollably, helplessly, as it was too late for anything to be done.

1 DAY BEFORE THE FALL

A wooden drawer filled with shoes neatly lined up sits next to the door, the top shelf filled with shoes only teenagers would wear. The sudden sound of heavy footsteps increasingly drawing closer can be heard. June, with her rushed figure, appears and quickly fastens her shoes on. As shes leaving, the shadow of her sister, Mel, peeking from behind a wall can be seen from the corner of her eye. June took a mental snapshot of her face before she ran outside. It was a bright, sunny day, and there was nothing that could bring it down. Today was the last test of the school year and then she would graduate. That meant no more classes, no more homework, and no more waking up early! June smirked to herself as she imagined all the fun she'd be able to have after graduation, and all the traveling she could do.

"Europe! Asia! The Caribbean!" She could barely wait.

Humming to herself, she gleefully pranced to the flower shop to take a big wiff of the fresh floras. Bathing in their delightfulness. She went around all the displays and took in each of their distinct smells.

"Nothing like the smell of fresh tulips to highlight this wonderful day," she thought to herself. She closed her eyes and continued to dig her nose into the plants.

" ....What...are you doing?" a perplexed voice murmured from behind her.

June opened her eyes and looked down to her feet and ground. Where there was once only warm light, was now consumed by a large shadow. She finally realized what she'd been doing and a sense of embarassment flushed her body. She had been going around the store potentially ruining all the merchandise! She gripped her backpack.

" Are you planning to buy those or... do you just stick your face into everything you like?" the man chuckled amused by her behavior.

June felt her palms getting sweaty. How embarrassing.

"I..I!..." she turned around.

"I am planning to buy actually!" she blurted out while trying to keep her composure.

Junes cheeks were as red as the roses and she was visibly trying to lie her way out if this situation as smooty as she could. When she looked up, she saw the figure of a tall boy who seemed to be around her age wearing a face mask. He looked at her with a suspicious glance, one that looked like it was wondering whether she was being sarcastic or not. June immediately grabbed the orange tulips she had just been digging in and responded, "I want these!"

The man looked at her, a little taken aback by how aggressively she spoke, but responded with a bright beaming eye smile. He directed her towards the counter to finish her purchase of the bouquet. Too embarrassed to admit she was just fantasizing and ended up accidentally ruining the flowers, she took out her wallet dejectedly and gave the man her money. A weeks allowance gone like that. The man bid her farewell and June walked to school with her bouquet, defeated.