ʀᴇᴡʀɪᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ

14

It's been two weeks since Alex left us. Olivia and I have been living in the same apartment since then. I didn't want her to be alone during this difficult time. She's been holding up as best as she can, but she hasn't returned to university. Every evening, Michael visits us, trying to change the environment, bringing a bit of normalcy back into our lives.

As I was getting ready for class, I found Olivia sitting quietly in the living room, staring out the window. The silence between us was heavy with unspoken grief.

"Hey, Liv," I said softly, sitting down next to her. "You okay?"

She gave me a weak smile. "I'm managing, I guess. Some days are harder than others."

"I know," I replied, squeezing her hand. "It's been really tough."

Olivia nodded, her eyes filling with tears. "I just miss him so much, Em. Every day, I think about him, and it feels like there's this huge hole in my heart."

"I miss him too," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "But we need to keep going, for him and for ourselves. You haven't been to uni in days. I know it's hard, but maybe it would help to get out of the house, get some fresh air."

She sighed. "I don't know if I'm ready."

"I've been keeping your notes up to date," I reminded her. "You wouldn't be behind. We could go together today. It might be good for you."

Olivia looked at me, her eyes searching mine for reassurance. "Okay," she finally said. "I'll come with you."

After a long day at university, we returned to the apartment. The familiar smell of cooking greeted us as we walked through the door. Michael was in the kitchen, preparing dinner.

"Hey," I greeted him with a smile. "What are you making?"

He looked up and grinned. "Just a simple pasta. Thought it might be nice to have something comforting."

I nodded, feeling a warmth spread through me. "How was your day?"

"It was good," he replied, stirring the sauce. "But I couldn't stop thinking about you two. How was uni, Olivia?"

Olivia, who had just entered the kitchen, gave him a small smile. "It was okay. It was nice to get out and do something normal."

Michael nodded, his eyes full of understanding. "I'm glad to hear that. We need to keep living, even when it's hard."

After dinner, the three of us sat in the living room, talking and reminiscing about Alex. The pain of his loss was still fresh, but sharing our memories brought a sense of comfort and healing. We laughed through our tears, recalling his quirks and the joy he brought into our lives. It was a bittersweet reminder that even in the face of loss, we could still find moments of light.

As the evening drew to a close, I felt a profound shift in our dynamic. Alex's death had irrevocably altered our lives. In our shared grief, we found solace and a new kind of normal. The journey to healing was long and winding, but with each other's support, we began to see a path forward. Life without Alex would never be the same, but together, we were learning to honor his memory by living fully and loving deeply.