1 Prologue

"Darn I'm late again!" I grumbled as I meandered to the bathroom where I promptly brushed my teeth and pushed stray hairs from my face. I started at my reflection in the mirror. Brown and black hair stuck up in all directions while dark and tired eyes stared back at me. I grabbed the school uniform from it's hanger off the bathroom hook placed it over my head. Pausing in my stride out the door I placed a trembling hand to the picture hanging on the lavender of the walls. (Miss you sis.) School was dismally gray even when the azure blue skies and shining gold of the sun shone down. The routine continued daily for me. Wake up. Go to school. Homework. Sitting in bed. Repeat. Day after day was the same and I didn't mind. Nothing mattered to me in a way. Why had they taken her when they should have taken me? Grades were my only focus and to be honest I loved it.

Other high schooler avoided me without question. Akira the good grades no fun grump. It had been a reputation since my freshman year when my dad decided to move away from our house in Colorado springs to escape the memories of Melanie. I still missed Mel but I tried to block it out. I visited her grave after school again and leaned in to touch the letters of her name.

"Hey sis. How's it going up there? I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you alone... " I had asked her what she would do when she graduated and she always answered, "I don't know if I'll be here to graduate."

I'm sorry Mel... I should have noticed you weren't okay.