I love you. I’ll call you as soon as I can.

Only she’d never be able to call me again. The plane had some kind of engine trouble and crashed in a farmer’s field. My mind imagined her final moments on a horrifying endless loop. She was gone. Really gone. I still couldn’t believe it.

At one point I slipped away from the common room and went to her room to be alone. It had been stripped of her things and looked sterile, but I could still smell her. Smell us. I sat on her bed and shut my eyes. The scent powered strong memories. I lost track of time...