She laughed at my joke like normal, but that laugh could unwind me. I didn’t realize how much I missed it. She leaned back in the bus seat. “You’re such a weirdo, Chase. Do you know what would be better, though?”
“No.” I tried to control my emotions, but my stomach flipped. My chest tightened. “What would be better?”
“If I was actually here.”
She disappeared. The old bus seat stayed empty beside me even as more students gathered on the bus. The air dropped, too. Or perhaps I just noticed how freezing the air was.
I forgot she died.
