Dear Andi

Love, Bex

Andi couldn't sleep. She just kept staring up at the scarves hung up on the ceiling of her room as she laid in her bed, feeling her heart sink with guilt. She and her big sister, Bex, had gotten into a fight. It was a long story, but it all happened when Bex had set up a frisbee session between Andi and her crush, Jonah, as a birthday present. Then Jonah's girlfriend showed up. Andi was too embarrassed at that point, and she had taken it out on Bex.

She wish that she hadn't.

After yelling at her sister, Andi ran home. But Bex didn't follow her. She still wasn't back, and Andi was starting to feel worried. Very worried. It didn't feel right to feel so worried on her birthday. Today was supposed to be amazing - it was the day that she finally became a teenager! But now Andi would always remember it as the day she caused Bex to leave... again. She would do anything to take back what she said.

Suddenly, Andi heard a door open and the sound of footsteps against the ground, followed by a light flickering on out in the hallway. She sat up and climbed out of her bed, feeling relieved. Her parents were never up this late, so it had to be Bex... right?

"Bex?" Andi questioned softly as she stepped out of her room and pushed open Bex's door, glad to see that she had come home. To Andi's dismay, she appeared to be shoving her clothes into a bag. Was she... leaving?

"Oh great, I woke you," Bex responded as she continued to pack up her things. "This has been a banner day. Don't worry, I'm leaving first thing in the morning."

So she was leaving. Andi, now feeling more terrible than ever, tried her best to convince her sister to stay. "No Bex don't go, I don't want you to. I take back what I said - every word of it!" She pleaded, wanting nothing more than for her to stay and live here, so they could all be a family again.

"You don't have to," Bex replied, shaking her head.

"But can I? Please, because you were right. These are the moments I'll remember," Andi went on, repeating what Bex had said to her earlier. These are the moments you'll remember. "Jonah Beck texted me! I don't even know how he has my number." She had thought she had completely embarrassed herself when Jonah's girlfriend showed up, but it turned out that he really didn't seem to notice, since he had texted her afterwards. The situation wasn't as bad as she thought it to be, unless it would end up causing Bex to leave, but Andi wasn't going to let that happen. Not now.

"Don't be mad, but I gave it to him," Bex admitted.

"You did?"

"But he asked for it though."

"He did? Jonah Beck asked for my number?" Andi inquired in disbelief, barely able to process the fact that her crush wanted her number. Probably because he wanted her to join his frisbee team, but Andi was deciding to ignore that part. "That's an amazing sentence I need to say it again. Jonah Beck asked for my number!"

Bex smiled and laughed slightly at Andi's excitement. "I'm just glad you're happy."

"So you'll stay!" Andi exclaimed, tugging on Bex's hand as if to imply that her staying would keep her happy. Which it really would. But unfortunately, her sister's response was not what she wanted to hear.

"I can't."

No, that wasn't right. Andi refused to back down now. "Yeah you can, everything's okay!"

"Give me a minute, and it won't be," Bex responded, zipping up her bag.

"These are the moments you'll remember."

Bex froze for a moment, her own words now seeming to backfire on her.

"I'm just quoting you," Andi added, wondering why Bex suddenly wanted to leave so badly. She had seemed so excited about wanting to get her life together earlier. Had their argument really changed her mind that quickly? Andi hoped not. She would hate to be the reason why Bex was deciding to leave now.