OCTOBER
of twenty-nineteen
narrator's pov.
"i had a really great friend," zach started, "her name was alayna."
"alayna? so i have the same name as her?" elena inquired.
zach shook his head, "hers was spelled a-l-a-y-n-a. yours is spelled e-l-e-n-a. also, you don't have the same name was her. you had the same name."
"why the past tense?" elena questioned, "i'm confused."
"she's, u-um," zach stuttered, "she's dead."
elena's face dropped, "i-i'm so sorry, zach."
"i knew alayna since third grade, and we met at a summer camp," zach began to explain, "our parents got to know each other, and she was my best friend. she lived forty minutes away, so none of my current friends really knew her that well."
zach felt his voice begin to shake, and his eyes slowly began to get watery, "we did everything together. we had sleepovers, family vacations, and so much more. however, when we got to junior year, it's like everything had changed. we began to become way more distant, and that sucked. maybe because we were so busy? i still don't know. it was so hard not being able to talk to alayna... because i was in love with her."
"for how long were you in love with her?" elena asked, her voice in a whisper.
"i was in love with alayna since we were young," zach answered, "i didn't realize it until i took her to prom when we were sophomores. at her school, the prom was combined with the sophomores, juniors, and seniors."
zach pulled out his phone, and went through all of his posts with alayna in his archived section.
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november 19th, 2017
liked by alaynaeastman, and 165 others
imzachherron years of friendship and alayna still can't stand me 😔
view all 33 comments...
alaynaeastman i joking
alaynaeastman i love you zak 💘💘💘
↳ imzachherron did you just—
↳ jackavery she did
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march 2nd, 2018
liked by alaynaeastman, junefinley, jonahmarais, and 197 others
imzachherron i like alayna's hair
view all 48 comments...
alaynaeastman you wish you had my hair
↳ imzachherron you're right
junefinley aww best friend goals 🥺
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may 11th, 2018
liked by alaynaeastman, jonahmarais, jackavery, and 278 others
imzachherron can we take the time and appreciate how beautiful alayna is (:
view all 101 comments...
alaynaeastman aw zachhh 🥺
alaynaeastman u got me blushin
↳ imzachherron <3
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"the prom photo was the last picture i ever posted on my main instagram," zach declared, "once she was gone, i archived everything, turned my account private, and removed almost all of my followers."
"how did she... d-die?" elena questioned.
"alayna and i got in a huge fight mid-junior year. i wanted to talk to her about how i missed her, but then it escalated into something more," zach replied, "during that period of time when we didn't talk as often, i didn't know that alayna was struggling. her parents were splitting up, and i had no idea. my family didn't know either. she was in such a bad place with her mental health, but i wasn't aware. i-i still beat myself up every day because of that."
"it wasn't your fault, zach," elena whispered.
"m-my last words to her were i hope i never see you again," zach sighed, fighting back tears, "well, i got my stupid wish. i found out the next day that she killed herself. i guess our fight was the final trigger to her plan. her mom found her lifeless body in the bathroom, overdosed on pills. i can't imagine how painful it would've been to see her lying there. i just wish i had the chance to tell her i was in love with her. maybe if i did, she'd still be around."
"zach," elena spoke softly, holding onto the boy's hand.
by now, zach's eyes streamed tears once again, "before alayna died, i was a completely different person than i am now. i was happy, social, you name it. now i'm just sad and broken."
"zach, you're so much more than that," elena pointed out, "you're funny, talented, and you're one-of-a-kind. you're special, zach."
the boy smiled at what elena had said, "the reason why i was crying today was because i can't stand loud places. i guess hating loud places and social interactions is a side effect of clinical depression. i was about to head inside, but once i heard the intense music playing, it triggered something inside of me and i just ran off. i tried my best to reply to your messages, but i just couldn't."
"it's okay," elena reassured, "now that you told me all of this, it helps me understand you a bit more."
the dark-haired girl laid her head on zach's shoulder, and he laid his head on top of hers. again, the two stared at the night sky, until elena cleared her throat.
"i have to tell you something," elena declared.
zach quirked an eyebrow, "what?"
"do you remember the day we first met? and how i gave you that sunflower?" elena asked, earning a nod from zach, "the truth is that before i ran into you, i was here with my boyfriend. well, ex-boyfriend."
"you had a boyfriend?" zach questioned, "what was his name?"
"well, it's quite a coincidence that you're best friend was named alayna," the brunette remarked, "my ex-boyfriend's name is zack."
"really?" zach asked, laughing a bit.
"yeah, it's spelled z-a-c-k," elena replied, "we had been dating since eighth grade, but we broke up the same day that i met you. i still remember how it all happened."
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august 18th, 2019
"i just don't have anymore time for this relationship," zack sighed.
"are you serious?" elena scoffed, "i dropped competitive cheer, tutoring classes, and piano lessons so i could spend more time with you. and now you want to break up with me because you claim you're getting too busy?"
"listen to yourself, el," zack pointed out, "we're clearly a toxic couple."
what zack had said was true. the two had constantly been fighting for the past few weeks. zack sighed, picked a sunflower from the field, and gave it to elena.
"take it," zack declared, "give this sunflower to someone and make their day with. i couldn't make yours, so maybe you can spread your kindness and positivity to another."
he dropped the sunflower in her hands, and gave her one final hug.
"goodbye, elena, i'm sorry," zack sighed, walking away.
and so, elena held a sunflower in her right hand as she quickly walked down the dirt path of oakland's local sunflower field. with all the positivity in her kind soul, elena's intentions were to make someone's day.
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"i know it's definitely not the same as your situation, but i felt like i should tell you," elena whispered.
"i'm so sorry, ellie," zach consoled, "i guess we both lost someone important to us."
elena nodded, "hey, we have each other."
zach smiled, "yeah, we do."
the brunette lifted her head up from zach's shoulder, "i want you to promise me something."
"huh?" zach asked.
"i want you to promise me that you will always strive to be in the sun, but it's okay to sometimes be stuck under a rain cloud," elena declared.
"what does that mean?" zach questioned.
"i want you to always be happy, but sometimes it's okay to get sad," elena explained, "you know... you can't have a rainbow without rain."
"that's true," zach agreed, "alright, i promise, elena quinn carmen."
"i promise as well, zachary dean herron," elena replied, smiling.
...