You don’t just lose someone like Cirrius and keep breathing like it’s normal.

Not when he was your twin.

Not when you watched the light leave your parents' eyes in the same breath you promised never to lose him too.

-....

I’m Camille Campbell.

And honestly?

My life’s been one chaotic, gut-wrenching ride—

Like one of those rollercoasters that jerks you so hard you forget to breathe.

All you can do is hold on and pray the end comes quick.

I don’t smile much.

Haven’t, really, since that day.

The day everything changed.

The day I watched my parents die.

Cirrius and I—my twin brother—we were just coming back from a family trip.

One of those long drives where the music’s too loud, the sun’s in your eyes, and Dad’s acting like nothing in the world could go wrong.

But it did.

Dad had been drinking.

Not stumbling drunk—just enough to make his reactions slower than they needed to be.

I remember the way the car swerved.

The sound of metal screeching.

The way the bridge rail snapped like paper.

Then the water.

Ice-cold.

Unforgiving.

Pouring in through the broken windshield like it was alive.

Burnt rubber. Gasoline. Screaming.

And Mom—

Wrapping her arms around us in the dark.

Her breath got shallow. Her eyes dimmed.

And Dad?

His face twisted in guilt.

That haunted expression burned into my brain like a scar I’ll never shake.

Cirrius and I were the only ones who made it out.

The only ones left.

After that, smiling felt wrong.

Like betrayal.

Like moving on meant I was okay with it.

Aunt Tessa—Mom’s sister—took us in.

She tried. Really tried.

Warm meals. Lights always on. Hugs without asking.

But the hole our parents left?

You can’t patch that with kindness.

It just stays.

The only thing that kept me grounded was Cirrius.

He was wild. I was quiet.

He caused chaos. I cleaned it up.

He pulled me into messes. I pulled him back out.

We balanced each other.

That was us.

Until he started slipping.

He fought more.

Snuck out late.

Started hanging with kids who wore damage like armor.

Then he crossed a line—

Stole a car.

The court sent him to Avard High.

A reform school for kids the world gave up on

After that, his voice changed.

His calls were shorter.

His jokes disappeared.

He sounded like someone I didn’t recognize anymore.

And I…

I never told him I missed him.

Never told him I loved him.

Never said the things that mattered

Then one night—

Aunt Tessa walked in, holding a letter.

Her hands shaking.

Eyes red.

“Camille… it’s about Cirrius. The school said he… took his own life.”

Just like that—

Everything broke. Again.

I couldn’t breathe.

Couldn’t cry.

It felt like drowning all over again.

Like being trapped in that car.

Only this time… I was alone.

---

Cirrius?

My other half?

My reckless, loud, loyal best friend?

Gone?

No.

I don’t believe it.

Not really.

Because Cirrius wasn’t just some troubled kid in a file.

He was mine.

And now?

He’s just gone.

Forever.