“I’m sorry but there was an accident. Your parents were…”

But the girl wasn’t listening. Thoughts raced through her mind at a rapid pace. This could not be happening. She felt like screaming. She should not be told here.

She turned to look at her classmates and jealously shot through her. They were so innocent to the world. They had parents to go home to. They had no idea how lucky there were. Tears sprang up in her eyes and she looked over at a boy. He stared at her with worried eyes. She wanted to run into his arms but her muscles would not move.

“I’m sorry, but your parents are hurt very badly. You'll have to come to the hospital.”

At these words the girl’s mind froze. She could not think and her body was telling only one thing: run. And she did. Tearing her eyes from the boy, she ran and did not look back.

The boy, who was watching her with his big worried eyes, wondered what the people were telling her. She looked so helpless and lost. When she looked at him and he saw the tears in her eyes, he was shocked. She never cried; nothing could make her cry. So what was wrong?

But then something even more shocking happened: she ran. Without thinking, he jumped from his seat and went after her. The people who had been talking to her shouted for her to come back but she would not. They tried to hold the boy back but he yelled at them to let go and shoved his way through the tangle of arms. Finally, he was free to run after her. The people tried to follow but he was younger and faster and soon he was out of sight.

The boy rounded a corner and when he saw the girl push through a door and dart out into the bright sunlight, he picked up his pace and ran faster. Before that door was able to close all the way, he also shoved roughly at it and ran into the bright sun. He stopped and looked around and spotted the girl leaning against a tree, clutching her stomach and sobbing.

“Amber!” He shouted and began running towards her.

But Amber didn’t say anything to him in response and continued on sobbing. He reached her and bent down next to her and placed a hand on her back gently. “Amber, what’s wrong? What happened?”

Amber tried to control her sobbing but all she did was take in big gulps of air. “Th-they…they might die…”

Fear shot through the boy and he tried to guess who had died. But for Amber’s sake he tried to remain calm. “Who might die?”

Amber finally stopped sobbing and her eyes widened as if she finally realized who might die. Numbly she said, “My parents.”

The boy froze and his mouth hung open. Like with Amber, thoughts ran through his mind. Why them? Why did they have to leave behind a perfect little girl who loved them? They loved her and him—they were like a second family to him. Why did they have to leave?

Amber seemed to be thinking this too for the next moment she flung her arms around him and started sobbing again. “Why, Andy? Why do they have to go? Why?”

But Andy didn’t have an answer. All he did instead was wrap his arms around her and hold her tightly. Tears filled his eyes as well and soon they were both sobbing together. Eventually, Amber pulled away from Andy and locked eyes with him.

It pained Andy to see Amber’s beautiful green eyes filled with tears. A girl like her should not ever have to cry. But what pained him even more was the lifeless and scared look they had in them.

Amber continued to look at him and finally after forcing back more tears she said, “Promise me that you won’t ever leave me.”

Without even thinking Andy nodded. “I’ll never leave you and if I did I’ll find a way to come back. I promise.”

Amber smiled an empty smile then and nodded as well. “Thank you.” And she wrapped her arms around him once again.

The rest was a blur. They stayed like that until their teachers finally found them. They didn’t force the two away from each other but let them comfort them selves. Eventually though, they had to leave. They had to go home. But Amber had to go to the hospital. The principle of the school told Amber that for now her aunt would come live with her. Her aunt lived far, far away.

But there was no need for her aunt to come. As soon as Amber arrived at the hospital and went to her parents room, the machines her mother was hooked up to started going off. Doctors rushed in past Amber and tried to save her mother but there was nothing they could do. Amber's mother died right in front of her and there was nothing she could do. Never before had she felt so helpless. Not long after, her father slipped away and with him, Amber's world. Because her parents were gone, Amber had no home. Her aunt was the only one willing to take her but she wasn't about to move four hours away from her home. Amber would be sent to live with her.

Amber and Andy held each other for a long time. They were both sobbing again and refused to part. When it was finally time for Amber to leave, Andy held her tightly and whispered in her ear “I love you Amber, and I’ll wait for you to come back.”

Amber pulled from him then smiling, and, without thinking, she kissed him gently on the cheek. “I’ll miss you.”

And with that she let her aunt pull her away to her new life.