In the heart of Miami, nestled between pastel-colored Art Deco buildings and the rhythm of Latin beats, lived two boys: Yannick Peter Jamieson and Samuel Elliot Houston. Yannick, a wide-eyed 9-year-old, had moved from Brisbane, Australia to Miami just a year earlier with his family. Samuel, a spirited 5-year-old, had relocated from Edinburgh, Scotland six months prior.

Yannick’s move to the USA wasn’t just a geographical shift; it was an emotional escape. His mother, Roselyn, a dedicated police detective, had relocated the family following the tragic murder of Yannick’s father, Kyle. Roselyn’s new husband, Alexander Montgomery, was the head of a successful hotel chain. Yannick also had an older brother, Damian, who was 16, and a twin sister, Mirabel.

Samuel’s family had their own reasons for the move. Samuel’s older brother, Ruben, had been accepted into a prestigious medical school in Boston, prompting their family’s relocation. Samuel’s mother, Moira, was a stay-at-home parent, while his father, Cameron, taught biology in a local high school. Samuel, though young, always felt like a girl in a boy’s body, often struggling with his identity but finding solace in defending the defenseless.

Their paths first crossed at a beachside playground. Yannick, with his long brown hair tied in a ponytail and blue-green eyes, was attempting to build a sandcastle. Samuel, with his short jet-black hair and dark hazel eyes, toddled over, eyes wide with curiosity.

"Can I help?" Samuel asked.

Yannick hesitated but nodded. Together, they constructed a fortress worthy of knights and dragons. With each bucket of sand, their bond grew stronger. Despite their age difference and varied backgrounds, they found common ground in play and imagination.

As the years went by, Yannick's love for surfing blossomed. Samuel, with his storytelling talent, often turned their beach adventures into epic tales. They navigated Miami’s diverse streets together, from Little Havana’s salsa rhythms to Wynwood’s graffiti art.

Their friendship deepened with every shared secret and conquered challenge. Yannick became Samuel’s protector, while Samuel, in turn, became Yannick’s anchor, always ready with a story or a laugh. Yannick dreamed of becoming a police detective, just like his mother. Samuel, inspired by his sense of justice, aspired to study criminal law at university and become a lawyer.

High school brought new challenges and opportunities. Yannick’s surfing talent earned him a spot on the local team, while Samuel’s flair for writing saw him publish his first short story in the school magazine. Yet, their bond remained unshaken.

One evening, as they sat on the beach watching the sun set over the Atlantic, Samuel turned to Yannick. “I’m thinking of studying criminal law at university. Maybe one day we can work together to solve cases and help people.”

Yannick smiled, the golden light casting a glow on his face. “And I’ll be right there with you, mate, catching the bad guys.”

And there, under the Miami sky, their friendship, like the ocean, was vast and enduring, filled with the promise of many more adventures to come.

It’s crazy really how long it’s been. I flip though the pictures. Of me and Chase. I laugh as I look at one. I remember that day like it was five minutes ago. “Chase!” I scream, he’s laughing my birthday cake smeared across the ground. “Why are you laughing!” I shriek, falling to the ground. I look at the thick chocolate frosting, the velvety texture of the red cake. I had been waiting for weeks just to eat this. And chase had to do this to it. I start crying, my hand reaching out to grab the cake. I stuff a piece in my mouth. The the sweet chocolate not hitting me the way it always has. Chase sits next to me, his smile gone. “I’m really sorry Ali. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” I start crying more, I throw my arms around him, letting the chocolate around my face smear his shoulder. He hugs me back. We’re startled by a bright flash. Mom is standing next to us, smiling at the picture. Look at you two,” she smiles, “Your so perfect.”

I flip through a few more pages, coming to one from high school.

“Ali!” Chase calls, his black hair combed back. “Coming!” I run over to him, my blonde hair pushed over my right shoulder. Chase is standing in the shade of a small oak tree. That is perfect this time of year. With it’s leaves every color of the rainbow. Chase pulls me close, “Smile!” Now I see it the camera in front of us. I recognize the girl taking it. She’s from the channel three news. “What just happened?” I ask as Chase keeps his smile on. “We’re famous. That’s what.” Famous? “Huh?” Chase pulls me close, “You and me Ali. We’re famous.”

I laugh, Chase was always so crazy back then. He’d pay people to do things that they only really did because of his smile. I bet they didn’t even take the money. And still I never knew what he’d meant when he said we were famous. I guess I’d never know.

The next picture I come up to is from five years ago. It’s my favorite picture of us.

I fall onto the bench next to Chase. My day had been the worst day ever. And there was nothing any one could do to fix it. “Bad day,” Chase says reading my mind. I nod not feeling the need to answer too. Chase fumbles around in his pocket pulling out a small box. “Maybe this will cheer you up,” he hands me the box, chuckling nervously. I take the box, opening it up. I gasp, my eyes meeting his nervous blue eyes. “Chase,” I gasp. He gives me a small nervous smile, “Feel any better?” I laugh, looking in the box again. “Chase. . . of course I do.” I throw my arms around him, my eyes still glued on the box. “So what is it?” Chase asks. I push out of the hug, “You haven’t asked me anything,” I say, my smile showing just how much this had cheered me up. Chase shakes his head laughing, “Do I really need to?” I nod, “I think you do.” Chase shakes his head, “Alright then.” He grabs the box out of my hands and kneels on the ground. “Ali, will you do me the honor of wearing this ring. As a symbol of my love for-“ “Too many words,” I say pulling Chase towards me. We kiss, as a flash pulls us apart. It’s Mom, she’s crying her hand over her mouth. I sigh looking at Chase, “Really?” Chase laughs, “It’s always how I imagined this moment.” I hold my hand out to him, letting him slip the ring on, “Marry me?” He asks. I nod, “Til death do us part.”

The next picture was only two years ago. And since that perfect September day it’s only gotten better. “Ali!” Chase calls. I let him find me his eyes shining with happiness when he finally does. “Remember this?” I say holding the picture out to him. He chuckled smiling, “Dance with me.” I laugh as he grabs my hands and pulls me off the couch. We sway back and forth. Chase leans close, “I remember.” I close my eyes resting my head on his shoulder, “So do I.”

I stare at the picture, waves of nostalgia washing over me. We looked so happy, with my blonde hair falling over my shoulders in wavy lengths. I had my classic peace sign and tongue out, not even trying to hide my bright blue braces on my slightly yellow teeth. Her straight brown hair was covering half of her face, but one of her crystal blue eyes was visible, shining as bright as a star. That was the day each of our mothers had gotten together and did our makeup. The gold eyeshadow she had on brought out the flecks in her eyes. Mine was a lot less pretty, the shimmery gray. But we looked so excited, because neither of our moms had allowed us to wear makeup at all, much less in public. I remember that day as clear as it was yesterday. But that was before the accident.

I close my eyes, trying to hold in the tears and the wave of nausea. I hate thinking about it… the crash… the fact that the police never found Aubrey’s body. The police said that it was probably consumed by the fire. I grit my teeth, a shiver running down my spine as I remember the vow each of us made each other. You die, I die. It’s been a year since I’ve broken that vow. We got her moms sharpest kitchen knife and smuggled it up to her room and we both slit a pretty good size cut on our arms and took a blood oath. We found it amazing that neither of our moms ever noticed, given the fact we wore long sleeved shirts for weeks in the middle of summer.

The dam breaks without me noticing and a salty tear leaks into my mouth. I don’t know how I’ve managed the first year of high school without her. I don’t know how I’m going to go to college without her. We had everything planned - renting an apartment, getting breakfast at Chic-fil-a or McDonald’s in the old black Chevy she would have before school each day, coordinating our outfits so that they were similar but not the same. I don’t know how I’m going to manage. She was my best friend for ten years and… and…

My phone buzzes with the familiar ringtone me and Aubrey picked out and I jump, slowly picking it up. It’s an unfamiliar number, which I normally wouldn’t answer and would dismiss to spam, but it is not normal circumstances. So I hit the green button and hold the phone up to my ear. “Hello,” I say, furrowing my brows at my unnaturally hoarse voice which makes it sound like I’ve been crying. At the reminder I wipe the tears off of my cheeks and close my eyes.

Heavy breathing is the only thing audible on the other end for many seconds and the only reason I don’t hang up is because of the very curious and nosy part of me that has to know everything. But when the person finally speaks, it’s a voice I would recognize anywhere.

“Kelly, you have to help me,” she says.

I gave at my phone, slowly turning it up all the way and putting it on speaker. “Aubrey?” I whisper, putting a shaky hand to my mouth which is wet with tears. “You’re dead.”

“No I’m not, and I have a lot to explain to you, but I need you to meet me at Harrington Road as soon as you can. Oh, and bring weapons.”

Weapons? Static starts to fizz from the other end and I press the phone up against my ear. “Aubrey?! Bring weapons- what?! Aubs, what’s going on?!”

“Please,” she says, and the static drowns out the next few words she says. But they sound a heck of a lot like ‘I’m going to die if you don’t.’

It was me and you Really stuck like glue We did everything together Despite the weather We would write outside We gave each other rides You always make me laugh You are my better half I love you forever And ever and ever Until the sun stops shining Children stop whining The moon don’t come at night And the stars aren’t shining bright Because true friends are never apart, Maybe in distance but never by heart

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I love you and miss you so much! #BaddiesBeBit**in’ ~ 1 universe, 9 planets, 204 countries, 809 islands, 7 seas, and I met you ~

May 17, 2012 Mom wants me to start writing a journal she says I should write about my feelings and what my day was like

May 18, 2012 I made a new friend in school today, her name is Jessica

May 21, 2012 I played with Jessica again today, she's probably the bestest friend ever

May 25, 2012 Mom says Jessica can come over tomorrow, I can't wait

May 26, 2012 Jessica said that we will be friends forever today, we pinky promised

June 21, 2012 Jessica said that when we grow up, we're going to get married

February 14, 2013 Jessica gave me candy hearts today as a valentine

December 23, 2013 Jessica kissed me today, mom says that we shouldn't do that kind of stuff till we're older. she says we will grow apart if we get too close too soon.

May 17, 2014 My birthday was the best ever! Jessica kissed me again. I really like it when she does that. i didn't tell mom though, she thinks it will ruin our relationship. But it won't, we pinky-promised.

May 17, 2016 It's my birthday again. Jessica forgot to kiss me this year, but it's fine, she just forgot

May 17, 2019 Jessica is older than me, so she can drive now. She took me somewhere special for my birthday this year. She kissed me again in our special place. I can't tell you where it is though, it's our secret.

May 16, 2021 I'm going to ask Jessica out tomorrow, it's going to be great!

May 17, 2021 She said no

October 13, 2022 Jessica is no longer in my life, she started dating some prick and she ghosted me on everything. I want to be happy for her, I want to at least stay friends. I guess pinky-promises don't count when you grow up. This will probably be my last entry, if you're reading this, then I am sorry. In the end, I never got over Jessica

Baelison is her full first name but for me it’s too long, so once we became friends I started calling her Bae. We met in first grade, and we’re in each-others class ever since, we have stuck to one another as if we were glued to the hip. Late night calls about breakups, ice cream and pizza sleepovers when she’s down, and movie nights when I’m upset about losing a b-ball game. And now here I am at her doorstep, eleven years later, asking her father for his blessing to ask her out. We’ve slept in the same room before, as friends, she’s fallen asleep on my shoulder on countless different occasions, and I even helped her redecorate her room for her 16th.

I knock on the door and smell her Japanese cherry blossom perfume from Bath and body works, the one I got her for her seventeenth birthday a couple days ago. As soon as she opened the door my heart skipped a beat. Her smell, made me want to hug her and get a better sense, her long dirty blonde hair, dripping cold water onto the floor just made something in my stomach do a flip. Just as always when she gets out of the shower, she brushes through it still wet, and squeezes as much water out as possible before she puts her clothes on and let’s it drip down her shirt. I saw her hazel brown eyes fill with shock but also excitement as she saw me standing on the other side of the door with a bouquet of yellow roses in my hand- her favorite. She could have said something but I was standing there frozen taking in her beauty. We have loved each other for years, as siblings would. It was only recently I realized I love her in a completely different way.

My girlfriend Stacy- had just broke up with me, on my birthday- which also happens to be Valentines Day. So I was not only having the worst birthday ever, my Valentine had baled. I hadn’t told anyone so I have no clue how she knew…

Jai lays under the stars, on the ground, in the dark Valentines night. All alone, crying over Stacy when he heard a car drive up to him and flash their headlights. Jai got up and immediately recognized the car- it was Bae. Jai stands up, walks over to her car and opens the car door, and sat in the back seat. She gets out of the car and sits in the seat next to me. “Hey, I know Stacy was some one you cared about, a lot but- I’m always here for you, you’ll never have to go through anything alone. Because I- I love you.” “In what way?” He asked, because her tone is different from when she usually tells him that. Three little words, can change everything. And they did. There was a long pause before she replied. “The way I’ve always loved you in.” Which Isn’t very specific. This just confused him even more. “But anyway,” she grabbed a bag that was on the floor by her feet. And handed him a box of chocolates with the words be mine in her handwriting and a single blue rose on top. “I would be your Valentine if you you want to be mine.” She has sparkles in her eyes, as if she ment it as something deeper than friendship. “Why not.” He replied, blushing. He was slowly realizing how much he actually liked her, as more than a friend. She pulled a small box out of the bag as well, and then hands it to Jai. “Happy birthday.” She hugged him and he broke down crying. He wraps his arms around her back and they sit there until he’s calm again.

He leans away and they’re staring into each other’s eyes as Bae’s hand falls from his shoulder to his lap. They both look down at her hand and he places his on top of hers, not thinking straight. Her eyes stay on his hand as he leans into kiss her, and he places his free hand on her cheek. He stops inches away from her lips, as she looks up, and closes her eyes. He leans in and closes the space between them. She’s the first to pull away. They make up the end.

I didn’t care that Fen was different. I didn’t care he was an orphan. I didn’t care than he couldn’t play tag or hide in the halls of the palace while I looked. I thought he was the most brilliant boy in the kingdom. I might have been princess, but he could build tiny trinkets from the wood in the forest and a knife he’d found in the basement of the orphanage. He brought me one every time he was over. Who needed working legs? He was smarter than anyone. One time he brought me a box, that when you lifted the lid, tiny wooden fairies with windup wings burst out, flew around your head, and then landed in the box, where they would be rewound. For a long time, we were inseparable. Then I turned twelve. My parents wanted me to take extra lessons. “So you can be a just queen.” My mother says. I have almost no time of my own. Fen wheels himself to the palace every day though, just like before. He brings gifts too. On my sixteenth birthday. I give him a gift of my own. A kiss. Fen tells me not to kiss him. He isn’t meant for a palace. We become more distant after that. He still comes every day though. Leaves a gift on the stairs of the palace. It always has a note attached. It always says the same thing. ‘To remember me by -Fen’ my room fills with them. I see Fen out my window one day, dropping off a gift. I haven’t seen him in so long. Even from a distance, you can see how handsome he has become. I run down the stairs, hoping to see him, but he’s gone when I reach the entrance. “Fen!” I yell, because he can’t have gone that far. He doesn’t come. I pick up the gift. The note is the same. ‘To remember me by. -Fen’ I look at the gift. It’s a small circle wooden pendant on a silver chain, and when I pop it open, there is the smallest clock inside. It ticks every second, and I can’t imagine the work to make the small gears. There are even words carved on the inside of the tiny clock locket. I have to tilt the pendant into the sun to read the words, but my heart warms when I see them. ‘For I cannot forget you’. The next day, there is no gift. This surprises me. I’m not exactly spoiled, but he has not failed to leave something at my doorstep every day for five years, even if only a stick, which I have gotten. Worry creeps up into my chest when it happens again. On day three, I go looking for him. No one knows where he is, and he hasn’t been at the orphanage for weeks. Day four, My imagination goes wild. The craziest scenarios fill my head, and my dreams seem to bleed that night. Day five, there is a man at the door of the palace. He says he found the boy I described. I hurry after him barefoot. He leads me to the forest, pointing inwards. At first I don’t see him. Then, I catch the wheelchair laying on the ground. I run like I never have, only to find his sick, pale, green, dead body lying in a ditch. He’s holding something. It’s a little wooden girl. Me, as a child. There is a note tied to it. ‘To remember me by. -Fen.’ Sobs wrack my body, and I curl up in the ditch beside him.

The queen is a cruel ruler. She demands that woodcarvers from every corner of the realm bring her trinkets of wood. She beheads those who cannot meet her expectations. Sometimes, it’s because she likes watching them try, other times, because she longs for the thing she always had. Sometimes, she looks at them, and though their work id nowhere close to the perfection that she knows so well, she sees a bit of him in their eyes, and lets them go with their life. She is truly lonely though, for no one can love her the way she once was loved. Sometimes, on the worst of days, she takes out a trinket or two, and watches the gears turn inside of the toy. She reads the notes too, even though they’ve been engraved into her head, the words still bring her tears. ‘To remember me by. -Fen’

Celia pedals faster. Her bike tires grind over the gravel, and her choppy brown hair whips all in her face.

She wipes away a beat of sweat dripping down her forehead. It’s hot, even for a summer day. She’s wearing her denim shortalls, a striped green shirt, and her red Converse— not the most practical outfit for a bike ride, but she knows it looks good on her.

Celia stops just before a cottage-style house with mint green siding. She kicks out her kickstand and looks up.

There, on the second story.

A wide-open window, its elegant white curtains pulled to the side, revealing a girl lounging against the sill.

The girl is around Celia’s age. She’s got long, straight blonde hair that blows gently in the wind. She’s wearing a pale blue floral sundress. Her bare ankles are crossed, and her hands are occupied holding a book steady in her lap.

The girl looks down at Celia. She waves.

Celia’s breath catches in her throat, and she waves in return.

Then the girl goes back to her book.

Celia nods once, kicks up her kickstand again, and pedals away.

It isn’t until she’s at least three houses down that she lets out a dreamy sigh. The mysterious window girl is….

Painstakingly beautiful.

Celia would die just to hear what her voice sounds like. She bets that it sounds melodic and soft, like the wind chimes out in her mother’s garden.

Celia would just talk to her herself, but she can’t. She’s got a ritual going: every day this summer, she’s passed by the mysterious window girl, reading in that same exact spot, and every day the girl has waved to Celia. Never said a word, but always waved. And Celia has always waved back.

The girl’s not always reading the same thing. In fact, Celia is sure it’s a different book every time. She can tell by the covers.

Celia’s also sure the mysterious window girl has a favorite sitting position. Legs out, ankles crossed. Sometimes she has her knees tucked up to her chin, sometimes has them fanned out like a butterfly’s wings. But she always looks the most relaxed when Celia sees her like she did today.

The girl also has a favorite outfit: a plum purple skirt and a loose white T-shirt. Celia knows this because she sees her wearing it the most often. She likes to twirl her slim fingers in the extra shirt fabric, bunching it up like a little rabbit’s tail.

But Celia would never dare talk to the mysterious window girl. No. Never. This is the longest any girl has ever wanted to interact with Celia— to look at her, even— and she doesn’t want to ruin it.

For now, she’s content with the waving. And the admiring.

Celia continues peddling down the road. She should hurry up, she thinks. Her brother is going to be home soon, and her mother will want them both to help her with planting the new tomato and cucumber seeds she bought at the store today.

Celia then decides to check the time. She squeezes the brakes on her bike, reaches into the pocket of her shortalls to grab her phone, and—

Celia’s brow furrrows. It isn’t there.

She glances down at her feet. She doesn’t see anything. She twists her head to stare back down the gravel road. Nothing.

It must’ve fallen out of her pocket at some point during her ride.

Celia turns her bike in the direction of where she came. This isn’t good. She can’t have lost her phone. Oh no— what if it’s broken? Her mother is going to kill her.

She pedals forward, retracing her route, her eyes trained firmly on the ground.

…So firmly on the ground, in fact, that she doesn’t notice the girl stepping out of the mint-green cottage house.

“Hey, did you drop this?”

Celia’s bike comes skidding to a halt, and she nearly flies off the handlebars. Her breath is coming in gasps. She turns her head. “Who said th—“

Celia stops. Mysterious window girl is staring back at her. She’s holding Celia’s lemon-yellow phone.

Celia makes a noise in her throat that sounds like something between a hiccup and a squawk. “I—“

“You can have it back,” the girl says warmly, holding out the phone. She smiles, and the sight is enough to make Celia’s heart soar. “But um… I was also wondering… if you’d like to come inside?”

Dam bro we come a long together sleeping on floors sharing clothes look how fast time fly by now we gotta go our separate ways from here i never know this shit was happened to us just seem like yesterday we would play in the sandbox together an chase these hoes around now we in different lanes just let you know i didn’t change on you bro i had to find myself in this world guess you find out what you was looking for don’t be using my cheesing pick up lines to get them girls we may cross path again who know but do your thing bro

Quick the baby is coming out”the doctor say.That is when I and my brother born,we born one second late so I’m bigger than him,I looked cute and smart same as my brother. We study the same school,the school called Harrow,let me tell about the school it gigantic the Astro is a proper football court and they have tennis court too,it had two proper basketball court too,If I think how many room is their for class it must be over 100 because it have 6 floor,the top have build a classroom too,if you can Imagine you think that will be cool right? We study when we are eight years old we all have a great score at all the subject.

It will be my birthday tomorrow,I am so excited my brother is also excited because it is his birthday too we all can’t sleep.We wait and wait finally it is our birthday we all had a good dream until this happened RING RING RING the alarm shout but we are not angry with it so we jump out of the bed and sing“We are the champion and the a”We rush down the stair and wait for the breakfast “BA”my mom shout,we been scared and our heart is is jumping quickly.

We eat breakfast and go to my friend house to play we play and play then my friend remember something the birthday present,he rush up to his room and give us two nerf gun we are so happy and play “bong we hit a bottle hooray”I called.

( 9 years later ) We are now 18 years old now a big kid.We have go to Harvard university we learn a lot of thing their,but a sad news come out my mom and dad had been die from a accident car crash,we cry,we left Harvard and try to find work luckily a person name Stephen Curry let me to work he say one Day $90,000 that a lot of money.Long time later we have billions of dollars we buy a lot of thing.This are the story of I and my brother