Seventeen-year-old Marigold Hernandez was biking home from her best friend Anna’s house when she heard a terrible “BOOM!” Seeing smoke, she pedaled as quickly as she could toward it. If there was something she could do, she wanted to help. Her heart was racing, but as she rounded the corner and turned onto the next block, it skipped a beat. _“That’s David’s house-“_

As she came closer, she could hear sirens in the distance, but the entire house was already ablaze. _“They won’t make it here in time.” _Flinging her bike aside, she raced up the steps. Marigold checked the front door by placing the back of her hand on it—and almost instantly jerked it away. There was a bright red mark on her hand from where she had made contact with the door. “DAVID!” She screamed. There was no response.

Racing around the side of the house, she found that the gate was unlatched. Marigold raced up to the back door and placed her hand on it, only to find that it, too, was blazing hot. _“I have to get in there somehow,” _she thought. _“I don’t have a choice.” _

Scanning her surroundings, her eyes landed on the bricks David’s mother had used to mark the boundary of her flower garden. Seizing a brick from the edge of the garden, she flung it at a window, shattering it. Marigold hoisted herself onto the windowsill and through the opening, sucking teeth as the sharp edges of exposed glass cut through her skin. There was so much smoke that it was difficult to see anything, and the intensity of the fire made it feel like she was being cooked alive. Coughing, Marigold fell to the floor and began to crawl.

Suddenly, her fingers touched something, and she looked up to find—“David!” she cried before she was overcome with a coughing fit. Grabbing him by the ankles, she dragged him back to the window she had opened and with some unknown strength reserve, got him out to safety.

Marigold made sure he was a safe distance from the house before charging back up the steps and through the window. Seconds later, the entire structure collapsed, killing everyone within it.

_

“How are you doing, honey?” Grandma Joan asked. Sixteen-year-old David sighed, the guilt that weighed upon his heart was an elephant that could crush him at any time.

“I’m fine,” he mumbled as he stirred his soggy Frosted Flakes. It had been two months since the fire. Based on the evidence, the police had managed to piece together what had happened: there had been a gas leak, and his father had unknowingly tried to light a cigarette in the basement. The explosion kicked him instantly, and his mother and little brother—like himself—had succumbed to the smoke and fell unconscious. His friend, Marigold, had seen the smoke and managed to rescue him, but when she went back inside for the rest of his family, the house had collapsed, snuffing out the lives of everyone he held dear.

_“I ought to be dead. Why am I still alive? I don’t deserve to be alive.” _The guilt of survival gnawed at his soul. His grandparents didn’t pressure him, chalking it all up to grief. They didn’t know how much he blamed himself for what had happened.

“Well, make sure you don’t miss the bus, darling. It arrives at 7:30.” David nodded and rose from his seat. It would be his first day at a new school, but he didn’t feel nervous at all. He didn’t feel—much of anything. He walked over to his grandmother and gave her a kiss on the cheek before cleaning out his bowl and heading out the door.

David shuffled down the hallway with his eyes glued to the floor. His eyes were studying his new combination for hood locker, but his mind was a Hubbard miles away, back in San Antonio. Suddenly, a wonderful, familiar laugh broke through his mental haze. His head shot up as he glanced around and what he saw made his jaw drop. It was Marigold! She was standing just a few feet away from him! “MARY!” David shrieked as he embraced her, tears flowing down his face.

Lily Hernandez stood in shock as a young man held her close, his sobs so intense that her heart began to ache for him. She had no idea what had happened in this young man’s life to cause him such grief, but it must have been devastating. She turned to look at her friends who were just as stunned as she was. Looking back at the boy, she asked, “Hey, are you okay?”

He held her by her shoulders as he gazed at her, beaming. “Yes! I can’t believe it! I—where have you been all this time, Mary?”

She gave him a sad, confused look. “I’m sorry, you must have me mistaken for someone else. My name is Lily Hernandez.”

His smile faded slightly. “No!” he insisted. “I’ll show you.” He released her as he snatched his phone from his pocket and pulled up his photo album. Finding what he was looking for, he turned the screen to Lily, and she gasped! The picture showed the mystery boy and her together.

“But—how is that possible?” The bell rang the five-minute warning. Lily grabbed the young man’s wrist and looked him in the eye. “Meet me at lunch.”

At lunch, Lily learned that the person who had hugged her in the hall was David Richter. The story he told about his friend Marigold was incredible—and sad.

As Lily and her friends sat in silence, digesting David’s story, she met David’s gaze, and her breath caught at how sad he looked. No—sad didn’t even begin to describe the deep sorrow and pain in his chocolate-brown eyes. With tears in her eyes, Lily stood and embraced him. “You’ve been through so much,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry.” She pulled away and looked at him, placing her hand on his cheek.

David broke at her gesture and began to weep again. “I blame myself!” He whispered as she held him. “I should have died with them. I—“

“No!” Lily murmured. “If you die, then Marigold’s sacrifice means nothing. Don’t blame yourself. Her selfless act saved you, and it brought you here. You’re here for a reason. Her life meant something. Don’t forget that. And don’t let it go to waste.” He bit his lip and nodded as Lily released him and turned back to her friends.

“Hey, Lily,” her friend Derek said, “it seems weird that you and that Marigold girl look so alike and have the same last name.”

She paused. “That’s true—“ Turning to David, she asked, “Do you have her parents’ number?” David nodded and handed her his phone. Searching for the name “Hernandez” brought up only a few contacts: Marigold and two other people named Ben and Rose. Her heart began to race as she muttered, “Did you know that I don’t know my birth family, David?” With trembling fingers, she texted the two numbers to herself and continued, “I was given up at birth and adopted into a loving home. I never knew why my parents gave me up. I don’t know why they never reached out to me. Maybe—“

“Maybe Marigold is your sister! And her parents are—“

“My parents. My birth parents.”

David sat beside Lily as they waited on the living room sofa. “Thank you for being here today, David.”

“You’re welcome. I just hope I won’t be in the way.”

“Of course not!” David’s breath caught as she leaned forward. “You’re the one who made all this possible. Without you, I wouldn’t be meeting my birth parents today!” And then she pecked him on the cheek. They both flushed and looked away.

David was the first to break the silence. “I also have you to thank, Lily. Had it not been for you—I—I may not be alive now. I had considered ending it all. The pain and guilt were almost too much to bear.” Leaning forward, he kissed her forehead and whispered, “Thank you.” Then they both parted as they heard a knock at the door.