Prologue

Elias

T here's something about growing up with a person. They imprint themselves into your DNA whether you like it or not. As your body grows and forms into the adult you’re meant to be, it's like a part of them weaves its way into your bones; something as familiar as your own shadow—never to be forgotten.

My best friend’s eyes are as much a piece of me as the beat of my own heart; the one that matches his. They've been in sync more times than I can count, through good times and bad. My muscles remembered how I felt around them, no matter how long it had been. It was like riding a bike—shaky and awkward in the beginning but then you find your feet and it’s like you’re flying. Your heart races, like it remembers growing with that person.

Knowing someone while you grow together is both a blessing and a curse. Because when they're gone, you realize how much your heartbeats just for them.