Project X

Chapter 1 | The Parting

To be selfless, I wonder what you can keep for yourself. To be selfless, do you have to give up your life for someone else? That's exactly what my mother did on a winter's morning that started out like any other.

"Good morning." My dad strolled into the living room and planted a kiss on my brother and my heads before walking to the coffee machine. The whirring of the machine immediately picked up, and black liquid began pouring out into a cup.

"Good morning!" Mason, my brother, and I chirped back, clanging our spoons against the bowls, attempting to get a reaction out of him. Just then, my mom walked in with her brown hair slicked back and knotted into a tight bun. As usual, she kept her make-up to a minimum because honestly, she didn't need any. Such a woman dressed in a business suit usually had an air of arrogance following her wake, but my mom was different. She exuded comfort and kindness and got along with everyone she met. My mom was a special woman, and by the look in Dad's eyes, you could tell he knew it too.

"You guys are making such a racket! I wouldn't be surprised if people halfway around the world could hear you," Mom grinned, earning a chuckle from Dad. Mason rolled his eyes and muttered an apology, and I just shook my head as if I had nothing to do with it.

She strode to Dad and murmured a good morning before lightly kissing him on the lips. Mason and I looked at each other like we just saw the most disgusting thing in the world, and when we're sure that our parents aren't looking, I gagged and whispered, "Remind me to wash my eyes out with soap later." He nodded in agreement.

Picking up some toast from the counter, Mom made her way to the front door. "Have a great day at school! I'll see you guys at dinner!"

Only, she never did.

Mom died that day rescuing a co-worker from being hit by a car. Instead of him, she was hit after pushing him out of the way. One second could have changed fate. One second would have saved two children from being motherless and a husband from becoming a widower. One second would have made all the difference, but God seemed to have turned a blind eye to our family that day and had let that happen.

Mom, with her slicked back hair and blinding smiles, was no more, and nothing could ever bring her back.

I still remember when we got a phone call from the police that day. They said that there had been an accident on Monta Vista Road and Mom had died. Apparently, they were sorry for our loss. As soon as we ended the call, we piled into our car and drove as fast as we could to where our mom was. We arrived just as Mom's body was being put in a body bag. They said that she had died on impact, which was the least painful way... but the selfish part of me wished she hadn't. I wished she hadn't been killed on impact and had at least lived a little longer so we could say goodbye. The last thing she ever said to me was that she would see me at dinner. I wonder if she knew that she was going to die saving this man.

Tears spilled out of my eyes as Mason and I clung to each other. Dad was a frozen statue as he saw her body. In the beginning, he couldn't believe that his wife had died and checking to make sure they didn't make a mistake and call the wrong family, he ran to Mom's body. He slowly uncovered her face and the expression on his face when he saw his wife's pallid face would be tattooed into my brain forever. His dark eyebrows furrowed, creating a visible crease between them and his jaw dropped, but his eyes were the worst. His chocolate brown eyes that always seemed to be smiling became a deep pit of agony.

"Nina," he breathed like he refused to believe she was dead. "Nina." And in that moment I saw his heart shattering into a million pieces. He wasn't able to breathe. "Tell me this isn't true. Tell me this is a prank." But it wasn't and Mom was gone.