GOODBYE

Salem remembers that day.

Salem remembers everything about that day.

It was cold, rainy, and overcast, and it had been for weeks. It was December, only a couple days before the new year. Salem and Atlas were both juniors, and had been dating for almost two years.

Jack wasn't home. He was at work, and Salem was enjoying a new video game he'd gotten for Christmas. He was also wearing a hoodie that Atlas got him for Christmas. There were Christmas decorations everywhere. No matter where he looked, Christmas bullshit. He hated that holiday for so long afterwards.

Atlas was coming over. He would be there any minute, and at that point he'd been a little distant as of late. Salem was unsure why, but had chalked it up to school stress since it was the end of the semester. It didn't occur to him that Atlas has never given a shit about his studies.