Literature
Candlelight Vigil
The hallway was eerily quiet as Mercedes walked. She almost felt a need to tiptoe so her shoes didn’t echo quite so loudly. Breaking the silence felt like breaking the gloom and right now, it felt almost blasphemous. As she got further down the hall, she could hear… something. But what? It grew louder the closer she got to Annette’s room. Was that muffled crying? From Annie? Mercedes rushed the last few steps to Annie’s door, knocking softly. “Annie, is that you?” A muffled, gasping sob, “Oh, Mercy…” That was all the permission she needed. It’d been years, but somehow, it didn’t feel unfamiliar at all. She quietly opened the door and stepped inside. Annie was curled up into a ball on her bed, clutching her pillow in a death hug. Her makeup streamed down her face. “Oh, Annie. I’m so sorry.” Mercedes sat on the bed next to her best friend. “I know you used to have a crush on Dedue. I’m so sorry that he’s…” She couldn’t even say the words. While they knew from the get go it wasn’t