The sky was a watered down grey, a group of children were outside the yellow bricked school, playing joyfully around. A small breeze arose in the small town, the crumpled Autumn leaves blowing in the angels’ breath. The small boy ran with his little feet, falling down on the cool gravel.
“ Are you okay?” A blonde girl asked, helping the boy to his feet.
“Yeah. I’m all good. Thanks. What is your name?” the boy asked.
“Jessy Reighn, but most call me Jess. What about you?”
“Oh, it’s Joshua,” he answered, his cheeks a faint maroon. “U-um. Want to be friends?”
“Haha, sure friend,” Jess replied, a shine in her eyes.
The two held hands, and went off to play with the others, until the school bell rang. Joshua hurriedly gave Jess a small piece of paper before they entered the building.
-5th Grade-
The gymnasium was very small, consisting of thirty people. Jess was running with a group of girls when she tripped and fell on her knees. A group of boys nearby began to laugh. A small boy with green hair walked away from the crowd and to Jess. He bent down to grasp Jess’ hand.
“You okay?” he said in a weak tone of voice.
“Yeah...I’m fine. Thank you, Joshy,” Jess assured. The two jogged together to the end of the line, as a group of people watched them.
-8th Grade-
“New school, new people. Next year is gonna be a blast, right, Jessy?” Joshua pondered, staring out at the football field. His light green hair blowing feintly in the wind.
“So it seems, my friend. It won’t be so bad, as long as we have each other,” Jess said, pushing Joshua’s shoulder.
“Hey sour apple. Still didn’t get a lawn mower for your head it looks like,” a group of boys sneered as they walked past, shoving Joshua. Jess got to her feet, as Joshua put his hand upon hers.
“It’s fine Jessy, they don’t mean it.”
“Don’t mean it? Josh they have been bullying you for months, I’m not just going to sit here and do nothing!” Jess exclaimed as she chased after the boys. Josh got up, but it was too late. One of the boys had struck Jess across her head. He watched as she fell to the ground.
-The Hospital-
The heart rate monitor made continuous beats, the only sound in the cold hospital room. Joshua looked into the small bed, his pupils a deep grey. Jess opened her eyes, rising up.
“Hey there…” Josh said. He rose and walked to the sink, filling a glass with water.
“Hey, Joshy,” Jess greeted, her voice groggily.
“The Doc said you are released back home Thursday.”
“Oh. I hear you’re leaving with your family this summer. Leaving me all alone, are we?” Jess acknowledged, brushing her hair. “You’ll have to get me a souvenir. Or give me something now so I will remember you haha. Only joking with ya.”
“Something for you to remember me? I’m not sure what I could give you to be honest,” Josh explained, passing the glass of water to Jess. Jess depleted the glass, the two remained in silence for awhile.
“Remember back in fourth grade, when that girl hit me. You were so scared. Asking if I was alright multiple times. When I look at you, you still seem to have the same posture. It’s a good trait to have at least,” Jess said casually, looking out the window. “You haven’t changed at all.”
“Well, I think I changed quite a lot actually. There are things back in fourth I couldn’t do. But now I can,” Josh remarked assuredly, inching his chair closer to Jess.
“Haha. Things you can do now…like what?” Jess asked, puzzled.
“This,” Joshua said, turning Jess’ head to him, and brushed his lips against hers.
The beeping in the room sped up.
-9th Grade-
“How is school going?” Jess asked, her hazel eyes staring into his greys.
“It’s...fine, Jessy. It’s just…”
“What’s the matter?”
“Nothing...nothing. You’re my best friend right? You know me better than anyone. I just want to know...if you’ll promise me something.”
“Of course, anything.”
“Don’t do anything rash...okay? I love you, you’re my bestest of friends. My true other half.”
“Why do you say such a thing? Is everything okay?” Jess asked, concern in her hazels.
Joshua arose, sliding his hand into hers, pulling her up.
¨Everything is fine. As long as you’re happy, I’m happy.” The two walked to a yellow bricked building. Jess picked up a handful of gravel, letting it flow in between her fingers.
“There are a lot of memories here…” Jess sighed, as she sat on a swing. She glanced up at the starry grey sky. “It’s pretty late. I’m surprised your parents let you stay out so late tonight.”
“Oh...yeah. It is late…”
“Don’t get in trouble because of me now, silly.” Jess said staring into the moon.
“No, of course not. All you have ever done was make my life amazing. There is no way I could repay you. I should...go. Good night… I love you.”
“Oh? Good night, haha. I love you too.”
Jess arrived at school as it began to downpour, the skies a murky black. She glanced over at Joshua’s seat, only to see it bare. The was a soft hum in the air, the class grew silent. The principal's voice sounded the school.
“Hello, students. It pains me to greet you all this morning with grave news. Joshua Azen sadly passed away this morning, by assisted suici-”
Jess’ insides began to lurch, her pencil dropped from her hand, clashing with the floor. Tears formed under her eyes, as they began to stream down like a current. She trembled as she fell to the hallway.
-The Funeral-
The sky was a dull blue. No animals made any movement. Jess made her way to the open casket.
“Don’t be rash…you told me. Why would you do this to me? What was your point…? Stupid…” Jess teared up again, as she placed the quite old and fragile piece of paper into the casket.
You are so cool. Don’t change no matter what. Best friend!
-1 year later-
Jess sat alone at lunch, picking at her lunch. She eyed a group of boys staring at a new girl in school. They pointed and laughed.
The school day ended, Jess walked out into the street. She glanced behind her to see the group of boys following the girl. She hurriedly walked after them. The girl turned at the corner, the group followed.
“Where you off to little miss?” Jess heard a boy ask. Jess quickly rounded the corner and kicked the boy.
“ Are you okay?” A blonde girl asked, helping the boy to his feet.
“Yeah. I’m all good. Thanks. What is your name?” the boy asked.
“Jessy Reighn, but most call me Jess. What about you?”
“Oh, it’s Joshua,” he answered, his cheeks a faint maroon. “U-um. Want to be friends?”
“Haha, sure friend,” Jess replied, a shine in her eyes.
The two held hands, and went off to play with the others, until the school bell rang. Joshua hurriedly gave Jess a small piece of paper before they entered the building.
-5th Grade-
The gymnasium was very small, consisting of thirty people. Jess was running with a group of girls when she tripped and fell on her knees. A group of boys nearby began to laugh. A small boy with green hair walked away from the crowd and to Jess. He bent down to grasp Jess’ hand.
“You okay?” he said in a weak tone of voice.
“Yeah...I’m fine. Thank you, Joshy,” Jess assured. The two jogged together to the end of the line, as a group of people watched them.
-8th Grade-
“New school, new people. Next year is gonna be a blast, right, Jessy?” Joshua pondered, staring out at the football field. His light green hair blowing feintly in the wind.
“So it seems, my friend. It won’t be so bad, as long as we have each other,” Jess said, pushing Joshua’s shoulder.
“Hey sour apple. Still didn’t get a lawn mower for your head it looks like,” a group of boys sneered as they walked past, shoving Joshua. Jess got to her feet, as Joshua put his hand upon hers.
“It’s fine Jessy, they don’t mean it.”
“Don’t mean it? Josh they have been bullying you for months, I’m not just going to sit here and do nothing!” Jess exclaimed as she chased after the boys. Josh got up, but it was too late. One of the boys had struck Jess across her head. He watched as she fell to the ground.
-The Hospital-
The heart rate monitor made continuous beats, the only sound in the cold hospital room. Joshua looked into the small bed, his pupils a deep grey. Jess opened her eyes, rising up.
“Hey there…” Josh said. He rose and walked to the sink, filling a glass with water.
“Hey, Joshy,” Jess greeted, her voice groggily.
“The Doc said you are released back home Thursday.”
“Oh. I hear you’re leaving with your family this summer. Leaving me all alone, are we?” Jess acknowledged, brushing her hair. “You’ll have to get me a souvenir. Or give me something now so I will remember you haha. Only joking with ya.”
“Something for you to remember me? I’m not sure what I could give you to be honest,” Josh explained, passing the glass of water to Jess. Jess depleted the glass, the two remained in silence for awhile.
“Remember back in fourth grade, when that girl hit me. You were so scared. Asking if I was alright multiple times. When I look at you, you still seem to have the same posture. It’s a good trait to have at least,” Jess said casually, looking out the window. “You haven’t changed at all.”
“Well, I think I changed quite a lot actually. There are things back in fourth I couldn’t do. But now I can,” Josh remarked assuredly, inching his chair closer to Jess.
“Haha. Things you can do now…like what?” Jess asked, puzzled.
“This,” Joshua said, turning Jess’ head to him, and brushed his lips against hers.
The beeping in the room sped up.
-9th Grade-
“How is school going?” Jess asked, her hazel eyes staring into his greys.
“It’s...fine, Jessy. It’s just…”
“What’s the matter?”
“Nothing...nothing. You’re my best friend right? You know me better than anyone. I just want to know...if you’ll promise me something.”
“Of course, anything.”
“Don’t do anything rash...okay? I love you, you’re my bestest of friends. My true other half.”
“Why do you say such a thing? Is everything okay?” Jess asked, concern in her hazels.
Joshua arose, sliding his hand into hers, pulling her up.
¨Everything is fine. As long as you’re happy, I’m happy.” The two walked to a yellow bricked building. Jess picked up a handful of gravel, letting it flow in between her fingers.
“There are a lot of memories here…” Jess sighed, as she sat on a swing. She glanced up at the starry grey sky. “It’s pretty late. I’m surprised your parents let you stay out so late tonight.”
“Oh...yeah. It is late…”
“Don’t get in trouble because of me now, silly.” Jess said staring into the moon.
“No, of course not. All you have ever done was make my life amazing. There is no way I could repay you. I should...go. Good night… I love you.”
“Oh? Good night, haha. I love you too.”
Jess arrived at school as it began to downpour, the skies a murky black. She glanced over at Joshua’s seat, only to see it bare. The was a soft hum in the air, the class grew silent. The principal's voice sounded the school.
“Hello, students. It pains me to greet you all this morning with grave news. Joshua Azen sadly passed away this morning, by assisted suici-”
Jess’ insides began to lurch, her pencil dropped from her hand, clashing with the floor. Tears formed under her eyes, as they began to stream down like a current. She trembled as she fell to the hallway.
-The Funeral-
The sky was a dull blue. No animals made any movement. Jess made her way to the open casket.
“Don’t be rash…you told me. Why would you do this to me? What was your point…? Stupid…” Jess teared up again, as she placed the quite old and fragile piece of paper into the casket.
You are so cool. Don’t change no matter what. Best friend!
-1 year later-
Jess sat alone at lunch, picking at her lunch. She eyed a group of boys staring at a new girl in school. They pointed and laughed.
The school day ended, Jess walked out into the street. She glanced behind her to see the group of boys following the girl. She hurriedly walked after them. The girl turned at the corner, the group followed.
“Where you off to little miss?” Jess heard a boy ask. Jess quickly rounded the corner and kicked the boy.
