Chapter One
Seasons of Love
It was a gray, rainy day in the middle of March. A line of cars was going slowly toward the shelter where they would say their final goodbyes to Maddy. This was a sad day for everyone but especially for Alex. He had been Maddy's best friend.
Alex was worried because he had to say something at the funeral but he didn't know what to say. He had thought about it all week but couldn't think of anything to say. Especially after what had happened to Maddy. He remembered those last few months very well. As he thought back, he realized that he could have stopped it but he was just too oblivious to see that.
The cars came to a stop and Alex watched Maddy's dad and her uncles take the casket into the shelter and put it on the stand. His heart started beating faster and his eyes started filling up with tears. Then he realized he would have to speak soon so he would need to compose himself.
As he stepped into the shelter, he was still trying to think of what to say. He decided that the best thing to do was to tell Maddy's story and how both it and Maddy had made an impact on him.
He listened to the pastor talk. Then they had Maddy's cousin perform Maddy's favorite song. Then it was time for the friends and family to speak.
Her parents went first. Then came a few more family members. Then it was his turn to speak.
His heart was racing as he walked very slowly up to the front. He stood by the casket that now held his best friend in the world. He started to tell the story of how his best friend had died.
Chapter Two
The Beginning of the End
"Maddy was my best friend. And up until about six months before she did, everything was perfect. But then Maddy started acting strange."
"She started putting on make-up, which was something she never did. She joined the school choir, which was something she had vowed she would never do even if I joined, which I did. She started reading fashion magazines, which is the farthest thing from the books she usually read."
"And then after about months of that, she started wearing all black everyday. And she always wore long-sleeved shirts or jackets. She never showed her arms. That worried me because she usually just wore a t-shirt and jeans to school. I figured she was just going through a phase. So I just let things happen."
"But as time went on, she started skipping school. I even saw her smoking once. I tried to confront her but she just cussed me out then ran away."
"Then one day, I think it was during math class, she took off her jacket for the first time in forever. I saw her left arm. It was covered in bloody, red cuts going every which way."
"I motioned to her to tell her that I knew her secret. She quickly replaced her jacket and asked if she could call her mom to pick her up because she was feeling sick. I knew she was lying but I didn't say anything."
"Later that night, I called Maddy to see what was going on. This was about three weeks before she died. Maddy answered the phone. I said hi. She answered with the rudest hello I had ever heard. I asked her how she was doing. She responded with an offensive 'Fine!' I soon asked about what I had seen earlier that day. All she said to explain it was that she was going through a hard time. I asked her what was so bad but she just avoided answering anymore questions."
"I eventually gave up and said goodbye."
Chapter Three
The Fight
