trying.

[ 33 ]

over the morning announcements, the rough voice of our
principle publicized about your death.

everyone sat silent as their mouths slowly open. "the young boy had taken his life between the the knot of a rope under our national park's famous oak tree. please pray for the family at lost and hope for the boy to finally find peace and happiness within himself as he has now been unfortunately taken from us. a moment of silence would be the least we could do," the teacher held a tight fist against her pursed lips as her chin began to bounce. kids eyes wondered around the room, trying to find an answer. "thank you," the speaker's beeped, beginning the classes for the day.

"it shouldn't have been him," one student called out from the back, "it should've been the freak over there, the one who sunk him into her depression," i folded my lips inward, tears wrapping themselves around my sore throat. my body lurched forward, pushing the chair out from beneath me, and ran out the door.

i couldn't stop the tears from flooding my eyes now knowing that my first love was officially gone.