I Will Always Remember

Emily, saved my life. She taught me everything. About life, hope, and a long journey ahead. I'll always miss her. But her love, is like the wind, I can't is it, but I can feel it. Emily and I, had a perfect summer together. With more love, than lots of people will have in a life time. And then she went, with her unfailing faith.

"So what did you tell them when the cops caught you with Will all bloody at the factory last night?" Cris one of my best friends ask me.

"I said it was a nice night for a drive, ended up hanging out at the cement factory, found Will, tried to give him some help, got a little spooked, figured I'd get out of there before they thought I had something to do with it and I split." I tell him giving him a fist pump.

"I gotta hand it to ya man you're a jet eye master of bull shit." We both put our heads down lughing.

"Damn that Emily Sullivan sure has style." Says Brianna.

"Ya. Wore that dress in the third grade." Ashly ads as Emily walks in our direction wearing a dress that goes all the way down to her ankles and is covered with yellow flowers. Along with that she has a green sweater unbuttoned and her hair pulled back into a low pony tail. In her arms is a box of things for a science peoject. Before she can hear what my group is talking about, Cris ads, "Hey, it's the quiet ones you gotta look out for. She might put it on her brother like a pop tart." Every one laughs. She walks in front of us and Ashly says to her, "Nice sweater." In a very blunt voice, still sitting on the bench next to me.

"Thank you." Emily says sweetly and quietly with a smile, and walks away.

"Thank you." Cris mimics in a voice that makes everyone laugh.

The school bell rings so we all go to class. I get called into the principals office and sit in a chair in front of his desk. I fiddle with my car keys as I wait for Principal Crowley to come into his office.

He walks into his office, sits behind his desk, and puts four empty beer bottles on his desk. And just stares at me for a couple seconds.

"A student claims you were drinking on school property Saturday night. Lucky for you, Will isn't telling us anything about what happened. And the owners of the factory aren't pressing trespassing charges. At least not today. I told them I'd arrange an appropriate punishment."

"What are you going to expel me?" I say cooly to him acting like it's no big deal, since it isn't to me.

"Not yet." He shoots back. "Besides attending all your regular classes, you will help our janitorial staff after school"

"For pay." I inturrupt.

"For the inner satisfaction it brings."

I roll my eyes at him and look away.

"On Saturday mornings you will tutor disadvantaged students at our sister school. And finally you will participate in the drama clubs, final evening."

"The spring play." I say with a cocky attitude. He raises his eyebrows at me giving me back what I just gave him for an attitude. He sits back in his chair.

"It's time for you to start experiencing other things. Started, spending time with other kinds of people. Don't blow it Shane."

I leave his room and go through the school day. Im in the gymnasium sweeping the floors while some students are doing science presentations. One of them is Emily. I listen to her presentation as I sweep near her.

"This is a very simple device made of plastic wrap, a coat hanger, and white out. Does anyone know what it is?" She asks the group of people listening to her. No one answers, so I do.

"It's a star frame." I say looking directly at her. She looks at me like she had no clue I knew the answer to her question. She looks back and continues her presentation.

"This, is a star frame, and it will help you locate stars and planets with your naked eye. Mercury and Jupiter can be seen just over the west south western horizon after sunset."

"I bet you can see angels up there flying around." My bud Marcus whispers into her ear then walks towards me laughing with our group of friends close behind him laughing along.

"In fact there are some things that get called miraculous. Einstein said the more he studied the universe the more he believed in a higher power." She says walking away from her presentation and towards him.

"Well, if, there is a higher power, then," he walks over to her and mumbles, "why is it he can't get you a new sweater?" His group starts laughing while he stays in a serious face.

"He's too busy looking for you brain." She shoots back at him. His group starts laughing and he walks toward me in an angry face as she goes back to her presentation.

"Hey, laugh, it's a joke." I tell him putting my hand on his shoulder. He shrugs it off and keeps walking.

"Shane come on lets just get out of here." He says to me.

"I can't. I gotta stay.

"Common man, Principal Crowley is gone. Lets make some moves." Cris says nudging my shoulder. I nod no as they walk away. I turn around to see that Emily was looking at me. She quickly looks away and keeps presenting.

At the end of the day, I take Ashly home. I pull in front of her house on the side of the rode.

"Ok. So I'll see you at school. I say cooly.

"My parents aren't home if you want to come inside." She says looking at me with a dirty grin on her face.

I take a big sigh and look at my steering wheel. "Common Ashly, nothing's changed." I don't dare look at her.

"I know, I just"

"It's over." I look up at her and see devil horns come out of her head.

"Ya. Whatever." She takes a big sigh, gets out of the door and slams the door shut.

I look out at the road, and as I pull out I whisper, "Ok." And drive off.