Youre Keeping Me Alive

Part 4: Truth

After a day out with Derek at the neighborhood arcade/indoor carnival, I noticed him looking depressed.

"Derek what is wrong?" I questioned.

Is my hair a mess? Does my breath stink? I thought to myself.

"This was the last place I was with a longtime friend. She committed suicide two years ago and we were here just days before it happened. Actually, it was the day before. She didn't tell me anything until midnight ... she texted me saying goodbye and I asked her where she was going. I called her and she was screaming she couldn't breathe anymore and how her wrist was bleeding out too much. The line went silent and I ran seven blocks. Sure enough I saw her.. and the ambulance was pulling up as I broke her window with a rock and jumped in it. I rode in the ambulance with her..her last words to Me were 'Life is funny..everyday we live, we die. But who knew today would be my day to fully...' ." 

        And that is where this broken-hearted human being had paused his everlasting memory of his deceased friend. It was shocking to view HIM, a person of such strength and understandance, go completely numb and limp with sadness and remorse. 

        "I could of done more," he continued, "I could of kept her alive. I could of asked what was wrong from the beginning, when I first found out she ran away. I found out from a friend of mine and sure enough she was camping...in my bedroom. She felt enough comfort in my house, to escape hers, tell my mother she needed time from her house, and then sleep in my very room." 

        He paused again, and this time he just looked down at the ground. I swooped my arms around him and took him in on a serious embrace; an embrace that would not only be unromantic as possible, but not childish either. 

        "Sad enough," he finished his thought with, "She was my life at that point. My best friend- yeah, a girl was my best friend. And at that time, to have grown up with a girl and have been friends with her, to have even shared a bed with her- people have gotten the wrong impression. It got both of us a reputation at school, her being a 'slut', and I being a 'pimp' . But wanna know the funny thing? We didn't care at all. We knew the truth, and our parents knew the truth. That is  all that matters. And will ever matter. "

        "I'm sorry to hear about your best friend, it must of been tough experiencing that. My best friend moved away and I thought that was bad...guess it wasn't all that bad after all. He doesn't even talk to me anymore; he saw me in public and shrugged me off. But on this note, if you ever feel the need to talk about her, or anything for that matter, I'm here." I held my arms out again. 

        But this time, he did something rather intriguing. 

        He picked me up and had me wrap my legs around his waist. He told me to just relax, that he wasn't a rapist of any sort. He hugged me and then looked up and said, 

        "Thank you."

        "You're welcome," I replied. 

        "You know, most girls I like, when they hear this story, they run away and never speak to me again. But you..you stayed this whole time." 

        Derek then leaned forward and kissed my cheek. I turned bright red, and he smiled. 

        This is the summer I'll always remember: being open to someone about life, and them accepting it- and visa versa. 

        Now I know the truth, things make sense.