Secrets

I'm not even breaking a sweat as I feel the tip of the gun touch the side of my head. I find it strange that I don't feel fear; any normal person would, but me, no. All I can feel is the cold tip of the barrel and a strong will to die. He's looking at me with sadness and disappointment in his eyes.

"How could you?" He cries. "This time you've gone too far. Why couldn't you control your anger just this once? Why?"

"JUST SHOOT ME!" I yell.

"I can't." He replied shamefully.

"But they'll hurt you if you don't."

"I know, but I love you."

"Ace, if you truly love me, then shoot me." I plead.

"I ca-" I cut him off.

"DO IT!"

Suddenly, it all went dark; I didn't even hear the gunshot. All I remember is yelling at him to shoot me.

I don't remember how it got this far, but I know how it all began...

One month earlier

This is the start of a great day, I think to myself as I walk to my best friend's house to wake her up because she probably slept in again. She lives by herself because her parents are overseas studying minerals. Since her parents are never home, I took it upon myself to help her out. We can't get me a key to her house, so she keeps the second floor window unlocked. I climb the tree next to the window and hop into her room; I see her sleeping soundly, so I go sit on her.

"Arisa-a wake u-up time for school." I say in a sing-songy voice.

"I don't want to." She complains as she puts her blanket back over her head.

"Come on, it won't be as much fun without you." I tease her and slightly shove her.

"Fine. But not because you're telling me to." She replies resignedly.

She mumbles something, it isn't quite clear, although it is probably an insult. She takes her time to get out of bed and get ready. While i wait I flip through one of he comic books. Eventually she finishes getting ready and we start walking to school.

"You know, if it weren't for you I wouldn't be going to school." She says as she smiles faintly.

"Oh! Don't say that!" I tease.

"It's true. You help me study, even though I'm hopeless; you help me through hardships, even though I'm stubborn. You've even helped me get ready for school since we were children. You get worried about me, even though I hate when you do. You scold me when I get hurt, even if it's the tiniest scratch. You're truly a best friend, but even more like a sister." A tear rolls down her cheek and she looks down at her watch.

"Arisa..." I say worriedly.

"Oh my God! We're going to be late, come on!"

She starts running, but I wonder what that was all about. Arisa keeps saying those nice things lately. I wonder why? It's not like I was going anywhere. In class I ask her what was up and she said it wasn't important and that I shouldn't worry. Deep down I know something is off but I stop prying and the rest of the day goes as normal. At night I drop her off at her place, I made dinner and we watched a scary movie; well more like she watched it and explained it to me as I hid behind her. But tonight, I can't sleep, I keep thinking about how strange Arisa is acting, I wonder what she isn't telling me. We never keep secrets from each other. Never.

This morning I keep thinking of what Arisa said yesterday. I climb to her window and crawl in to wake her up. I fall to the floor terrified as I see my friend lying in the middle of the floor with her wrists slit. I panic and call 911. I try my best to stop the bleeding, but I'm crying too much and I can't think straight! "Why, Arisa, why didn't you tell me?" I begin shaking her "Arisa wake up! Please wake up, don't, don't die! Please! I need you, don't die!" I cry and hold her close to me " I know you're alive, wake up please, I'll skip school with you, we can have the day off" I hold her limp body in my arms "Arisa..." The ambulance comes but it's too late. She is already gone. The paramedics try to separate me from her and I throw a fit. They put me in the back of the ambulance and hand me a blanket. The police attempt to question me, but the paramedic says I'm in no state to answer questions. The bring me with her to the hospital, I feel like I should be in the body bag. I can't feel myself, I feel numb. Nothing matters anymore. The police question me, but I don't answer, I can't answer. All I can think of is, why? Why did she do this? I don't know why she did it and why she didn't tell me. Eventually a kind policeman hands me a letter.