letters with zach

16

16

I fixed the tie around my neck as I looked in the mirror.

Today was the day that Lindsey is graduating rehab school. There was still three weeks left of summer so I can even still spend time with her and there is no schedule to follow.

"Hey, man." Duke said, coming up behind me and putting his hand on my shoulder.

I've forgotten to mention, but Duke is two years older than me, when I say we've been friends since fifth grade, I mean since I was in fifth grade. Lindsey and I, though, are in the same grade.

"Hey." I replied. "Ready?" I asked as I looked at him through the mirror. He nodded and moved his hand from my shoulder to pat my back.

We drove the five minute drive to the rehab school. It was hard to find a parking spot, but we finally succeeded in finding one.

We found seats that were fairly close to the stage for the ceremony. It should begin in 10 minutes or so.

"Are your parents coming?" I asked.

"I don't think Lindsey sent them an invite."

I don't know if Mr and Mrs Rogers ever came, but I don't really care. It's probably for the better if they didn't come.

I paid close attention when Advisor Lora stood on the stage to congratulate the girls in her living area.

"Judith Melbourne." She began. Duke and I clapped and cheered loudly for her. "Or Judy." Since this was a securely private ceremony - only people who received an invite were here and could come in - they would explain why the girl was here and how she got better over here time here. "Judy is here because her family had a lot of problems but wouldn't divorce. They always had serious conversations but never included her. She told us that she didn't even feel like part of the family.

Seeing as that can hurt someone pretty bad in the heart, she started to harm herself repeatedly. Not to mention, at every meal with her family she would give it to the dog and when didn't eat with her family, she just skipped it altogether. She became anorexic. About three times, she had overdosed on appetite suppressants, after the third time her parents nearly lost her. That's what brought her here." I was shocked, I didn't know Judy's story before this moment. Duke did, but he couldn't tell me because Judy didn't want people knowing.

"Judy wasn't showing much progress for her first six months, she was constantly still hurting herself and bullied, and she still suffered from anorexia. It's hard to get back into normal eating habits after so long of basically never eating. Although, when a girl in her living area had requested for a new roommate and we switched Judy and her old roommate. That girl and her became friends rather quickly and were helping one another. An accident occurred with her roommate, though, it really brought the entire school down.

But when we all saw her in the hospital with her friend - she was smiling and laughing. Judy told me she was thinking, if the girl that nearly died again can laugh and smile for real, then I'm sure we all can." A year rolled down mind and Duke's face. That roommate was, quite obviously, Lindsey. "Congrats, Judy. You were a joy to have here." Lora handed Judy her certificate.

After two more people, Rogers was up.

"Lindsey Rogers." I smiled as my perfect girlfriend walked onto the stage with a huge smile on her face. "Lindsey is here because she was bullied when she started high school. Even with her brother and close friend as her bodyguards, there were still people out there managing to physically, emotionally, verbally abuse her. They'd call her ugly, useless and other horrible, cruel, untrue things.

Her parents enrolled her at this school after this beautiful girl next to me nearly succeeded in killing herself." I didn't miss the tear that fell down Lindsey's face at the mention of her dark past, but her smile didn't fall or falter in any way.

"Lindsey showed no signs of getting better until she got a new roommate, Judy actually. They were doing good, both gaining weight after suffering from anorexia. Until, she was getting bullied more and more. Lindsey felt like she wanted to die. Words hurt - heck, words can nearly kill.

Lindsey wrote a letter to her friend from her home-state. It said she was going to kill herself. That boy immediately went to her family and they all came here to save her. A few days later, we saw her in the hospital with her friend, Zach. The same 'close friend' I've been talking about. She was smiling widely and laughing a hearty laugh." Even a tear fell down Lora's cheek now. "Seeing her like that put so much life into our school, it made so many people eager to get out so they could be happy.

Overall, Lindsey was a life-changing person. She will forever be a legend here and we couldn't thank her enough." Duke and I stared at the girl on stage. She had come such a long way, I was so proud. I nearly lost her two too many times. I'm not going to let it ever happen again.

It's so hard to believe she had gone through freshmen year and half of sophomore year miserable, then after a year and a half (her time was extended about 6 or so months) she was finally happy again.

Duke and I were going to have Judy and Lindsey finish high school, with me, at a school here in Washington. It was a school that a lot of seniors graduating rehab would be attending. This way, they would both know a few people at their new school.

"Congrats, Lindsey. You did it."

I knew she could do it.