(NO) Ordinary Love

one

Zoe

I sat  in my bedroom wondering how life could possibly get any worse than what it already is. The tears had finally stopped, I knew better than to think that for a second they weren't going to come back up when I went into deep thought. 

It had been four days since my child hood best friend's life was taken away. It felt so surreal, like a nightmare I would never be able to wrap my head around. 

His name was Jamal, he was the sweetest person in the city of New Orleans. Smiley, was his nickname, but that came with football.

He was the funniest person ever, everytime he would score a touch down he would cheese up. The girls at our school loved him, it made sense, he was the most handsome and clean boy in the school. Jamal was well mannered and just so unbearably sweet.

Everybody had eyes for him but he only had eyes for our friendship, his excuse would be "You are my only friend, and you are a girl and any other girl just wouldn't understand so you are my girl friend." He kept that promise and stuck by my side like glue. 

I picked the Polaroid picture that lay next to me up, it was me and Jamal the first day of freshman year under it  was said 'Jamal + Zoe Best Friends Forever'. My heart sank and I sat up and went to the bathroom to splash water on my face.

It felt like this unbearable pain would never go away. I pat my face with a dry towel and sat back down at the end of my bed.

My mind was clouded with thoughts on how such a sweet person could get caught up in a situation that escalated to his death. The courts didn't care enough to build a serious case for a slain 17 year old boy, they gave it  fourty- eight hours and laid the case to rest before we even had a chance to. I wanted justice for Jamal, I been praying for it since I heard the news.

"Zoe I need you to take a seat." My Uncle Denzel walked into my bedroom while I was folding my clothes.

"Hey Uncle Dee, whats up?" I questioned as I sat down to listen to what he had to say. Uncle Dee looked so nervous, he usually was the type to come home with big hugs and he always had something interesting to say.

That day was differrent though..

He told me the worst news I could ever imagine. Jamal was gone.

Everything else is a blur. I just remember my uncle being in front of me, to me staring at a bright white light in a white room. I fainted and they rushed me to the Emergency Room. 

I wish I could hug him on more time, and a million after that.