Seven Letters To Friday

Chapter two- They had been in Love.

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life:It goes on."

-Robert Frost

They had been together since eighth grade, they had the kind of love people only dreamed about, the pure, unfaltering, big gestures kind. It had always been them together, Salem and Friday. Some thought they were inseparable. They had the kind of love you only hear about in fairy tales, the kind that end in happily ever after. There had even been talk of them someday getting married. For Salem's sixteenth birthday Friday had given her a simple heart shaped silver necklace on a silver chain. He had smiled as he secured the clasp securing the beautiful necklace around her neck and letting her long brown gold hair fall back down on to her back and shoulders. She had not removed it since. It had been a sign, a memento of their love. They had been happy. They had been trusting. They had been in love.

 It had been so sudden. It was no ones fault really, just the wrong place at the wrong time. Salem still remembers his face at the moment, his big brown eyes looking at her, his brown hair messy, a cut on his cheek.  They had been supposed to hang that spring night, he had called to tell her he had to run to the grocer store to pick up marshmallows, gram crackers, and chocolate for s'mores before he would be over for their date night. Junior year now, they were almost Seniors. When he hadn't arrived even after thirty minutes Salem started to get anxious, but no matter how many times she had called him he hadn't picked up. Then the phone call had come, but it wasn't from him. It was his mother.

It had been late. Friday was leaving the grocery store and crossing the parking lot to his car when he had heard a cry from near by. He had dropped the groceries and ran to see what was the matter. He had found the source only a couple cars away, two men trying to rob a lady, maybe in her twenties or so. He hadn't even paused the lady later said, Friday had jumped and knocked one of the guys out in twenty seconds flat. Not fast enough, he got three bullets in the gut. 

Salem had rushed to the hospital, even as she drove tears blurred her vision. She rushed to his side. The doctor admitted he was surprised Friday was still alive, one of the shots had hit his lung. She entered the small hospital, it was small, a chair had been positioned next to the bed side. An IV was attached to his arm, he had his head laid back on the pillow his eyes closed. Silently Salem slid into the chair next to the bed. He opened his eyes and looked over at her. She called out to him, her voice shaky in fear.

"Its okay Friday. I am here. Its going to be okay. I promise. Please....please.... I need you."

Her vision blurred with tears, slowly they rolled down her warm cheeks and fell onto the bed sheets as she held his hand tightly. He smiled, his signature smile, one last time and squeezed her hand back. With the other he whipped her tears away and let his hand linger on her cheek for a moment. He then said,

"Sal. Listen. Its okay. You are perfect, don't you ever think otherwise. And... I'm sorry. I think this is good bye. I love you."

He closed his dark brown eyes and the beep of the heart monitor became constant. The tears now came freely for Salem, falling everywhere.

"Friday! Please! come back! I need you... I.....I.... please? I love you.... Friday..."

Her words were rushed and hard to distinguish from her sobs. But it was too late, he was gone.