"You're welcome. Well, my mom is waiting. I guess I should go back to the car. See you tomorrow dude," she puts out her hand for a high five as she continues, "we should hang out sometime. I like you. Bye Anthony," she backs up, turns around and skips back to her car and I shut the door as soon as she gets in the vehicle.
I lean my back on the door, close my eyes, and smile. Butterflies are in my stomach like I've never felt before. She came to my house, said that we should hang out sometime, said she liked me, and gave my a high five! A high five! I can't believe it.
I go back to the dinner table. My parents are staring at me in surprise. My mom is the first one to speak as I sit back down, "how sweet of her. Kennedy right? She's nice. I like her,"
"Yes mom, Kennedy, she is very nice," I say slowly.
We get done eating and I go into the living room, watch TV for a little bit, then I go to bed. My dream is in the future where robots and zombies roam the earth. Me and Kennedy are one of the only people left. I protect her and she falls in love with me. We fight all through post-apocalyptic America. I wake up right when we kill a bunch of zombies. This time however, I wake up because of my alarm went off.
I take a shower, get dressed, eat, and make my lunch. When I get to school I see Kennedy first thing. I walk up to her, "Hey Kennedy. What's up?"
"Oh nothing. Just walking to the gym. I like your house, it's very pretty. I've always wanted to live in a two story house," she says.
"Yeah. I guess my house is pretty nice. I want to thank you again for bringing me my notebook," I say to her.
"Oh it's no problem really. Just helping another friend out, ya know?" She grins.
I laugh, "yep. Helping another friend out,"
"Have a good day Anthony. See you in World Studies," she says to me and puts out her hand for another high five.
I give her one, smile and say back, "world studies, got it."
World studies is now my favorite class. Kennedy talks to me and we laugh at different things and make jokes. She's very cool. I still can't believe we're friends now.
I walk down the hallway once school is over and someone taps my shoulder, I turn around and it's Kennedy again.
"Hey. Just a heads up, there's a little something in your notebook for you," she whispers to me, then winks and nudges me.
"Oh, okay, I'll look for it. Thank you. Have a good night,"
"You too," she says while looking over her shoulders. And she's gone. Just like that.
I get home and lock myself in my room. I grab my notebook from my shelf and flip through the pages until I get to the middle of it. A little note written in girly hand writing is in the center of the page, the note reads,
"Anthony,
I had to beg my mom to drive me to your house and give you this. I think you're an amazing kid. I really do. I chose to come to your house and give you the notebook because I wanted to see you again. I'm glad you ran into me in the hallway. I just want to say, I like you. You're an awesome dude.
-Kennedy March"
I finish reading and I drop the notebook right where I stand. She likes me. Kennedy March, the most popular girl in school, likes me. I feel like I'm in a dream. I'm so happy.
Today is the last day of school. I actually put on some clothes that genuinely look good. I can't wait to go to school today. When I get there I try to find Kennedy as soon as I get there. But for some reason I can't find her anywhere. I start to get confused.
At lunch I look around at every table and can't find her. I just take a seat at some random table by people I don't know. While I'm eating I hear a loud pitch squeaking sound. The sound of a microphone. I turn around and it's the principal, he looks abnormally different. He says in a loud voice through the microphone in his hands,
"Attention students and staff. I have a message I want everyone to pay attention to. This morning something tragic has happened. There was a car accident, a very bad one. A student was involved, Kennedy March, and her mother, Krista March. Kennedy was sent to the hospital, badly injured. Her mother on the other hand, passed away instantly. As of 10 minutes ago, our very own Kennedy March passed away as well. A pick-up truck ran a red light and smashed right into her car. Terrible accident it was. I want to ask the students of this school to have a minute of silence in her honor. She will always be in our hearts. Thank you."
I don't feel anything. I can't move. I'm in totally and utter shock. No. That can't be. No. Not now. We just started talking. No. I look around and everyone is in shock as well.
Once I can move a little, I get up and go into the bathroom. I go straight to the toilet and puke. I throw up all I can possibly throw up. I can't even cry. It's the kind of feeling where you are so sad and bewildered that you aren't fully aware of what's going on around you and you don't feel anything feelings.
When I get home I walk straight to my room and lay down. By then I get my feelings back and I can finally cry. When I do, it's like a volcano, I erupt into a ball of tears. They run down my face like a thunderstorm in monsoon season. I scream at the top of my lungs, "HOW COULD YOU JUST DIE LIKE THAT!? YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME! NOT NOW!"
My phone rings and says I have a text message. I look at it, it's from one of Kennedy's best friends, Matilda. It says,"Hey Anthony. U know Kennedy really did like u. She always talked about u and how cute and smart u were. She even told me one day that she loved you and wanted to be your gf. I'm gonna miss her. You probably will too."
Now I'm feeling dizzy. I stumble a little bit and sit down on my bed.
I am destroyed.
I don't want to live anymore.
I can never live with that feeling.
I walk out to the kitchen, then to the tool closet. I grab a rope. I grip the rope with a very tight grip. So hard that my knuckles turn white and I start to lose feeling in them. I walk down a little hallway and in the middle of the hallway there is a little door down on the ground. I used to go there as a kid to hide and play with toys. I bend down, open the door and crawl inside. Once I'm in there, I tie a knock. I can't see clearly. A mixture between the fuzziness of my eyes and the tears. I think in my head if this is the easy way out. Or if I'm being weak. I push those feelings aside. I don't care about them. I don't care. I don't want to live in this life anymore. I simply cannot anymore. Life will just get worse. I have no future. I have nothing.
I grab a chair and stand on the seat. I put the noose I made around my neck. I am weak. I'm nothing.
Like with all stories, there's a down side.
I tilt the chair and fall. The last thing I see is my wooden floor. One moment my heart is racing, the other, it stops. I see a white light and welcome it as if I have been waiting for it.
