I want to be happy
Winning just couldn’t
Accomplish what I
Needed
The fondest of my memories,
Tells me I can
Tne day I recall
Being with my best friend,
Erupting with laughter.
Her dad had called for her,
As she was running,
Planning to jump,
Planning to close the gap
Yet, fell anyways.

    One moment that always cheers me up is the time my best friend Bailey and I were on a “date”. We were near a small pond near her house, just admiring the beauty of the place. The way the sunset had reflected off the pond, and the birds singing… Just brought a certain feel to the place, as if it was all alive.  
    “Are you ready for next year?” I had asked, breaking the silence that had hung. I knew that it would be one of the last times I would ever have the chance to be with her, at least for a while
    “It’s… Difficult. Leaving here again? It can’t be painless for anybody,” Bailey’s face clued me in on how this was weighing on her.
    “I just wish I could stay.”
That’s when I realized that we wouldn’t be best friends through high school, and possibly even after.
    “You’re moving back? Right…?” I laughed nervously
    “It’s not like you’ll be there forever.”

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“Just as the wind,
life will carry us,
through the adventure,
of time,
and life.
Life will always catch you,
when you least want,
or expect it to”

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     She was going to be gone soon, and I was wasting time. I don’t remember what I said to ‘change the subject’, but it eventually led to us shoving each other like we usually did. As it turns out, we both forgot that we were near a pond.
    “Stop it dude! One of us will end up wet!” She exclaimed, almost laughing.

That’s when I ‘took it too far’

I wasn’t paying attention to our surroundings in the slightest. Hoping to just have a memorable last moment, I pushed her one more time and… Nothing happened. She ALMOST fell in, but I caught her at the last second and laughed.
    “Saved your life!” I laughed as I held her.
    “Oh whatever!” she countered.
    “I wouldn’t have needed it!”
    At this point I was rolling in laughter, and I was losing my balance. Not caring, I had fallen down into a slight indent in the ground.
    “Bailey! Time to come in!” Her dad hollered for her.
    “We should get going…” she sighed.
    “Hey, I’ll make you a bet.” I snickered as I helped her up
    “If you can jump over that stream, I’ll carry you over there”
    “Deal” Bailey laughed as she took off towards the stream.

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    “Oh come on Zach! I’m tired…” Bailey whined as I refused to carry her.
    “No! You have legs, you can walk.”  I countered, slightly laughing at her.
    “Alright! I’ll make you a deal.”
    “And that deal would be…?” I trailed off, waving my hand in the air.
    “If I can skip this rock” she grinned as she held up a small, smooth rock.
    “farther than you can, you’ll carry me all~ the way back to my house!”
    “Hmmm. I dunno,” I stammered slightly.

    I knew that I would lose, I never have (and probably never be) skilled at skipping rocks. But, just to make her happy-

    “Whatever,” I muttered as I held my hand out
    “You have a deal.” she scoffed, shaking my hand.
    As I grabbed my rock, Bailey had already been in her odd ‘form’ for skipping rocks. I laughed under my breath as I walked over next to her and prepared to skip the rock I held.
    “Ready?”
    “Yeah, I’m ready to lose.” I sighed while feinting a laugh.
    “But you throw first.”
    “Whatever you say!”
  
    The face that she bore was one of pure happiness, after she won of course. It seemed like every time that she had been successful in doing anything, she had put the same face on for everyone to look upon.
  
    “Now you carry me!” she laughed, walking behind me as to jump on my back.
    “Fine” I sighed with a slight hint of happiness.
    “I guess you win. Again."

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    She had the look of determination on her face, as if she was going to prove me wrong one last time. Laughing as I watched her run, I was concerned for a moment.

Oh no, she JUST might do it.

    She was now nearly at the bank, and prepared to jump. As I watched her take off, my heart fluttered. She had jumped, and had gracefully flown through the air. Arms, slightly flailing. The smile on her face. It was a look I’ll never forget. But just as quickly as it started, it ended. She lost her balance mid flight, and fell straight into the stream. Laughing as I went over to help her out of the narrow stream, I saw her phone floating near her. I picked it up before I grabbed her, and set aside. Snickering as I held my hand out, I didn’t suspect she could possibly…

SPLASH

    Before I knew it I was in the water with her. After a brief moment, we emerged from the water. Soaking wet, I hugged her and sighed.
    “I’m going to miss this.”
    “Well…” she sniffled.
    “I’ll be back soon, I promise”
    “Then I’ll hold you to that.” I muttered as I picked her up and carried her back to her house.

I don’t want to lose my friend....

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“Do you fly away?
The only thing remaining now,
is a somber dawn.
Nothing else.
Wings may have carried you,
but time has forgotten,
about the unsung.”

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    Time felt like it passed far too quickly. Before I wished to realize it, we were nearly at her house. Setting her down, we cherished our last moments together. Anything to prolong the moment, we walked the last stride.

That was nearly two years ago, and I haven’t seen her since. But I’m still hoping she’ll come back.

Someday

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“I have had a dream,
ever since I was but a child.
It was to have wings,
and have the ability,
to fly away.
Away from this…
Earth,
Away from all the pain,
and the suffering.
But wings don’t provide even that.
Wings symbolize something,
much greater than even that.
Wings don’t belong
to Angels,
nor Demons.
They bear the promise,
of false freedom.
To those,
who have none.”

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