It was October, but Margo was still wearing short summer skirts. Her bulky swear fell over the skirt in a perfect wave and her bangs covered most of her eyes, although the rest was only shoulder length. Over the past few months, she hadn't seemed herself and all of her friends had distanced themselves from her.
Sometimes when I turn around I still see her smile. Her hair blowing in the wind as she raises her hand to greet me. The sun shining down only on her as if she is the apple of its eye. A smile will form on my face, but tears will fall. If only I was there for her when she needed me before she needed me.
I first met Margo about two years ago, we were in ninth grade. I had been to school with her since fifth grade, but me being me I had never paid any attention to her. At that time I finally realized that my friends were jerks and started to distance myself. One day when I wasn't paying attention I wandered onto the roof of the school. I peered through the window in the door and saw a girl sitting on the edge of the roof. I couldn't see who it was, but automatically the worst thought came to my mind.
I burst through the door, yelling for her to get down. The girl turned around and gave me a funny, not to mention extremely cute, look. Despite the look she was giving me, she hopped down anyway, waiting for me to continue.
"Well?" She asked.
"Well..uh..."
At this point, I had realized that she was not trying to end her life, but was looking out over a beautiful city landscape. You could see everything from the roof! Carefully I walked towards the edge, forgetting momentarily all about the girl. A few seconds later I felt someone tapping on my shoulder.
"Excuse me?" she sounded offended. "I was peacefully eating my lunch up here until you ran out screaming at me. The least you can do is explain to me why!"
"Right! Well, you see, haha," I paused, my cheeks turning red. "I thought you were going to jump."
I looked at the ground, feeling extremely embarrassed. I had made a total fool of myself.
But to my surprise, she said, "Thank you."
Thinking she was joking I looked up only to see that she was completely serious. I blinked a few times, trying to sort out my thoughts.
The only thing I could manage to spit out was, "What?"
This time she gave me one of her outstanding smiles and just like a movie the wind blew through her hair at just the right moment. My blush deepened, but I couldn't look away. She leaned forward and looked me right in the eye.
"My name is Margo. Nice to meet you!"
My eyes widened. I was still at a loss for words and stood there dumbfounded for a few moments.
"I'm Jake."
I stuck out my hand awkwardly, hoping that she would take it so I wouldn't look like a fool. Well, even more of a fool. As far as first impressions go this was about the worst it could get. Although my friend Mike didn't think so.
At this point in time, I had made one, not-jerk, friend. And when I told him about this encounter he just laughed and explained to me what a "meet-cute" was. Of course, this did not help me at all, in fact, it made me more embarrassed. I started seeing Margo more and more around school and realized that she was even in some of my classes. It finally registered in my mind that I was a very distracted person. I had met Margo before and didn't even remember her, yet we had been going to school together for four years. I wondered if she knew me.
One day I worked up to courage to eat my lunch on the roof. When the bell rang I raced up to the roof, thinking that I could get there before her. But, I should have known that she would already be there. I peered through the glass and saw her sitting on the edge just like last time. I noticed her lunch box next to her. Anxiety raced down my back and I turned around, considering going back downstairs to eat with Mike. Instead, I took and deep breath and pushed the door open.
Margo turned around and watched me walk over to her. I couldn't look her in the eye. I just sat there for a minute not sure what to say, but it looked like Margo didn't mind the silence. All of a sudden the thought that she had probably come up here because of the quiet entered my mind. I was sure that I was only embarrassing myself further and there was no point stopping now.
"Did you remember me?" I asked.
She took a moment to answer.
"If you mean that I knew your name was Jake and that we met in the fifth grade, then yeah I did." She gives me another stunning smile.
Now I felt really bad, "Sorry."
"Why?"
"For not remembering your name..." I trail off.
Still smiling she replies, "That's okay. You didn't need to anyway, right?"
I didn't know how to reply to that so I didn't say anything. Another uncomfortable silence filled the air. Not knowing what else to do I opened my lunch box and pulled out a sandwich. As soon as I started eating I felt better, I was settling into the silence. The scene in front of me was beautiful, unlike anything I had ever seen. I completely understood why Margo came up here every day.
For the rest of the week, I ate lunch with Margo. And then the next week and the next. At that point, I was fully confident when I was with her. Margo had a different aura around her, it was almost like she was a more authentic human than everyone else. Although she never did tell me why she said, "thank you" that day on the roof. I was glad to be friends with her. Then a few months before school was about to end she stopped showing up to school. It was a few weeks before she came back and when she did she was only and shell of her former self. I tried to cheer her up, but she wouldn't talk to me and she was starting to sound more and more serious.
I was getting worried. Something had clearly happened, but she wouldn't talk to me. Then on a particularly cold day, I walked onto the roof to see her standing on the edge. The sun shining down on her, a light breeze blowing her hair around her face. She was staring out at the city. I wasn't too worried, I had seen her do this many times. Plus her lunch box was next to her and I could see that she had some warm soup inside.
Then she was gone.
She was just a memory.
Just a five months' memory.
I remember her hair as she fell. Her winter sweater. Her summer skirts. Her fading smile. I remember her note:
Jake,
I remember the first day we met. It was in Ms. Henderson's science class. She made us draw a map of the solar system, I remember that because I thought yours looked the best. I saw your art this year and I have to say that it is still up to par. I also remember the second time we met, well the time you met me anyway. You burst onto the roof thinking that I was going to commit. At that time, I was. Considering it anyway. I know I never told you why I said: "thank you." Well, now you know. Even though you didn't know my name and you didn't start out wanting to be my friend, you gave me hope. And I am proud to say that you are my dearest friend. I am pretty sure you know that I had a horrible home life, even though you or I ever brought it up. If you didn't then now you know.
I know that this note is a typical one and that this does not make what I am doing the right choice. I hope that while I am writing this I am in the right state of mind, but who knows. I hope that this reaches you well, that it reaches your heart. This is so cliche. Anyway, thank you. Thank you for being my friend, being my ray of light. Even if I am insignificant in your life you are the reason for mine. You make me want to live. So I will keep on living. Thank You, Jake. I'll see you in a better time, all right?
Love,
Margo
I found the note in her lunch box along with a bowl of warm soup which had a sticky note attached to it.
"It's cold today. Eat this."
As far as last words go, those were pretty good. But, why did I feel like it was my fault. I should have been there for her when she needed me before she needed me. It was October, but Margo was still wearing short summer skirts. It was December, but Margo was still wearing short summer skirts. It was January, but Margo was still wearing short summer skirts. It was February and March and April, but Margo was still wearing short summer skirts. It was May, I am sure that Margo is still wearing short summer skirts.
Sometimes when I turn around I still see her smile. Her hair blowing in the wind as she raises her hand to greet me. The sun shining down only on her as if she is the apple of its eye. A smile will form on my face, but tears will fall. If only I was there for her when she needed me before she needed me.
I first met Margo about two years ago, we were in ninth grade. I had been to school with her since fifth grade, but me being me I had never paid any attention to her. At that time I finally realized that my friends were jerks and started to distance myself. One day when I wasn't paying attention I wandered onto the roof of the school. I peered through the window in the door and saw a girl sitting on the edge of the roof. I couldn't see who it was, but automatically the worst thought came to my mind.
I burst through the door, yelling for her to get down. The girl turned around and gave me a funny, not to mention extremely cute, look. Despite the look she was giving me, she hopped down anyway, waiting for me to continue.
"Well?" She asked.
"Well..uh..."
At this point, I had realized that she was not trying to end her life, but was looking out over a beautiful city landscape. You could see everything from the roof! Carefully I walked towards the edge, forgetting momentarily all about the girl. A few seconds later I felt someone tapping on my shoulder.
"Excuse me?" she sounded offended. "I was peacefully eating my lunch up here until you ran out screaming at me. The least you can do is explain to me why!"
"Right! Well, you see, haha," I paused, my cheeks turning red. "I thought you were going to jump."
I looked at the ground, feeling extremely embarrassed. I had made a total fool of myself.
But to my surprise, she said, "Thank you."
Thinking she was joking I looked up only to see that she was completely serious. I blinked a few times, trying to sort out my thoughts.
The only thing I could manage to spit out was, "What?"
This time she gave me one of her outstanding smiles and just like a movie the wind blew through her hair at just the right moment. My blush deepened, but I couldn't look away. She leaned forward and looked me right in the eye.
"My name is Margo. Nice to meet you!"
My eyes widened. I was still at a loss for words and stood there dumbfounded for a few moments.
"I'm Jake."
I stuck out my hand awkwardly, hoping that she would take it so I wouldn't look like a fool. Well, even more of a fool. As far as first impressions go this was about the worst it could get. Although my friend Mike didn't think so.
At this point in time, I had made one, not-jerk, friend. And when I told him about this encounter he just laughed and explained to me what a "meet-cute" was. Of course, this did not help me at all, in fact, it made me more embarrassed. I started seeing Margo more and more around school and realized that she was even in some of my classes. It finally registered in my mind that I was a very distracted person. I had met Margo before and didn't even remember her, yet we had been going to school together for four years. I wondered if she knew me.
One day I worked up to courage to eat my lunch on the roof. When the bell rang I raced up to the roof, thinking that I could get there before her. But, I should have known that she would already be there. I peered through the glass and saw her sitting on the edge just like last time. I noticed her lunch box next to her. Anxiety raced down my back and I turned around, considering going back downstairs to eat with Mike. Instead, I took and deep breath and pushed the door open.
Margo turned around and watched me walk over to her. I couldn't look her in the eye. I just sat there for a minute not sure what to say, but it looked like Margo didn't mind the silence. All of a sudden the thought that she had probably come up here because of the quiet entered my mind. I was sure that I was only embarrassing myself further and there was no point stopping now.
"Did you remember me?" I asked.
She took a moment to answer.
"If you mean that I knew your name was Jake and that we met in the fifth grade, then yeah I did." She gives me another stunning smile.
Now I felt really bad, "Sorry."
"Why?"
"For not remembering your name..." I trail off.
Still smiling she replies, "That's okay. You didn't need to anyway, right?"
I didn't know how to reply to that so I didn't say anything. Another uncomfortable silence filled the air. Not knowing what else to do I opened my lunch box and pulled out a sandwich. As soon as I started eating I felt better, I was settling into the silence. The scene in front of me was beautiful, unlike anything I had ever seen. I completely understood why Margo came up here every day.
For the rest of the week, I ate lunch with Margo. And then the next week and the next. At that point, I was fully confident when I was with her. Margo had a different aura around her, it was almost like she was a more authentic human than everyone else. Although she never did tell me why she said, "thank you" that day on the roof. I was glad to be friends with her. Then a few months before school was about to end she stopped showing up to school. It was a few weeks before she came back and when she did she was only and shell of her former self. I tried to cheer her up, but she wouldn't talk to me and she was starting to sound more and more serious.
I was getting worried. Something had clearly happened, but she wouldn't talk to me. Then on a particularly cold day, I walked onto the roof to see her standing on the edge. The sun shining down on her, a light breeze blowing her hair around her face. She was staring out at the city. I wasn't too worried, I had seen her do this many times. Plus her lunch box was next to her and I could see that she had some warm soup inside.
Then she was gone.
She was just a memory.
Just a five months' memory.
I remember her hair as she fell. Her winter sweater. Her summer skirts. Her fading smile. I remember her note:
Jake,
I remember the first day we met. It was in Ms. Henderson's science class. She made us draw a map of the solar system, I remember that because I thought yours looked the best. I saw your art this year and I have to say that it is still up to par. I also remember the second time we met, well the time you met me anyway. You burst onto the roof thinking that I was going to commit. At that time, I was. Considering it anyway. I know I never told you why I said: "thank you." Well, now you know. Even though you didn't know my name and you didn't start out wanting to be my friend, you gave me hope. And I am proud to say that you are my dearest friend. I am pretty sure you know that I had a horrible home life, even though you or I ever brought it up. If you didn't then now you know.
I know that this note is a typical one and that this does not make what I am doing the right choice. I hope that while I am writing this I am in the right state of mind, but who knows. I hope that this reaches you well, that it reaches your heart. This is so cliche. Anyway, thank you. Thank you for being my friend, being my ray of light. Even if I am insignificant in your life you are the reason for mine. You make me want to live. So I will keep on living. Thank You, Jake. I'll see you in a better time, all right?
Love,
Margo
I found the note in her lunch box along with a bowl of warm soup which had a sticky note attached to it.
"It's cold today. Eat this."
As far as last words go, those were pretty good. But, why did I feel like it was my fault. I should have been there for her when she needed me before she needed me. It was October, but Margo was still wearing short summer skirts. It was December, but Margo was still wearing short summer skirts. It was January, but Margo was still wearing short summer skirts. It was February and March and April, but Margo was still wearing short summer skirts. It was May, I am sure that Margo is still wearing short summer skirts.
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