He awoke hearing voices and slowly it sunk in that he was not at home, so he bolted up quickly and thought of running.

“Oh he’s awake,” a woman said. She had the chocolate brown eyes of the girl and the pitch-black curls.

“I am so sorry,” he blurted then the woman smiled.

“Oh it’s quite alright my boy, I’ve heard a lot about you,” the woman said and in panic he looked at the girl who shook her head and smiled letting him know that her mother didn’t know anything she was not supposed to.

And so he found himself having breakfast with the two and then ended up helping the girl with her chemistry before he went home.

He hadn’t seen the girl for a week or so and he was getting agitated because school sucked and life at home sucked even more. He was feeling suicidal, depressed and filthy again and he needed her to wash him clean again. He needed to just watch her watching the stars and know that everything was going to be okay because miracles like her existed.

Friday after school he tried her cell again and it wasn’t going through, so he just changed his school shoes and walked to her house.

He knew something was wrong the minute he saw a tent next to her house blocking the entire street, there were women moving up and down with veggies.

His walk slowed and people stared at him. He felt out of place here and he half expected the girl to come running towards him and tell him not to mind these people.

But there was something wrong with the whole atmosphere, it was sad. Everyone spoke in hushed tones.

He spotted the girl’s mother as he opened the gate and she called him to the side wearing a sad smile.

“I wanted to call you,” she said, “but her phone is broken and all her contacts were saved in there.”

“Okay,” he nodded. “Where is she?” His mouth went dry like he knew exactly what she was gonna say.

“I didn’t know where you lived so I couldn’t come find you,” she continued.

“Is she in the hospital?” his voice quivered.

“She was,” her mother said.

“Where is she now?” a single tear fell.

“I think you know what I’m going to tell you, I’m really sorry,” she patted his shoulder and she left but turned around again. “The funeral is tomorrow, you can see her then,” she said and left.

Tell us: How do you as the reader feel, knowing that the girl has died?