The sky is a cool shade of blue. The breeze, warm and comforting. A perfect summer day. Supposed to be. Papers are scattered on my table. I reach for a clean sheet of paper. With nothing else to do, I fumble for my pen and start to write:
Dear Riley,
How are you? How am I going to say this without bursting into tears?
Okay, so, hey I never told you about this. Probably because you're my best friend and I don't want you hurt, or because I just didn't have the courage to do so. Here goes...
Riley... Ever since I met you, I learned to expect the unexpected. You brought a handful of surprises to my life. You brought color to my life. You kept me alive. You saved me from my darkest thoughts. You showed me the brighter side of life. You had me thinking that life was eternal with love. You set me free. You gave me the best summer of my life. EVER.
I never thanked you for that. I was never the showy type of person. Even if you were my best friend. And, now, I want to thank you. Nothing more could be said. Just.. Thank you...
How I wish I would've told you sooner, before it's too late. But, I guess I was being a coward. I have always been that. Only YOU told me to be brave...
Riley...
I.....
Love you... Not as a friend, nor as a family. It's much more than that.... I wish you'd read this, wherever you might be...
This might not be the best letter a person could make, but I try... Even if it's too late..
I love you, Riley.
Yours,
Iris
I fold the paper and put it in an envelope. My eyes are watery with tears. Tears that are only for him... Tears that he would not see...
I go outside, grab my bike, and pedal my way to where he lies. The streets are looking much brighter today, but how can I enjoy that when there's a rain cloud following me everywhere? The warm breeze blows and makes my skin tingle. I rest my bike on the sidewalk and stride silently through the yard full of headstones. I find his immediately and I sit on the grass.
"Hey, Riley...," I say as I absently pick at the grass. Tears start to roll down my cheeks.
"Riley, thank you for making me happy. You made my summer start with smiles... And now you've ended it with tears... You would've just let that stupid car hit me instead of you.. You don't deserve to die..."
I can't say anything anymore. My throat tightens from crying. I leave my letter on the headstone, not caring if anyone reads it. Looking up at the sky, I say, "Goodbye, Riley."
***
Without any reason, it just started to rain. I hurry and get my bike. I pedal as fast as I could, not realizing that the road starts to get wet. My eyesight starts to blur from all this water raining down on me. I wipe my eyes using one hand and so I start to lose my balance. I try to steady the bike but the ground is now slippery. I fall to the ground and hit my head hard. My sight goes black. For a second, my head clears the same time I hear a honk of a car and the screeching of tires.