I Found Out Too Late

She sits patiently at the back of the room. She smiles politely as they say hello and take their seats. She raises her hand, to answer the teacher’s questions. She talks to her friends at lunch, she appears perfectly fine. She goes through the day, like every other. And towards the end, as she approaches her best friend, she holds back a few tears. She hugs her tightly handing her a note, “Don’t read this until you get home.” She smiles and hugs her tightly again.

She gets into her locker and reaches far behind. Grabbing something and concealing it within her pocket. Off to the bathroom, you know the one, the one that no one ever goes to down on the bottom floor. She opens the door, and looks back to make sure she was not followed. This is it, she thinks to herself.

Silently she takes out a sharpie, drawing a heart on the inside of the closed stall door. She draws smiley faces and then starts to cry. She’s been tormented for so so long. Not being pretty enough, not being good enough, and not being smart enough. She trembles as she takes the blade from her pocket. She stares at it. Thinks long and hard about it. Then decides she’s going to do it.

And as her dear friend reaches home, and reads the note, she screams in terror and runs to her mom. It turns out to be all too late. Her friend, she has suffered this terrible fate.

So the note reads like this;

My best friend,

You were the only one that cared. Please remember me from what I was. Not from what I have done. You were truly good to me, but everyone else hit me too hard. No one noticed that inside I was slowly dying, but on the outside I plastered on my fake smile. I love you. You are the BEST friend anyone could ever want. Keep your head up and never think you aren’t good enough. This is goodbye.

Author's Note

I am withholding her name out of respect for her and her family.

Reviews

[Dearantlers]

You were the friend? I am so sorry. This is so sad. It made tears come to my eyes the way you wrote this. It's so well written too. Good job!

[theopenbook]

really really beautiful story of a last goodbye:) suicide because of not being good enough is sad but true. a real and honest piece:)

[MattHeston]

So sad, but very good. I like this one.