My Seventh Grade Season

It was fourth down with three yards to go. We were down 22-21 with 2:27 left on the clock in the fourth quarter. We were the only team left in our league that was undefeated and we couldn't afford to lose this game. We were playing a team that was 3-8 in their season. If we lost it would take us from first place to third place and we wouldn't be able to go back to first place with only two games left.
We went to get in position to play. I was wide reciever and I was wide left. The quarterback, Zac Partin, was back and ready to throw. I ran straight ahead then juked right. The person defending me slipped and fell and I was wide open at the five yard line. I saw Zac throw the ball towards me and a bunch of defenders come at me. I caught the ball, turned around and ran to the enzone. I felt someone knock me to the ground and the crowd went wild. I scored! We were up 27-22.
Since we were only seventh graders we had to go for the 2 point comversion. The play we were going to run was Zac would had the ball off to Max Jacobs, the running back. He would run up the middle and score. If we got this our defense would have to do their best.
Zac got the ball and Max came running. Zac handed the ball off to Max and he ran his hardest. The offensive linemen made a path up the middle for Max to run. He ran straight up the middle but got tackled. It was close on weather he got in the enzone or not so we looked up at the official and his hands were raised. The 2PC was good and we were up 29-22 with 1:03 left to go in the game. There was no way they were going to score and the rest of the game was ours. We won with two games left in the season and we were number one in the league.
Our next game was Thursday and that game was a game none of us would forget. Before I tell you the game I'll tell you who I am and about my life. My name is Adam Lopez. I'm in the seventh grade and I go to Troy Middle School in Troy, Texas. I have two little twin brothers, Devon and Evan, and an older sister Joan. My mom and dad died in a car accident two months after my little brothers were born so we live with my aunt and uncle.
In school there is an "in" crowd and an "out" crowd. The "in" crowd is seperated in two groups; the boys and the girls. The "boy" section was all of the football players, basketball players, baseball players, and the rest of the jocks. In the "girl" section it was the athletic girls and the cheerleaders. The "out" crowd was the band geeks and the people that were weird.
I, however, fell under the "in" crowd. I was the most athletic boy in the school and if the "boy" crowd was made of only one person, it would be me. For the "girls" that one girl would be Andrea Gaither, the most beautiful girl in school. She was the head cheerleader, the best in basketball, the pitcher for the softball team, and the number one gymnast in Texas. She got hurt in every sport she played, but still managed to keep a beautiful face. It was a mystery on how she did it. Every guy in school liked her but only one lucky guy got to go out with her. That guy was me.
At school on wednesday I got so many "nice job's" and "way to go's" for yesterday's game, I wanted to scream. When I finally got to my locker the usual people were there; my three best friends, Zac Partin, the quarterback, Max Jacobs, the running back, and Alex Green, the tight end. My bus was the last one to get to school so I had to hurry up and get ready for when the bell rang.
"Nice job," Alex said.
"If I hear those words one more time I'm going to go crazy," I told him as I opened my locker.
"Nice job," Max said with a grin. I finished getting my stuff from my locker and just looked at him. Zac and Alex were laughing because they knew I was going to do something. The bell rang and as Max started walking away I pushed him into the locker and yelled, "Get a life!"
As I walked into first period I sat down and the teacher told me "nice job" and i knew it was going to be a long day.
At lunch I sat at the football table. Zac was on my left and Max was on my right. Alex and Brandon Mazy, the second string quarterback, sat across from me.
"How has your day been?" Brandon asked me.
I just sat there and ate my hamburger. Alex started laughing and said, "He's having a very bad day don't ask him."
"Yeah," Max said laughing, " he pushed me into a locker this morning."
"Maybe if you weren't such a loser," I told him.
"Me? I'm not a loser," he said as he stood up.
"Oh, sit down Max and eat," Alex said.
"Well if anyone cares, I'm having a good day today," Brandon said.
Max sat down and stared at Brandon for a few seconds then said, "Well no one does care so shut up."
Everybody started laughing but Brandon.
"I'm just joking Brandon, geesh. Take a joke," Max told him.
Right when Brandon got it and started laughing the bell rang and we all got up but Brandon.
"Maybe I don't get it," Brandon said confused.
"Nevermind," I told him. "Just come on."
We left the cafiteria and went to recess.
After school I went to the locker room to get ready for football practice. When I walked in, on the writing board was: NICE JOB. I could tell by the handwriting who wrote it. It was Max. Max as you can tell is the type of person to annoy people. If you tell him no, he continues to do it more. I've known him since we were five and he hasnt changed at all.
I put pads in my pants and put them on. Got my shoulder pads on and my practice jersey. When I walked out of the locker room Max and Zac were waiting there.
"Did you see the board?" Max asked. "You should hurt whoever did that. You're bigger then them."
I dropped my bags and put him in a headlock. "so your saying I should hurt you?" He just started laughing. I let go of him and pushed him down. I grabbed my bags and walked out of the door.
At dinner that night my sister asked me what I was wearing for the dance on Friday. The dance on Friday was the Holloween dance for my school, and all the football players were going as cheerleaders and all of their girlfriends were going as football players. I couldn't tell my sister that though, she would make fun of me, so I told her i was going as myself.
The next day in school everybody was getting pumped for the game. We played in Lytle against the pirates. They had only lost one game this season and they were ranked number two. If we lost to anybody this season, it would be to them. Every football player was in their jerseys and yelling in each others faces all day.
When I got to fourth period I had study hall. The study hall teacher was my sisters boyfriends mom and I was her favorite student. Right when I get there I go to her desk and talk.
I put my books on the desk and started walking up there.
"Uh, Mr.Lopez, you might want to take a seat today," she told me.
"But why Mrs.Heartman?" I asked acting like she was a normal teacher, but everyone knew she was my sisters boyfriends mom.
"I don't want you pulling a muscle before todays game."
I turned around and went back to my seat. I pur my head down and just sat there.
"I'm just joking Adam, you can come up here," she said laughing.
"Yes!" I screamed as I jumped out of my seat.
"But you have to be quiet," she told me.
"Sorry," I whispered and started tip-toeing up there.
"That's better," she said.
When I got up there everyone was being loud. When people were loud I didnt want Mrs.Heartman to yell so I yelled at the kids myself.
"Hey now, let's get quiet so Mrs.Heartman doesn't have to yell!" I said talking over everyone.
Everyone just looked at me and got quiet.
"That's better," I said then started talking to Mrs.Heartman again.
"So are you going to do good at your game tonight?" Mrs.Heartman asked me.
"Are you kdding? I always do good at games," I said with a confident grin.
"Don't get too cocky," she told me. "you'll end up having a bad game."
I started laughing. "1: I'm never cocky and 2: I'll never have a bad game."
"Oh really?" she asked with a smile.
"Yeah really. My team and I will never have a bad game."
"Well I wouldn't be to sure about that," she said still smiling. "So where will you guys be in the league if you win tonight?"
"Well when we win, there's no ifs, we will still be number one, 13-0, with one game left."
She just sat there laughing.
"What's so funny?" I asked her.
"Oh, nothing. Just nothing."
"Well obviously something."
"Just the fact about how overconfident you are about this," she said looking over at one of the eigth graders.
"I'm not over confident!"
"Oh, okay then."
"Yeah, I'm not," I told her then started to grab a book.
"Yes you are Lopez and everyone in this room knows it," Anthony Parsons stood up and shouted.
No one liked Anthony because when he wasn't number one he complained. When he was in fifth grade he was the starting wide reciever for the midget football team and when I came here in sixth grade he became second string.
"Well I can't help it that you suck at football Anthony," I told him.
"Hey now," Mrs.Heartman said. "Let's be nice."
"Be nice about what? He thinks it's my fault that he got moved to second string. Well it's not!"
I just stood there and stared at Anthony.
"What do you want me to do? Become a sucky player like you so I'm not first string?"
"Yeah," he said. "Yeah I do."
"Well too bad. It isn't happening. So you might as well accept the sucky player that you are and get over yourself."
His face got red and he started walking towards me. The bell rang and he turned around.
"I'll see you tonight," I said to Mrs.Heartman and went to get my books. As we were walking out of the door Anthony was right beside me.
"I hate you," he told me with his teeth clenched together.
"Well good because I hate you too," I told him then turned down the hall way.
Lunch that day was kind of weird. I sat at my usual seat with Zac on my left, Max on my right, and Alex and Brandon across from me.
"I heard about you and Anthony in study hall today," Zac said.
"Yeah, i want to kill him," I told him.
"Aren't those words a bit harsh?" Brandon asked me.
"I don't care. He hates me for abviously no reason, and I don't know why."
"Well have you ever thought that you took his position on the team?" Brandon asked.
"What do you mean I took his posistion on the team? Not everybody is going to get to play and if a new kid comes that's better than one of the other kids, of course the coach is going to pick the better kid."
"Yeah, that is true," Zac said.
"Oh well, just forget it," brandon said then started eating.
When we were done eating we went to the gym for recess because it was raining outside.
In the gym it was Zac, Max, Alex, Brandon, and me under the northend basketball hoop. We were standing in a circle.
"I really hope it stops raining," Zac said.
"Yeah me too," I said.
"Why do you guys want it to stop raining?" Max asked. "I like rain."
"So we can play tonight. Duh!" Brandon told him.
"Oh, yeah," Max said laughing. "I forgot."
"Wow. Are you-" I started then stopped as a basketball came flying by my head.
"Retarded?" I finished then looked up. "Who threw that?" I asked.
"I dont know," Alex said.
We all turned around at the same time and saw Anthony standing in the middle of the gym floor laughing. I looked around to see where the recess monitor was and when I saw her talking to a teacher, I started walking towards Anthony.
"Oh, my bad. Did that hit you?" Anthony asked laughing. "It slipped."
"What the hell is your problem?" I asked him grabbing his shirt.
"What do you mean 'what's my problem'?" he asked acting innocent.
"Don't act dumb you idiot. Ever since that day, two years ago, when I got starting wide reciever, you won't leave me alone about it. Now I know that position means alot to you, but this whole throwing the ball at me thing and you constantly fighting with me needs to stop. It's all Jealousy."
"Jealousy?" he screamed. "I'm not jealous."
"Then what are you Anthony? What are you?"
Anthony just stood there.
Andrea heard us fighting and came over.
"Aw, look at this. Mr.Adam Lopez has to have his little girlfriend, Andrea, to come save him from a fight."
At that moment I wanted to go off and punch Anthony in the face but Andrea held my hand back.
"Adam think about what you do before you do it," Andrea said. "If you hurt him you'll be dont with football and maybe your basketball season."
We all just stood there in silence.
"Yeah, Andrea's is right Adam," Alex said.
Andrea let go of my arm.
"Yeah," Anthony said laughing. "Andrea's right."
I got a fist and was getting ready to punch Anthony when Andrea grabbed my arm.
"Adam," she said. "Come on." She started walking away and pulling me away with her.
"This isn't over," I told Anthony.
"Okay retard. Keep thinking what you want," he told me as I was being dragged away.
"I can't stand that kid!" I said as we were walking back towards the wall.
"You just have to ignore him," Andrea said.
"It's just not that easy," I told her looking back over to where Anthony was.
"Yeah, I know," she said looking over to her friends. "Okay well I'm going to go back over there. I'll see you tonight."
"Okay," I told her then hugged her.
"Don't get in trouble," she said laughing. "I love you."
"Okay I won't. I love you too."
I watched her walk away then just stood against the wall and waited for the bell to ring.
When the bell rang ending last period I went to Zac's locker so I could walk to the locker room with him. We were walking in the gym door when someone came up behind me and pushed me.
"Hey loser," Jacob Gaither said behind us. Jacob Gaither was the eigth grade quarterback. He lives accross the street from me. He was Andrea's brother so we were pretty close friends.
"Hey," I told him.
"You ready for your big game today?" he asked.
"You bet," Zac and I said at the same time.
"Well that's good."
"Yep. Sure is," I said looking around the gym.
When we got to the locker room Jacob grabbed me by the arm and said, "Zac you can go in the locker room but I want to talk to Adam for a second."
"Okay," Zac said then dissappeared behind the door.
"Adam," Jacob said, "Andrea told me you and Anthony were in a fight."
"Yeah," I said then paused. "What about it?"
"Well I know how you and your temper are and I -"
"Look, if you're going to stand here and lecture me on how much trouble I can get in if I hurt him, don't waste your time. I already know."
"That's not it," he said looking around.
"Then what is it?" I asked him.
"Adam you're an excellent football player and I know that can take you far in life. I would sure hate to see you ruin that future because you can't control your temper."
I know Jacobs only a grade higher then me but he was a smart kid. He was just like me, he lost his parents at a young age and lives with his aunt and uncle. He has been through alot in life taking care of his sisters and cousins, but he knew alot about life. He always knew when someone was doing something wrong and tried to help them. I went to him for everything.
"Just do me a favor Adam, and think everything you do with that kid all the way through before you do it."
"Okay I will," I said rolling my eyes getting tired of standing there.
"Okay, now lets go get ready to kick some pirate ass!"
As we were walking into the locker room Anthony was walking out. We stared at each other until he walked out of the door and we couldn't see eachother anymore.
"Man I hate that kid!" I screamed as I threw my bags in the corner.
When we were done changing Zac and I went to the field to get ready while the eigth graders lifted weights. I saw Anthony just standing on the sideline doing nothing and I wanted to tell him to make his fat butt useful and do something but I didn't. I was starting to take Jacob's words of advice into consideration.
"Hey loser," Anthony said.
"Save your voice," Zac told him before I could say anything. "You'll need it for the end when you sit on the bench all game."
"Whatever," Anthony said then walked away.
After are fifteen minutes of warm-up's it was time for the game to start.
The first, second, and third quarters went pretty much our way. We were up 16-14 with one minute left. We were on defense and it was obvious they were going to hand off the ball to their running back and try to score. Alex was going to tackle their running back but in order for him to do that i had to block his defender.
I heard the word "hike" and I started running right to block the defender. Since it rained that day the ground was wet and muddy. I went to turn right and I slipped. When I tried to get up an offensive linemen stepped on my back. I looked up to see if Alex had him tackled him but Alex was lying on the ground not moving.
"Alex!" I screamed. "Get up!" but he didnt move.
I heard the refferee blow his whistle and I knew they scored. I got up and saw the running back had scored. The clock said 48 seconds left. There was no way we could win, but no one cared about winning anymore because Alex wasn't moving.
I ran over to him and took off my helmet. "Alex, come on man, get up," I said but he did nothing. His eyes were closed and he was barely breathing. Zac and a refferee joined me and still no movement. Zac took off his helmet and knelt down. "Alex please get up. We need you."
The refferee waved his arm for help and a tear started rolling down my face.
"Don't cry man. I'm sure he'll be alright," Zac said.
"I hope you're right," I told him then walked to the sideline.
"Nice job kid," my coach told me when I walked by him. I just nodded my head and sat down on the bench. I looked over and saw Alex's girlfriend, Heather, crying. I knew this was the beginning of something bad.
We lost the game 20-16 and we're now ranked number two in the league. We had one game left and so did the Pirates. In order for us to be number one again we had to win our next game and the Pirates had to lose theirs.
After the game I went to the hospital to see Alex. They had his results in by the time I got there. he had a concussion and he broke a bone in his back. As of now he was paralized.
When I walked in he was lying still on his bed with a bunch of wires and cords hooked up to him.
"Hey man," I said as I closed the door. "How are you?"
There was a brief pause before he answered me. I didn't think he would since he was in a concussion but he must have been out of it.
"Not bad," he said trying to look over at me. "I'm hanging in there."
"That's good," I said sitting down in a chair. "I heard you broke a bone in your back."
"Yeah, they said I'm done with sports until I undergo a dangerour surgery."
"Aw man, that must suck the big one," I told him standing up again.
"Yeah, it sure does," he said watching me walk over to the wall.
The nurse walked in and asked me to step in the hall while she gave Alex his medicine.
In the hall I was listening through the door to see what she was doing. "I'm going to put this on your back. It will hurt at first but not for long," I heard the nurse say. Then I heard a noise that sounded like the nurse lifting him up. Then there was a long period of silence. The door opened.
"You can go back in now," the nurse told me.
"Okay," I said walking back in the room.
"Adam," Alex said trying to sit up but failed. "I'm going to get the surgery done tomorrow night."
"No," I screamed, "not during the dance!"
"That's the only time they can get me in to do it," he said looking deeply into my eyes.
I stood there and looked into his eyes. I could see a sort of sadness in them. Almost like him telling me he wouldn't make it out of the surgery. I walked over and looked out of the window.
"Adam," he said watching me walk away. "I told you because I knew you would take it the best."
"Well I think you might want to think again," I said as I felt tears running down my face.
"Adam listen to me. I need you to tell Heather for me. Tell her I love her and give her a hug for me," he said still looking at me with that same look in his eyes.
"Adam please? I'm counting on you."
I didn't answer his question. I didnt know how to. I turned around and looked into his eyes again. "You will come out alive, right?" I didn't know if that was mean to ask but I had to know the truth.
"I don't know," he said looking away.
"Then don't take it," I told him. "Isn't there a different one?"
"There's one to get me able to be in a wheelchair, but not walk."
"Then take that!" I said turning back to the window.
He didn't say anything. "Adam you know I want to be able to walk again. I have to take the risk."
I started crying. "But what if you don't come out? Huh? Then what do we do?" I tunred around to him again. "I can't lose you Alex. We can't lose you."
Right then there was a knock at the door and I turned to the window and wiped my eyes. My aunt and uncle walked in. "I think it's time for Adam to come home now," my aunt said.
"Okay," Alex said with a smile on his face. It was the first smile he's had since before the game.
I walked over to the bed and gave Alex a hug. "Good luck tomorrow, you're going to need it."
"Yeah I know," he said looking at my uncle who was messing with the door knob.
I walked out of the door and started praying that I'd see my best friend again.
At school the next day the walls and stuff were decorated with signs and posters for the dance tonight. When I got there a bunch of people hugged me and told me they were sorry. I told them I knew Alex was alright and that I wasnt going to worry. I saw Heather standing with some of her friends with tears in her eyes.
"Hey Heather, can I talk to you for a minute?" I asked her.
"Yeah," she said then walked away with me.
"Well," I said. "I went to the hospital last night." There was a pause. "I was talking to Alex and he said in order for him to ever be able to move again he has to have a dangerous surgery done." She got tears in her eyes. "If he has the surgery dont there's a possibility he won't make it out." She started crying. "He's getting the surgery tonight. He said he loves you with all of his heart and he wants you to know that."
She hugged me and started crying harder then before. "I can't lose him Adam," she told me.
"I know. Me either," I said hugging her.
"Then why don't you tell him not to have the surgery?" she asked me letting go of her hug.
"I wish I could, but I can't."
The bell rang and our conversation was left unfinished.
At lunch we sat in our normal seats but there wasn't much talking. No one was really in the mood to talk. All we thought about was Alex and we were all wondering if he was alright.
About half way through lunch my name came on over the loudspeaker. They told me to go to the office for a phone call. I got up to leave when Max asked me if I was going to finish my food.
"No, I'm not," I told him. "You can have it."
Right after I told him he could have it he attacked my food like he hadn't ate in days, but I didn't say anything just went to the office.
When I got there the secretary told me I had a phone call. I picked up the phone and she told me to press seven, so I did.
"Hello," I said.
"Hey man. It's me," Alex said on the other line.
"Hey," I said. "What's up."
"Not much," he said taking a deep breath. "I'm getting ready to go into preparation for the surgery. I just wanted to call and tell you hi one last time before I go in."
"Oh," I said not knowing what to say. "What time is it?"
"Tonight at 6:30 P.M. but it takes two hours," he said making some kind of noise. "I will have my mom call your cell phone when I'm done."
"Okay," I told him. "At 8:30 P.M. I will have everybody in the gym pray together."
"Okay," he said. "Well I'll hopefully see you later. Bye."
"Alright man. Good luck. Bye," I said then hung up the phone. I walked out of the office and hoped that wouldn't be my last time talking to my best friend.
After school that day we didn't have football practice because of the dance so I went to Andrea's house to get her cheerleading uniform. After I got the uniform I went home to get ready. I looked pretty good in a cheerleading uniform I thought as I looked in the mirror. My sister came in when I was looking in the mirror. I ran into my bathroom.
"Adam!" she screamed. "I know you're in here."
"Get out Joan!" I yelled.
"Come on," she said, "just let me see you."
"No! Now get out!" I yelled from in my bathroom.
"Okay whatever."
I heard the door slam so I went out. Right when I opened the door there was a flash in my face.
"Haha, this is going on the internet!" Joan yelled.
"Come on Joan," I said walking towards her. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
"Me?" she said looking at me like I was messed up. "What the hell is wrong with you? Look at yourself!"
"I have, thank you very much."
"Adam! You ready?" my aunt yelled from downstairs.
"Yeah!" I yelled back.
"Okay lets go!"
"Okay," I yelled still looking at Joan. "Comming!"
I put on my coat and was still looking at Joan. "You put that on the internet and I'm telling everyone you madeout with Gabe Ramos."
"Ew, the fourth grader?" she asked looking disgusted.
"Yeah," I told her looking for my phone.
"Fine. Okay. You win."
"Yeah that's what I thought," I said walking to the door.
"Adam! Lets go!" my aunt yelled again.
"Comming!" I yelled back.
I heard her open the door. "Yeah you better be."
I went downstairs, got in the car, and went to the dance.
For the dance I was dressed in the school cheerleading uniform. The top of it was a tight, blue and white, v-necked shirt. The bottom was a blue and white skirt and under it I wore white sweatpants.
When I got there it cost two dollars to get in. It was in the gym and when I walked in the gym it didnt look like a gym at all. There were colored lights hanging from the ceilling and posters everywhere. In the middle, hanging lower then the lights, was a crystle discoball. It looked like it cost a million dollars.
On the far wall was a big poster that said,

Tonight Alex green will undgergo a dangerous surgery so he'll
be able to walk again. At 8:30 P.M. we ask that you have a
period of silence to pray for him.

I felt tears comming but I held them back. Tonight was a night to have fun and forget my worries, so that's what I was going to do.
In one corner of the gym was a D.J. When the clock said 7:00 P.M., he turned off the lights and turned on the colored ones. "Are you guys ready to dance?" he asked.
"Yeah!" everybody screamed, and that started the first song.
After about ten fast songs and three slow songs the clock said 8:20 P.M. I went over to the teacher in charge of the dance, Ms. Rinaldi, and told her it was time. She looked over at the clock then walked over to where the DJ was.
When she got there she got a microphone and said, "Boys and girls may I have your attention?"
Everybody got quiet.
"Thank you," Ms. Rinaldi said. "Now it's 8:20 P.M. and we're suppose to have a period of silence at 8:30 P.M., so we're going to get ready now. Now everybody will sit on the bleachers and have a period of silence. We'll be quiet until Alex's mom calls Adam's cell phone. It could be one minute. It could be one hour. We don't know. But just remember, that if you talk and don't respect this period of silence, would you want someone to do that to you?"
There was silence.
"Okay let's get seated."
We all walked over to the bleachers and found a seat. I got my cell phone out and turned it on. Ms. Rinaldi watched the clock and when it said 8:30 P.M. we all got quiet. I didn't really feel like looking at anyone so I put my head on my knees. "Oh God, please let him be okay," I said to myself.
At about 8:50 P.M. my cell phone rang. I looked at it and the caller ID said Troy Hospital. I slid open the phone and pressed the send button.
"Hello," I said.
"Adam?" Alex's mom, Carol, said.
"Yeah?"
"I have the results of Alex's surgery." There was a pause. "Well he went in to surgery at 6:30 P.M. and Half way through they thought they lost him but got him to breathe again." Tears came to my eyes. "Towards the end of the surgery they thought they lost him again so they tried to get him to breathe. Unfortunatly," she started crying, "it was to late." I broke down crying and wanted to die. "We lost him."
"No!" I screamed. "Don't say that!"
I threw my phone at the person sitting next to me and ran to the hall. I sat against the wall and cried. After a few seconds Andrea came around the corner crying. I stood up and hugged her.
"It's all my fault," I said.
"No it's not," she told me. "Don't say that."
"Why?" I screamed. "I should have been a better friend."
"Adam stop," she said crying. "You couldn't've prevented what happened. It was just something that had to happen."
"No!" I screamed. "It's not! If I wouldn't have slipped, I would have blocked the defender and he wouldn't have gotten hurt."
There was a pause.
"You see, it is my fault."
"No it's not Adam. It rained that day and you couldn't help that you slipped. No one could."
"Except me," I said.
"No not even you."
At that moment Jacob came out of the gym with tears in his eyes.
"I'm really sorry man," he said.
"Why?" I asked. "Why Alex? He was young. He loved life. Why him?"
"I don't know," Jacob said, "but I heard you and Andrea talking. It's not your fault at all."
There was a long moment of silence.
"Everybody on this earth is made for a reason. Their made to do something that will make someone's life easier or better. After they achieve that purpose their time in this life is done. God might give them a few extra breaths or days but their reason of being born is over. Now whatever Alex was made to achieve, he achieved it. God took him for some reason and you couldn't prevent it.
"There's a reason for everything and it rained that day so there was a reason to why this happened. You slipped and fell so Alex could go to a better place. Just think of it as you helping a friend out. So now everytime it rains you can think of Alex and the good things he did. Their tears of happy moments and thoughts, not bad. Right now you're feeling bad that you lost a best friend but you're more happy knowing he's in a better place. Yes you might be mad, and yes you might hate the world now, but you still have to live and eventually you'll forgive God and yourself."
I was quiet. I didn't know what to say.
"Just remember it's not your fault."
I looked out of the window and saw my uncle's truck pull in front of the school and I went to get my cell phone. On my way out I hugged Andrea and told her I loved her. I also hugged Jacob and told him h was a great friend.
When I got in the truck my uncle asked me what was wrong.
"He's dead," I said.
"Aw man, that sucks."
I just nodded my head and I was quiet the rest of the night.
The next morning when I woke up my eyes were all swollen. I figured it was because I was up all night crying. My aunt had told me that's what happens if you cry to much because it happened after my parents died.
"Adam! Breakfast is ready!" my aunt yelled from downstairs.
"I'm not hungry," I told her.
"At least try to eat," she yelled.
"No!"
"Alright."
I put my head under my blanket and about ten minutes later the phone rang. I didnt feel like walking over to the desk to answer it so I just laid there. It stopped ringing after about three rings and I knew someone answered it.
"Adam!" I heard Joan yell. "PHONE!"
I didn't want to talk on the phone or even yell to tell Joan that so I just laid there. A few minutes later I heard someone stomping up the steps and I knew Joan was comming to yell. I heard my door slam open and hit the wall.
"I'm not stupid," Joan said. "Just to let you know."
I didn't say anything.
"Yeah, so get up. I know your not sleeping," she said standing there looking at me.
"Leave me alone Joan, I'm not in the mood," I told her.
"Oh, shut up and get over it," she said.
I waited a few minutes then jumped out of bed and tackled her to the ground.
"I wouldn't mess with me today Joan. Okay?"
She just nodded her head.
"Now go downstairs and leave me alone!"
I just looked at her for a few seconds. Then I got off of her and she got up and ran downstairs. I went back to my bed and laid back down.
About an hour after that someone knocked on the door. "Joan, leave me alone!" I yelled.
The door opened and I turned over. Standing in the doorway as Zac and Jacob.
"Are you ready?" Zac asked me.
"Ready for what?" I asked confused.
"The funeral," he said looking at me weird.
"Oh, yeah. I forgot," I said getting up.
"Well you're lucky we came early, aren't you?" Jacob asked.
I got out of bed and went to my closet. I got out my tuxedo and put it on. I had to give a speach so I made sure I looked good. When i was done we went downstairs and went to the funeral home.
At the funeral home we sat in the front row. There was sad songs comming from the organ in the corner. At 1:00 P.M. the funeral started.
"Welcome," the pastor, Zac's cousin, said. "We are all here today to remember Alex Green."
He said some other things and after he was done it started.
First Alex's mom went up there to talk about him. After her Jacob went up to talk. he pretty much used the same speach he told me in the hall at the dance. Then it was my turn. I went up there with no paper and no prepared speach. I was going to tell exactly how I felt.
"Well, uh," I said. "I guess I'll start with what Alex ment to me. I've known him since I was four and we haven't been apart since. The day Alex got hit by the defender I didn't worry. I thought he'd be okay. Then he told me about the surgery and everything changed." I took a pause. "He told me that he might not make it out. I didn't know how to take it. He told me that he trusted me the most that's why he told me first. I had to tell his girlfriend about it and that was hard. Then getting the phone call at the dance that night." I started crying and wanted to end it. "So I guess now I'll live my life just like I would but without my best friend, and I hope I'll see him in a better place someday.
I went and sat back down with Zac and Jacob. I finished the rest of the funeral. I went home and sat in my room and thought about this whole thing.
At about 6:30 P.M. my uncle came up and told me dinner was ready.
"I'm not hugry," I told him.
"Adam, come on. You have to eat sometime."
"Well that time is not now."
"Okay," he said then closed the door.
I stayed in my room for the rest of the night. The next day was Sunday and I didn't get up until noon. After I woke up I just laid there and looked at my ceiling. After about an hour there was a knock at the door.
"What now?" I said as I threw the covers off my face.
The door opened and Jacob stood in the doorway.
"Hi Adam," he said.
"Go away," I told him. "I don't want to talk."
"Well good," he said sitting down in the chair. "I will."
I just laid there.
"Adam, Alex's mom and dad are going to clean out his room and things. Do you want to help?"
"Sure," I told him then got out of bed.
We went downstairs then walked to Alex's house. When we got there we went to his room. There were pictures everywhere of him and when I walked in I started crying.
"It's okay man," Jacob told me.
"Okay," Alex's mom said. "Adam you clean out that side, Jacob you get that side, and I will do this side."
I walked over to my side and started cleaning.
After about fifteen minutes I found a tiny piece of paper folded up in a box. I opened it and it said:

When I die, I hope I fly.
So when I can't touch the ground, I'll be looking down.

I just stared at the piece of paper. I started crying. That saying ment so much if you just thought about it.
Jacob came over and asked me what I found. I handed him the folded piece of paper. After he read it he got tears in his eyes.
"It's so true, isn't it?" I asked him
"Yeah," he said crying then went back over to his side and cleaned.
We were mostly quiet the rest of the time and thinking about Alex.
When we were done we all went to the kitchen. We ate ham sandwhiches and just talked. When we were done I went hom with Jacob and just sat in my room. After about ten minutes Jacob said, "I heard from your uncle that you won't eat. Is that true?"
"Maybe. Maybe not," I told him.
"Why?" he asked me.
"I don't know."
"Well you can't just not eat because you miss Alex," he told me sitting on my bed.
I stood up. "That's not it!"
"Then what is it?" he asked following me up.
"I don't know okay Jacob. Just leave me alone! I just want to die!"
"Don't say that."
"Why? Why shouldn't I?"
There was a pause.
"It's my fault he died. If I wouldn't have slipped, I would've blocked his defender and he wouldn't have goten hit or hurt. I'm the only one that could have protected him from getting hurt and I failed." i started crying.
"I already had this conversation with you."
"Whatever," I said then walked out of my room. I went downstairs and grabbed my hat. I went out of the door and started going to the park. When I was walking through my front yard and picked up my football. I walked to the park and just sat by myself.
After about a half hour of just sitting on a swing I got up and threw the football at the fence. When I started doing that I saw someone walking towards the park. I looked over and saw Anthony and his retarded friend Brent walking towards me.
"Hey loser," Anthony said.
"Go away Anthony," I said to him.
"Look what we have here," Brent said. "Mr. Adam Lopez all by himself at the park."
I went back over to the swings.
"Don't walk away fatboy," Anthony screamd.
I stopped and turned around. "What do you want?" I asked them.
"I want you to give me the starting wide reciever for the last game on Tuesday," Anthony told me.
"Well forget it," I told him.
"No you foget it."
"Oh yeah, that made sense. I'm not giving it to you so leave me alone," I told him walking away again.
He walked over to me and grabbed me by the shirt.
"Dude, what the hell are you doing?"
"I'll kill you if you don't give that starting spot to me."
"Then you're going to have to kill me I guess," I told him looking over at Brent.
"Look Lopez," Brent said, "we're bigger than you so I suggest you cooporate with us."
"Yeah well," I was thinking of a comeback, "fat weighs more then muscle."
I could tell Anthony was getting mad when I looked at him.
"You're going to wish you didn't say that," Brent said.
"Too bad I just did so I guess my wish doesn't come ture, does it?" I told him.
"Boy don't you know that mouth of yours is going to get you in trouble?" Brent said.
"No I didn't Brent, but thanks for telling my future."
There was a long pause. Then Anthony came charging towards me. He shoved me and I fell to the ground. I got up and pushed him back. "Don't shove me!" I yelled in his face. Then Brent came over and pushed me down.
"Don't touch him!" he yelled in my face.
By that time Anthony had got up and landed on top of me. Brent got on my legs and started twisting them. I kicked as hard as I could and hit him in the face. Anthony pulled me up by my hair and put me in a headlock. Brent came over and joined him. He punched me in the stomach several times before Anthony threw me to the ground. I heard them comming and I looked around. I saw a rock. I picked it up and right when Anthony was going to grab me I threw the rock at him. Right after I let go of it Brent hit me in the head with a stick and knocked me out.
When I woke up I was lying on my stomach under a marry-go-round. I felt my head and felt a huge cut on it. When I brought my hand down there was blood. I sat up and looked around. I saw Brent sitting by Anthony in the same place I hit him with the rock. I stood up and walked over towards Brent.
"What happened?" I asked him.
"What do you think?" he told me.
"I don't know. All I remember is me throwing a rock at Anthony."
"It wasn't just a rock," he said. "It was a huge stone."
"Oh, is he okay?" I asked.
"Well after you hit him I hit you with a stick and he hasn't been breathing since. That was about a half hour ago. I think he's dead."
"Oh man, I'm sorry. I basicly murdered him didn't I? But it was in self-defense."
"Yeah," he said not caring. "That's cool."
"Why haven't you told someone? Called somebody? Done something?"
"I'm a nice guy like that," he said standing up.
"I feel so guilty," I told him.
"Good."
He turned around and did something by the swings. When he turned around I grabbed the rope lying in front of me. I tied one end around my neck and the other to the top of the slide. I was getting ready to jump off and hang myself when Brent turned around.
"Adam, what the hell are you doing?" he asked running over to me
I just looked at him.
"What are you doing?" he asked again.
"Dying," I told him looking over at Anthony's body.
"Why?"
"Because I don't want to live knowing I killed someone," I said looking back at him.
He got out his cell phone and dialed a bunch of numbers.
"Hang up the phone or I'll jump," I told him.
He closed it and put it in his pocket. We just stood there in slience staring at each other. After about five minutes Jacob showed up on his bike.
"What the hell happened here?" he asked.
"I killed Anthony," I said watching him run over to Anthony.
"Why? When? How?" he asked comming over by Brent and I.
"About an hour or so ago because he was beating me up."
"So you killed him?" he asked shocked.
"Yes, he came at me, I picked up a rock and threw it at him. It hit him in the head and he died."
"Actually it was a large stone," Brent said correcting me.
"No one told the cops?" Jacob asked.
"No," Brent said. "I don't want to get in trouble either so I did nothing."
"Well someone has got to do something about it," Jacob said getting out his cell phone.
"Put it away or I'll jump," I said with my foot on the edge.
He stopped what he was doing and looked up at me. Then at the rope. "Adam get down," he ordered.
"No!" I screamed. "I don't want to live being a murderer."
"Okay you won't," he said stepping towards me on the slide. "But please get down."
"Promise you won't call anyone?" I asked him.
"Yeah, I promise," he said.
I untied the rope from my neck and came down from the slide.
"What?" I asked as I came down.
"Adam listen to me," Jacob said.
"I don't - "
"Shut up. Don't talk, just listen," he said. "Now I know this is hard on you especially right after your best friend died. And I know you think it's your fault but you have to live another day. You can't just die because you want to."
I just stood there.
"Remember what that piece of paper said that you found in Alex's room?

When I die, I hope I fly.
So when I can't touch the ground, I'll be looking down.

Now if you killed yourself will that be true?"
He just looked at me.
"It won't. Just think if Alex was here, would he want you to do this?"
"He's not here!" I screamed in his face. "He's not and it's my fault!"
I leaned forward and just hugged him. I felt him hug back and we just stood there for a while.
"Well we have to do something about Anthony's body," Brent said.
"I have an idea," Jacob said. "Follow me."
He went over to the body.
"Okay Brent you're going to help me so grab the feet and Adam, go get a bucket of water and carry it to the creek so we can wash away and fingerprints. Now Brent on the count of three we're going to carry to body over to the creek and wait for Adam."
"Okay," Brent said.
"One... Two... Three."
I watched them pick up the body and carry it off the playground. I went over and filled a bucket with water. I walked it over to where they were.
"Okay now, Adam empty the pockets of your coat and take it off," Jacob said.
"Why?" I asked him.
"Just do it!" he demanded.
"Okay. Okay."
I took off my coat and handed it to him.
"Now Brent pour the water over him slowly," Jacob said.
I watched brent pour the water slowly over the body. Then I watched as Jacob covered the body with my coat.
"Okay, we're done," Jacob said. "Let's go home. Oh and Brent," he said, "not a word to anyone about what happened today."
"Okay," Brent said.
We went down the road to Jacobs house and Brent went his way. I felt relief as we walked home.

Two years later

"Look at the tv Adam," Joan told me. "They found a body buried in a coat at the creek."
I looked at the tv and just watched the men carry the body away.
"Hey, isn't that your coat you lost a few years ago?" my aunt asked me.
"No," I said looking at Jacob. "I'm sure it's different."
Well two years had passed and I was in high school. Brent and I became best friends. Jacob was a Sopohmore and still no one knew what happened that day. We still live our normal lives like nothing happened.
When Anthony's parents knew he was missing they tried to blame me but they never got any proof.
Our last game my seventh grade season we lost, but we still had our heads up knowing Alex was proud of us. Every football season from now on we have a special seremony for Alex and the players. It's a time to remember that football season and the stuggles we had.
The day I found that piece of paper still haunts me. When ever I'm down I think, it could be worse. I even think I saw Alex in my room one night repeating those words:

When I die, I hope I fly.
So when I can't touch the ground, I'll be looking down.

But you never know, it might just be me. I do know one thing though Alex's spirit still lives at Troy High, and Alex's love with always be with me and his friends. His love for this earth and the people on it will never go away, and I know that someday I'll see him again in a better place. Everyday I wake up knowing Alex is watching me and protecting me, and if I fall I just think about what he would do. He'd get back up, and try again. Alex taught me that everything in our lives is worth fighting for.