The longer I live, the more I realize her friendship brightened my being. Drops of crimson red fell from her nose and stained the bittersweet blades of grass. It had become more frequent in the last month, just like the doctors said it would.
Summer, how much longer?
We're almost there, I said.
The wind had calmed and the clouds had shifted so that the sun was no longer shining on our beat red faces.
We're here, I said.
The cool grass relieved both of us. We spread the plaid blue and white blanket across the field of fresh green grass and layed on it. I felt so close to God. We were right under the clouds.
I'm scared Summer, she said.
You should tell them. At least so it will be easier on them.
How will it?
Trust me. They'll want to know.
I blinked repeatedly to erase the evidence of my misty eyes. I think she shed a few tears too. It was unusual to see because she was always a ray of sunshine, glowing happiness. My eyes shifted to the sky. It was so mesmerizing. The billowing clouds hung there in the deep blue sea. It was more like watching them float along, trying to keep up with the world. I couldn't remember the last time there had been this much silence between us. It was necessary though. It was time spent reflecting on the beauty of life itself. My eyelids grew heavy and I silenced them by closing them.

I dreamt of a place where rainbows always followed the clouds, where there were no complications, and where we could spend forever. I awoke perfectly in time. The clouds were made orange by the sunset. The kind of sunset that warms your heart. Summer had fallen asleep too, but I wouldn't let her miss this.
Hope! Wake up, I whispered. She awoke with a gasp. I sensed she desperately wanted to tell me something, but before she could, I silenced her by pointing to the sky. We watched for so long that the sky had made another transformation. It had grown colder and darker. The blanket was now wrapped around us tightly and we huddled for warmth. The twinkling stars were better than fireworks on the fourth of July.
Summer?
Yes.
I don't want to go back.
Me neither.
We were both dreading the walk home, but we felt the stars would safely guide us. Both our eyes wandered back to the lights and we found peace.
It’s always changing, she said.
And it never truly ends, I said.