It was 5pm, the television clicked on, a soft sad voice rang out. "Gabriel Walker was found dead today, his body lay encased in a car. Though he had fallen thirteen stories, his face shown with slight happiness. A note was found inside his front shirt pocket "do not open till my funeral". As a last respect the note will be read at his wake." Sarah, a young girl about 17 sat foreword and shut off the television. "Idiot" her voice was stern "he always said one day he would do it, I never thought he was serious". Sarah had known Gabriel for almost two years now, though the time was not long spent together they did become friends quickly.


Sarah had been sitting at lunch about to take a bite of salad when Sean, a friend of Gabriel's, walked up to her. "Are you going to the wake?" he had sincerity in his voice, "probably not" she answered. "That note they found beside his body, it had your name written on it too. You know beside the "do not open till my funeral" thing". Sarah looked up at him "why would my name be on it?" "because he wrote it for you" his voice was arrogant with a slight tension. "You know he loved you" Sean's words cut through her heart, "I know".


The wake seemed to have an eerie chill over. Everyone seemed to shiver when the casket was closed, the bruise marks on Gabriel's neck were horrific. "Are you sad?" Sean looked over at Sarah, his eyes slightly watering. "What" "Are you sad Sarah?" his voice had much sorrow in it. "Of course I am, he was my friend too" "you don't look sad" Sean replied. "Not everyone has to cry to show their sorrow Sean" Sarah's voice had a slight tension in it. A man walked up front, he had brown hair with some streaks of gray.

"Hello my name is David Walker, Gabriel was my son. They asked me if I would read the note they found. "Sometimes I felt so alone. Like no one understood, but she was there. She was always there. When I felt so much pain she was there. When my mother died she was there." Mr. Walker began to cry and Sean walked up front to comfort him. "Mr.Walker go ahead and sit down and I'll read the rest okay". Sean took the note and began to read where Mr. Walker has stopped " When I sat in class with my arm bleeding, slightly laughing she was there. Even though she was there, she never noticed me. She never noticed how I always wanted to be with her. She never saw me looking at her, wondering if I would ever have her. She never noticed how happy I was when she was around. Sometimes I wish she had just noticed me. Sometimes I wish she could see me." Sean smiled a little.

"I'm sorry but I can't read this" he handed the paper to the priest. The priest stood looking at the note for a moment then walked up to the front "it says "Though I have lived a short life I know that I have fulfilled all that I could and helped all those who needed it. To my father, I'm sorry I had to do this. To my brother Michael, thanks for all you've done for me. For my best friend Sean, thank you for always being there for me and thank you for being a great friend. And to Sarah, even in death I will always love you." A single tear ran down Sarah's cheek "and I you".


Sean stood just outside the cemetery, he lit a cigarette as Sarah was walking up. "Can I get one Sean" "yeah" he handed her the pack of Marbolo Lights. "Just like Gabriel huh?" "yeah". After the grave had been filled in with dirt Sean and Sarah walked over to the grave site. Sean knelt down beside the grave stone, "live strong, die well my brother". Sean stood up stepped back and lit another cigarette, he placed on the bottom of the grave stone, "heres for you man". Sarah stepped foreword and knelt down beside the grave stone, she placed a hand atop it "if I knew I would've told you that everyday you did those things I did notice, Gabriel I'm sorry we could never be together but we just weren't meant for each other" she kissed the grave stone "I'm sorry".


The sun light dawned through the window beside Sarah's bed, the air seemed humid and warm. She sat up in her bed and whispered to herself. "Even though you're gone, your presence lingers all through this house. I can feel you here." her words feel on open air, but she knew he was listening. He always listened to her. Though life in her room only rested within her and her lazy cat, she felt something more tug at her heart. She stood to her feet and felt a chill rise up her, the tile was cold. As she sidestepped around her bed to open her window, a slight breeze wisked her hair. She looked to the ceiling and realized both the fan and air conditioning were off. "Could it be?" she asked herself, a thought of maybe he was really there made her shiver. She sat back on her bed and looked through old photos she had taken. The pictures of his smile warmed her heart, "In the next life maybe we can try again".