A boy I met named Brent worked at the hockey arena just up my street, called Miami Hockey. He’s one of those guys that have the cocky attitude but is nice. He also plays hockey at the arena he works at. A couple months ago I seen him cutting somebody’s lawn, so I knew he worked for a lawn service. I knew he went to my school but I had no clue he took scores where my brother plays hockey. He’s a really big guy, he takes body building classes at school. I usually bump into him at American eag le to get clothes. When I went to one of my brothers games and I seen Brent up in the office taking score. He looked bored so I ran up there to give him company. After this day I had no idea we’d end up being best friends. We talked about everything there is to imagine. We talked about our school, friends, family, holidays, breaks, his team, goals, and pet peeves.
“I hate when people tick their pencils on their desks.”
“Yeah, that’s annoying.”
“Want to hangout sometime?”
“Yeah, that would be cool.”

School was the next day. I was walking to my locker without really noticing anything near my locker. I looked up finally from having my head staring at my toes as I walked. I seen my locker, there was flowers and a note hanging on my locker.
“Courtney, meet me by the gym.”
So I listened to his note and I was on my way to the gym. I finally got there as the minute bell rang. I saw Brent.
“What’s up?”
“I want to skip, and I wanted you to go with me.”

Knowing I had a test and my grades aren’t that great I went. We started skipping all the time. I was missing classes, tests, and homework. My grades were slipping and report cards were coming. I had to tell Brent that I can’t do this anymore.
“Courtney, are you ready to leave?”
“I can’t leave anymore, my grades suck, I’m getting grounded, and we don’t do anything outside of school anyways. It was cool in the beginning but now its just stupid.”
“We’ll we can just hangout when I’m at work and not skip school anymore.”
I couldn’t believe that he was so okay with the fact that I didn’t want to skip anymore. I thought for sure he would get mad and start yelling.
“Okay, that’s cool.”
“Alright well ill see you later.”
“Okay, bye.”

From then on at school was completely different. As if we never knew each other. We walked passed each other in the hall ways everyday without even looking at each other. At my brothers games I wouldn’t go sit by him while he worked. It’s like we never met. It was Saturday night and my friend Brittney was having a party while her parents were up north on vacation for the weekend. I was in my room finishing up some homework that was due on Monday and my phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Hey Courtney, this is Brittney.”
“Oh hey, what’s up?”
“Nothing much, my parents are gone for the weekend and I was having a party and wanted to know if you’d come over for a little bit.”
“ Uh sure, that’s cool, ill be over about 10:30, I just have to finish this homework up and ill be on my way.”
“Alright, ill see you here in awhile.”
“Okay, talk to you later, bye.”
“Bye.”

I didn’t know that this was going to be one of the worst nights of my life. I look back now wishing my phone was off or maybe if I fell asleep and didn’t answer it. But there’s nothing I can do now. I just got done with all the homework I had and I told my dad where I was going.
“Dad! I’m going to Brittney’s party and I should be home around 2, so leave the door unlocked!”

As I yelled it from upstairs echoing the hallways down the stairs.
“Okay, be quiet though when you come in, I have to work tomorrow in the morning for a little bit!”
“Okay!”

I put my books away and hopped in the shower. I got out and started getting ready, doing my make up and getting my clothes together. I called Brittney up to let her know I was on my way.
“Hello?”
“Hey this is Courtney, I’m just leaving my house in about 5 minutes alright?”
“Okay ill see you in a bit”
“Alrighty, ill see you soon, Bye.”
“Bye.”

So I got in my car and realized I had enough gas to get me no where, so I went to the gas station and got some gas. I pulled up to Brittney’s and the music from her house was so loud I could hear it over the music playing in my car. I turned my car off and started getting out of my car, excited to see everyone. I walked up on her porch and walked right in as if I lived there.
“Brittney?”
“Hey Courtney!”

She jumped around the corner running at me to give me a hug.
“Hi, how are you?”
“I’m good.”
“And you?”
“I’m doing good.”
She grabbed my arm.
“Come on, lets go down stairs.”
“Okay.”

I walked down stairs talking to everyone from school and saying hi to everyone. I was having fun until I turned around realizing Brent was sitting there staring at me the whole time. I turned around really fast, acting like I didn’t just see him and hopped back into the conversation everyone was talking about. I stood there for a while and someone tapped my shoulder. I turned around. It was Brent.
“Hey.”
“Hi”
“When did you get here?”
“Uh, about 20 minutes ago I think.”
“Oh that’s cool.”
“Yeah.”
“What have you been up too lately, we never talk anymore.”
“Uh, nothing really, just been hanging around. What about you?”
“Nothing much, same old stuff.”
“Are you still working at the ice arena?”

I knew he was still working there but it was weird talking to him so I asked something too break the silence.
“Yeah, I’m still working there.”
“Oh, that’s cool.”
“Yeah.”
“So why don’t we hangout anymore?”
“ ‘Cause every time we did hangout we skipped, and my grades were going down and I was getting grounded.”
“So?”
“So, I don’t want to be grounded and not be able to go do stuff after school.”
“Right.”
“Whatever Brent, if you want to skip, then skip, that’s not a choice and you can fail your classes, okay?”
“Whatever I’m out.”
“Goodbye.”

I felt bad for getting an attitude but I’m not going to have someone get mad at me ‘cause I don’t want to fail my classes and get grounded all the time. I was having a crappy time after Brent left and after what happened so I don’t Brittney I was going to leave. I didn’t want her too know that it was of Brent so made something up.
“Hey Brittney, I’m going to leave, my dad needs me home to watch my little brother so he can go to sleep.”
“Okay, ill see you Monday in 2nd hour.”
“Alright, thanks for inviting me though.”
“No problem, bye Court.”

So I walked outside and got into my car. On the way home I started thinking about every thing that happened tonight, and how I felt bad that I left because of Brent. But I got over it. I got home and washed my face and told my dad I was home. I walked up stairs into my room and threw my phone on the dresser. I hopped in bed and layed there for about 10 minutes and passed out sleeping. My phone started ringing and I thought that it was maybe my dad from downstairs to ask me if I locked the door. I answered it.
“Hello?”
“Courtney?”
“Yeah, whose this?”
“This is Brittney.”
“Oh hey what’s up?”
“Nothing, I just got a phone call from Brent’s mom.”
“Okay? What’s up with Brent?”
“His mom told me he got into a car accident on the way home.”
“Well is he okay?”
“I’m sorry Courtney.”
“Why what’s going on? Is this a trick? This isn’t funny!”
“I’m not making this up. It’s the truth.”
“Is he going to be okay?”
“No. I’m really sorry Courtney.”
“Oh my god. Where did it happen and what happened?”
“He was going down 275 and ran into the median. They don’t know if it was suicide or if it was an accident yet.”
“Oh my god. This is not happening.”
“I’m sorry.”
I ended up crying myself too sleep last night. I woke up with my eyes swollen with the sun light shining through my window waking me. I completely forgot about it by time I woke up. Not even thinking about Brent dieing last night. Then it hit me again. I fell too the floor, crying hysterically. I could feel my face getting hot, turning red, eyes are turning bloodshot. I didn’t want to go to school at all. It wouldn’t be the same as its been. I miss a week of school then my dad forced me to get out of bed and too move on and go to school. I went to school and everyone was looking at me differently. They would stare as I walked down the hallway. I wanted everyone too stop. It was bugging me so much. I was walking faster and breathing harder. It felt like I was going to faint right in the middle of school. I ran to the office.
“I need to call home, I don’t feel good.”
“Okay, dial 9 first then the number.”
The phone started ringing.

Ringgggggg…..Ringggggg…..Rinngggg….
“Hello?”
“Dad, I need to come home, right now.”
“No, you missed way too much school and you need to pull your grades up, just stick it out for the rest of the day and Ill see you when you get home.”
“No, Dad, wait!”
He already hung up by time I said wait. I went back to class and sat down.
“Courtney, how are you?”
“I’m doing aright I guess, how are you Brianna?”
“I’m good. You know that everyone is talking about you right?”
Everyone was talking about me, what was she talking about?
“What are you talking about?”
“Everyone is saying its your fault Brent died ‘cause he left because of you. They don’t think it was an accident that he died; his parents even think it was suicidal. He liked you a lot Courtney and you ditched him all the time and never talked to him anymore.”
“Well I’m sorry, but that’s not my fault, he knew I had a boyfriend and I told him we could have hung out after school sometime, this is not my fault, don’t even put me in this.”
“Well you might want to explain that to his family, and his friends and see what they have too say too that.”
I couldn’t take it anymore, I had too leave school. I was holding back the tears. Everything was happening too fast. I went to my locker and got my keys. I walked down the hallway where I used to see Brent. Visions of him looking at me, tears are coming down my face. I ran out the doors too my car. I sat there too breathe. I caught my breath and I started my car and I went home. Everything was hitting me at one time. It wasn’t fair. My dad is worried about my grades and everyone at school thinks Brent died because of me. I knew the truth. I’m not the reason he died. The weekend came along and Brent’s funeral was Saturday at 5:30. Saturday morning came along pretty fast. I woke up dreading to get ready and go, but I had too. I got in the shower and sat there with the water hitting my back, thinking how Brent’s funeral might be. I know I’m going to feel bad going and looking at his parents in so much pain. But it was the right thing to do; I need to show my respect towards their son. I got out of the shower and finished my hair and makeup. I got dressed and headed for the door. My phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Courtney?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you going to Brent’s Funeral?”
“Yes, why?”
“I don’t think its such a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“His parents are concerned about you, they don’t want you too see him like that, plus the reason he died is because of you.”
I sat there in silence for a minute, trying to hard not too cry.
“You there?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you going?”
I hung up. This is getting way to out of control. Its not my fault! I don’t need people telling me this boy I met killed himself cause we got into a small argument! This has got too stop! I’m only 17 years old, I don’t need this stress. But I did have this stress, and I’m starting too think that maybe Brent did kill himself because of me. I didn’t go to his funeral and I still feel bad I didn’t go. I went too school the following Monday. Everyone was still staring but I got used to it. I lost a lot of my friends and respect. But I don’t really care. They weren’t friends anyways. If they can sit there and tell me that a boy died and its my fault instead of supporting me and giving me a hand then I don’t need them. School will never be the same without Brent. Its going to be weird going to my brothers games and not seeing him up there taking the score. I’m always going to think about Brent and when we used to leave school together and have a good time. I’m going to miss him a lot. He will always be in my heart and never forgotten. I might of lost a friend but I gained an angel. And his name is Brent. This is my story on Brent and how friends can be there one second and be gone the next. This story should inspire you too never take anyone or anything granted and too live life too the fullest.