Bam! Smash!
It is a sunny day in Salem, MA. Everywhere I look; there are happy people with smiles. Downtown I can smell the mixture of fries, ice cream, and pizza. The summer of 2018 could not get any better. However, it does when you realize Blue is with you. Any person who has a dog would know exactly how I feel. When Blue is with me, I feel, just… excited! Joyful! He is such an awesome dog and an amazing friend. Since he is not a human I want him to experience anything I would too. When Blue is with me, the sun is smiling down on us and the world is happier.
“Have you made any new friends?” asked Mom.
“Mom, I have friends. I have a nice group of girls I sit with at lunch. I text a few of them, sometimes…” I mumbled.
“Then why don’t you ever have any of them over?” she said.
“They are my friends, not best friends. Yes, I socialize with them but it would be awkward if they came over. None of us are that close yet. Besides, I have Blue,” I said.
“You know Blue can’t be your best friend forever. Eventually you have to make a good friend,” she said.
“I try mom, it’s not that easy,” I exclaimed while walking out of the room.
“Grace is always with that stupid dog of hers,” smirked Lilly.
“I know and she doesn’t have any friends!” Maddy said while laughing.
I do not think Lilly and Maddy understood when you are sitting at the lunch table behind me and we are only three desks length away; I can hear you pretty well. I do not know if they knew that I was sitting right behind them or if they were just trying to get under my nerves. Either way they were still gossiping about me. They probably thought it was funny. Seeing lonely old me sitting at lunch with all my fake friends. I am used to all the eighth grade rumors and drama, which is all the kids talk about. I mean common, what do you expect from a bunch of immature eighth graders.
It’s a gorgeous fall day. The sky is blue, grass is green, and leaves are changing colors, today just feels great.
Every day when I get home from school I usually take Blue for a walk. But, today I decided not to, I tried to get all my homework done after school so I would have a free weekend. By the time I got done with my homework and dinner it was 6:30. I had nothing to do. I knew by 7 it would be dark so I didn’t take Blue for a walk. Instead, I went outside and played fetch with a tennis ball. I never knew that not taking Blue for a walk would affect my life so much.
As I watch the bright yellow ball roll into the street. I stand there, in silence. Even though you can see Blues golden fur from a mile away, it seems like he is invisible in the dark. You can’t see him at all. For those 5 seconds all I see is the tennis ball.
Bam! Crash! At first all I saw was the tennis ball. But, now head lights too, the road. What I saw was about to change my life, forever.
Today wasn’t another ordinary Friday. Tomorrow was senior night, which means it’s the last Salem Middle School senior football game of the season. Which everyone thought was a big deal because next year we will all be in high school, but it’s just a stupid football game. So today everyone was wearing our school colors and football jerseys and cheerleader uniforms, but not me. I would not be attending the football game because I had no one to go with. The day was like every other Friday for me. Long, boring, I just wanted to go home, and when I did I decided to get all my homework done and eat dinner before I do anything with Blue.
After I put my dishes in the sink, I grabbed a yellow tennis ball and flung the door open. Blue ran out of the house faster then I opened the door. I threw the ball, Blue ran and got it with his slobbery teeth, brought it back, and we did this for about 15 minutes. It was nothing special. As I threw the ball I looked up in the sky noticing it was dark out and I should go inside. But, as I look back to where blue was he is gone. I turn my head over and see the yellow ball rolling in the street and Blue chasing it. I stand there, silent, in shock...not knowing what to do. Then I see head lights, and lost track of where Blue is because it is too hard to see his golden fur in the dark.
Bam! Crash!
As I run into the street like a cheetah, so many things are going through my head. What happened to Blue? Is he okay? Is he dead? Is he lost? What has happened to my precious Blue?! As I stand in front of the huge red SUV all I see is Blue lying on the ground. He has scratches and open cuts all over his body. The look in his eyes kills me! It looks like he just found out his best friend died. I hear him slowly and quietly whimper and whine. His perfect golden fur is now an old brick house color. I know if the 78 year old lady in the car called 911 and I picked up Blue and ran with him in my arms to my house so my mom and dad could rap his wounds and pour salt water on the cuts, he still wouldn’t survive. His ribs were probably all broke, his lungs probably collapsed, I just knew we could not save him. As I kneel on the rusty pavement, I stroke Blues fur. Even though it’s dirty I want to feel it one last time. I kiss him on the for head and say “I love you Blue.” And, as he slowly closes his eyes, I think back at all the memories we made.
It’s been two years now, two years sense Blue went to heaven. So many great yet bad things have come out of this. When Blue was still around, he was my only real, true friend. I grew up with him. We got him when I was only in kindergarten. Even though he didn’t see me take my first steps, he saw all my birthdays, every time I lost a tooth, first days at school and so much more. He was only 9 when he died. He had so much more in life to come. But, after Blue died, I became sad, depressed, and lonely. I had no one to comfort me when I was sad. I didn’t know what to do. Eventually, I had to overcome this sad stage in my life. I had to stop wearing sweat pants and T-shirts with a messy bun to school. I couldn’t be depressed any longer. I had to stop hiding in my room, not socializing.
Blue died on October 14th, 2018. I stayed depressed until the beginning of December, 2018. But when Christmas came around, I started to perk up. The snow on the ground and decorations in the house made me happier. By Christmas, I was back to my normal self. I started dressing nice again and tried to talk to people at lunch. But, I had pushed myself to get back to my normal routine, so why not push myself more? I started wearing makeup, not a lot. Just a little powder and mascara. I started wearing jewelry and scarf’s. I curled my hair or put it in a braid, not the usual pony tail. I started wearing Sperry’s and boots. Somehow, I became funny and good at socializing. At dinner I made my family laugh and was great at making conversations at my lunch table. By the end of the week I had everyone at my lunch table’s number, even a few boys. I even had a friend over Friday after school. Things have finally gotten better!
Now everyone knew me in school, I have my friends sleep over every weekend. I started cheerleading and apparently senior night actually is a big deal! Yet Blue is gone, his absence has gave me so many amazing things in life. After Blue passed I got lonely which pushed me to be the best I can be and make new friends, he made me start fresh.
Even though I have become a school known name. I would trade my old life with Blue for anything. Oh what I would do to see Blues good old, sweet face again.