In the middle of first period the guidance councilor came into the classroom. "Jayme, can you come with me?" I got up and walked with her to the office. Nikole was there. "What’s going on?" asked Nikole as she starred at me walking into the office. "There is something we need to tell you two. I understand that you are good friends of Erica Kale. Last night at around 2 am Erica committed suicide. At 6 am this morning her mother went into her room to wake her up and she was lying on her floor with blood down her arms and an empty pill bottle beside her. I’m very sorry for having to tell you this. We have contacted your parents and we are sending you home, but one more thing. This was left in her room." The guidance councilor handed Nikole a box like the one I got last night. I was in total shock. I just started to cry and Nikole shook her head as she stared at the box. My dad came and picked Nikole and I up. He drove Nikole home and then to our house. I got out of the car and ran to my room. Not saying a word. I sat on my bed with the scrapbook in my hands. Kiko came up and licked my face. I went through the scrapbook over and over again. Then finally I got so mad I threw the book on my window seat in rage. When it landed there was a piece of paper sticking out of the book. I was an envelope with my name on the front. I opened it up and it was a letter. Jayme, I am so sorry for doing this to you, I just didn’t want to have to start another life again. Finally when my life started to make sense my mom had to go and sell our house. This isn’t your fault and it isn’t Nikole’s or anyone else’s at that. It was my mother’s. I didn’t leave her a note. There was one to you, Nikole and my little brother. That’s it. Since I don’t have a will or anything here is what I want to be done after I’m dead. - I want to be cremated - I want you and Nikole to decide were you should put my ashes - Don’t ever do this trust me, its painful Don’t show anyone this letter I want it to be between you and me. I am watching you Jayme. Wow, that’s creepy but true. I will keep you safe and we will meet again someday. Until then live your life to the fullest. You will never know how good it felt to finally have a friend as good as you. Love you forever girl The Taking Back Sunday Lover, Erica I just sat there reading the note over and over again in my head. I had lost a great friend and I knew that I could have done something to stop her. The funeral took place a week after her suicide. There was me and my dad, some of Erica’s family and Nikole with her parents. Nikole and I decided to sprinkle her ashes from the old oak tree outside our school. It was her favourite spot. Her mom drove us over to the school with her brother. Nikole, her brother and I climbed the tree and sat on her favourite branch. We each put a hand on the black vase and sprinkled it onto the grass below. The three of us started to cry and the rain started to fall. I knew it was Erica’s doing. She loved the rain. I hopped down from the tree and stood there, looking at the sky. Then for the first time in two weeks I smiled and realized that Erica never really left. I had a picture of her in the back of my head. I kept replaying it. It was when Nikole, Erica and I went down to the beach. She ran into the water and said, "I have been waiting all my life to put my feet in an ocean." That was my favourite moment with her. I knew that someday I would be with her but until then all I had was a picture... THE END