part 2

"you've lost it," she said matter of factly.

"what do you mean i've lost it?"

"you've lost the fire in your eyes. it used to be there, swirling around in the deep blue corners of your eyes, but it's gone now. your love for life and pure excitement about living is just gone. where did it go?"

i had to think for a minute about what she could mean. it really took me by surprise that she came out and said what everyone knew and had been thinking.

"well," i began, "i think i left it in a few places, pieces of burning coals. part of it i left in the back of a mini van, part of it i left in the mountains, part of it i left down the shore. some of me ran with water down the sink late at night, but these were all places that i sort of dropped pieces of me - like i didn't purposely leave myself there. i just kind of left them along the way."

"oh," she said sort of confused, "are there any places you left yourself on purpose?"

"i left myself between the pages of every book i read this year. i am stitched into every word i wrote for school and in my journal. i am quietly lurking around the halls of our high school and in the foot prints i left on the soccer field. a piece of myself resides with you, my best friend - in every laugh we have laughed and every tear we have cried. through every good decision and every bad decision, you have never left my side."

"you say that like i ever had any other choice but to stay. you need me. but the funny thing, is that i need you too."

16 years old.