Don't Say Goodbye

It was Monday, September 20th, and as usual, it was a school day. Rebecca and I walked to school together, with Kenny trailing behind us. The Twins had remained behind to smoke a cigarette and God only knew where Nicole was. By eight o’clock, nearly all students had arrived at school. The guys were fooling around and someone bumped Kenny into me, knocking us both into a big mud puddle! I screamed when the water hit me. Laughter roared around us. Kenny lifted himself up on his hands and looked down at me. He grinned, shyly. As I gazed into his beautiful blue eyes, everything faded. The laughter, the sound of vehicles passing by the school, everything faded away and all I heard was the pounding of my own heart. Kenny gazed back at me and, for a moment or two our faces were only inches apart. Then he blinked and got to his feet. He helped me to my feet.

“Sorry about that,” he apologized. “Are you all right?”

“I’m wet,” I replied. “But I’m fine.”

He smiled and we stared for another moment.

“Kenny,” Anthony said. “Kenny?”

“Yeah?” Kenny replied, his eyes never leaving mine.

“Come on,” Anthony said. “Let’s get some shots in before the bell.”

“Okay,” Kenny said. “I’ll see you later, Samantha.”

“Yeah.”

I didn’t see Kenny again until lunch. We decided to walk a few laps around the track.

“What happened this morning?” Kenny asked me.

“I don’t know,” I said. “It was weird.”

“I’ve been thinking about you ever since this morning,” he confessed.

“I’ve been thinking about you, too.”

He looked at me. “Really?”

We were behind the baseball dugouts now, where we could be alone. I leaned against the dugout and he stood in front of me. He put his hands against the dugout, as if to block my escape, and he stared into my eyes. He leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. I felt his tongue in my mouth and I pulled away in surprise.

He looked at me. “Haven’t you ever been French kissed before?” When I shook my head, he smiled, sending a chill up my spine. “Did you like it?” I nodded and whispered yes. He kissed me again and then he kissed my neck. Moments later, he pulled away and looked into my eyes. Kenny may have been shy and very sensitive toward many things, but deep inside of him, a passion lies, waiting to burst. My head was spinning and my heart was pounding. We heard the bell ring to end the lunch period. Kenny took my hand into his and we headed for sixth period.

On Saturday, I met Kenny at his house and we walked to the carwash. It was one of the larger hangouts. We were there most of the day. I was across the parking lot talking with Rebecca and Nicole when everybody in the parking lot heard three loud cracks and someone fell to the ground. My heart stopped when I saw whom it was.

Kenny!

I pushed passed the crowd and knelt beside his. He was bleeding from his chest. He had been shot three times and I thought he might bleed to death before we got him to the hospital.

“Kenny?” I said, taking his hand into mine.

“Samantha,” he said. “Don’t let me die. Please.”

“I won’t,” I promised. “Don’t talk. Save your strength.”

He was gasping for breath. A tear escaped his eye and he winced slightly. “I love you, Sam.”

The ambulance arrived and hulled Kenny away to the hospital. I thought I’d never see him again. We followed them to the hospital. We waited forever before the doctor finally told us something.

“I’m Doctor Householder,” he greeted, politely. “He’s stable, but he’s not out of the woods yet. One of the bullets just missed his heart. Um, who is Samantha?”

“I am,” I spoke up.

“He’s been asking for you ever since he arrived.”

I almost cried when I saw him. There were tubes and wires going every which way. “Kenny?” I said.

He opened his eyes and looked at me. “Samantha!” he cried and held out his arms. I went to him and tried to hug him without hurting him.

“How are you?” I asked.

“Much better, now that you’re here,” he replied. He was quiet for a moment. “The doctor says I might not make it.”

“You will, Kenny,” I said. “You’ll get better and you’ll be fine.”

He nodded, not convinced.

The next day, I went to the hospital to see Kenny. A nurse stopped me. “I’m sorry, Samantha, but Kenny died early this morning.”

“What?”

“When we found him, there was this note. It’s for you.”

I sat down on a chair and read it.

Samantha,

I’m very tired. It won’t be much longer so I’m going
To make this quick. Samantha, in all my years, I have never
Had friends as wonderful as you and the others. I couldn’t ask
For better. You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
I will miss you forever. Nobody ever loved me the way you did.
I’ll see you in Heaven. Until then, I love you, baby!

Forever and ever,

Kenny

I walked home that day, tears on my cheeks. When I got home, I found my mother in the family room. When I sat down beside her, she looked at me.

“He’s gone, Mom,” I said. “He died this morning.”

“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry.”

“I’ll be fine,” I said. “We’ll be fine.”