You sit boredly in your seat, scrolling your phone and taking notes when the texts start rolling in

Your name
Three dots

Worry sets in, your friend is downtown, she's probably safe with others
So why the sad texts

"I just threw up"
More worry
"I'm sobbing"
Slight panic

It must be something about her family
It has to be
He has to be fine

"You're scaring me"
You send, tears brimming in your eyes
He has to be okay
Everything is okay

"We need to hang out after school, promise"
But you can't promise
Not until you know what's happened
Not until you know he's okay

"He's gone"

Your body goes numb as a shock wave shoots through you
The tears start falling
You raise your hand to leave, the other covering your mouth

"I'm sorry"

You call out the teacher's name, everyone looks as you ask to go to the office
Everyone looks as you leave the room crying

You meet a teacher half way
The voice coming out of the walkie talkie is saying your name
The voice says they're looking for more of your friends next

You walk into the office and see them all there
None of them know what's about to happen
None of them know how much they're about to break down

You're led in to a room in the back as you ignore the violent buzzing of your phone
And as you see his family
The reality of this hell begins to set in

They tell you all he's gone
And everything inside everyone snaps
Everyone's sobbing
Everyone's shaking
His closest friend sits next to you
You two are crying the hardest

You begin to check your phone
And you're practically just a vessel as you respond
Tears streaming down your face
Emptiness in your heart

You can't stop sobbing
The memories all flash before your eyes
And you remember how happy he was when you last spoke

You remember the last few conversations you had with him while others begin writing their last messages

You remember the last thing you said to him was in a snapchat days ago
And the final thing you told him as he lay in the hospital, lung infection slowly destroying his body

You sob again at what it read, your last parting words

"Hey kiddo...get not sick..."

Opened: Friday, October 8