Patrick started running after the sunset. And Sam immediately followed him. And I saw them in silhouette. Running after the sun.

When I was done reading the poem, everyone was quiet. A very sad quiet. But the amazing thing was that it wasn’t a bad sad at all. It was just something that made everyone look around at each other and know that they were there. Sam and Patrick looked at me. And I looked at them. And I think they knew. Not anything specific really. They just knew. And I think that’s all you can ever ask from a friend.

Maybe these are my glory days, and I'm not ever realizing it because they involve a ball.

How about your favorite book?" "This Side of Paradise by From. Scott Fitzgerald." "Why?" "Because it was the last one I read." This made them laugh because they knew I meant it honest, not show-off. Then they told me their favorites, and we sat quiet.

Sam has brown hair and very, very pretty green eyes. The kind of green that doesn't make a big deal about itself.

but my dad said it was no excuse. "But I love him!" I had never seen my sister cry that much. "No, you don't." "I hate you!" "No, you don't." My dad can be very calm sometimes. "He's my whole world." "Don't ever say that about anyone again. Not even me." That was my mom.

I don't know if you've ever felt like that. That you wanted to sleep for thousands of years. Or just not exist.