• i woke up in a hospital after trying to slit my wrist the night before. i was drugged up when i heard coughing next to me. i asked the nurse to move the curtain and i saw a boy about my age who's head was shaved. "im sorry" he said "did i waske you" i was in shock, his eyes were the most innocent thin i had ever seen. "uh, no i was already awake." he smiled and then coughed again. "so i guess you have cancer?" i asked. he nodded " it's arround my heart, the say i was born with it. oh my name is ricky by the way." he put his hand out. i didnt want to shake my wrist in embarresment of showing him my wrist by i still shoock his hand. "im jeremy. so how old are you." i asked pulling my hand back before he could see it. "oh im about fourteen" he coughed again. "no kidding, im fourteen to, im turning fifteen in september" he nodded smiling. the doctor came in and saw me talking to ricky. "well i see you met my son jeremy" he half smiled and looked down. ricky was my doctor's son. i wonder how he took it having to see his son everyday like he is. i looked over at ricky and asked "are you allowed to leave the hospital?" he nodded "ya, but i dont have anyone to hang out with." he looked down and his smile slowly faded. "well, i was wondering if maybe you wanted to hang out" i said thinking about how lonely he must have felt cooped up in here. his smile got so big i thought his face would rip. "that would be awsome, can i dad" i saw the doctor look up in shock. "um, ya sure. of course you can ricky" i got dressed then so did he. we hung out for half a year and became best freinds. one day when we were walking by the Peninsula on a sunny day when ricky said " im going to be dieng soon" with a smile on his face. i thought he was joking at first but he didnt laugh. " how can you be sure, you could beat it. you could survive the surgeory or try new medications. you can't give up!" i felt my teeth clench as i fealt the tears well up in my eyes. he looked at me and smiled, then he looked at into the water. " life doesnt last forever. we arent meant to live forever. and even if it is only a short time we cant cry about what is unable to change. countries fear death and start wars. that makes me sad because it kills those who should be living and not fighting. you asked me long ago why im always smiling. i smile because i know im going to die. and knowing that im not scared anymore. today is one more day im alive so im grateful. and i have my best freind adn my family who love me. so im asking you one favor before i go" the tears started streaking down my face when i answered "anything, i'll do anything for you." he turned around and looked me in the eye's and said " i want you to smile every day when im gone so that way itll be like i'm with you every day." i nodded.

    that night nicky died. the cancer had a spasme growth and enveloped his heart making him die. his mother called me when she found out. i wanted to scream and cry but i didnt. i had to keep my promise otherwise i couldnt live with myself calling him freind. the week after his death they held the funeral. his father asked me to be one of the speakers. when it was my turn i walked up to the preaching booth and looked out to see ricky's family and there freinds. "ricky was my best freind. we met under peculiar circumstances. i had been sent there after trying to commit suicide" i lifted up my arms and showed them my wrist's. almost all but ricky's parents gasped when i did this. "ricky was my roomate at the hospital. i asked the nurse there to move the curtain seperating our beds when i heard him cough. his eyes were more innocent and happy then any newborn. he had hope that none of us could imagine having. he showed me life does have a bright side and as long as we look at it we can smile through everyday" i left the booth and sat in a chair next to the coffin. i heard somepoeple crying after i got done. when the preacher said his words of god it was time for me, ricky's dad, and his two brothers. we carried it to the hearse that would take it to the graveyard. right before they fully burried him i said to the coffin "have a nice day"

    the end