As I played in the shining sunlight, my golden flowy hair glowing, I noticed a kid, in the first grade, the same grade as me, sitting by himself in the corner. I recognized him from my class, I thought trying to recall his name, ‘On table three is Lianna on seat one, Henry on seat two, and seat 3 is...'
"Gartha, hurry up we're about to start a new game of tag!" My best friend, Lianna yelled from the top of the playground.
"I'm coming!" I shouted back.
"Stop staring at Brian, you look weird," Lianna told me.
That's when I realized that the name of the kid in the back corner of the class was Brian Johanson.
A few years later, on the first day of fifth grade, I got my class, room 16, Mrs. Harrel. As I nervously entered the room, there were only five students, since I was early. Lianna was in my class again, which I was excited about. However, Someone else caught my eye; Brian. During the four years that had passed, I didn't have a class with him, and I thought he had transferred schools. I heard many stories about how the other students always bullied him because he was so depressed all the time. I couldn't focus the whole time Mrs. Harrel had been teaching; Brian kept flashing back to my mind. Finally, I gathered my courage to talk to him during lunch break.
"Hey, is your name Brian?" I asked nervously trying to hide my cowardness.
"Yes, go away I don't want to talk to anyone right now," He responded coldly.
"Okay, I understand, but I just wanted to ask if you wanted to join the new round of tag," I tried encouragingly.
"Sure, I guess I'll join," He answered uncertainly but with a clear hint of happiness.
Therefore, later that year, Lianna, Brian, and I became the best trio anyone had seen. As the year went by like a flash of lightning, we were already going on to sixth grade, meaning we would finally graduate grade school and move on to secondary school. However, that's where our perfect lives took a turn. Lianna and I had to go to Wilson County Girls Secondary School, and Brian had to go to Wilson County Boys Secondary School.
During the graduation, we said our sorrowful farewells and promised to meet again one day. That day came a lot sooner than we expected. Several more years went by and we had all graduated college. I was helping my mother make bread while my dad worked in the fields in the warm spring sun. After we all finished our errands, we gathered around to read the daily news that our father read out loud.
"Turnsom's Breads are thirty percent off this week... As the week continues the weather will get warmer... 91 degrees, Tuesday 96 degrees... Government make a decision... An unknown person suspected to be Brian Johanson, a graduate from Wilson County High has started a shooting near the new mall..." My father read out in a monotone voice. I was falling asleep until I heard that last sentence. Brian Johanson? He would never.
" Father, may I visit Lianna's house quickly I have some important things going with her," I said panicked.
"Yes my dear, you-" Before he could finish his sentence, I snatched the newsletter and sprinted to her house my tears rolling down my face like a river, my legs were about to give up but I didn't stop running. The houses and the streets blurred around me but I only looked forward towards her house.
"Lianna, please open the door, please, it's me, Gartha!" I yelled and banged on her door. She slowly opened the door, still in her pajamas, and answered,
"Hey, what's going on?"
"Read this part now, hurry!" I mumbled in a mix of crying and pointing at the part about Brian. After she read it, we sat on her bed thinking, our faces red, puffy, and scared.
"Gartha, look!" Lianna pointed out, "The newsboy is here dropping our news off maybe it has more information about him!" We ran down her stairs and picked up the newspaper. It was written, "The suspect is now head to start a shooting at Garner City and is moving on to the Wilson County..."
"Come on Lianna, we need to do something let's go find him!" I said hopefully.
"Alright, let's go to Garner City" She responded.
We took the two bikes at her house, hers and her older sister's, and rode off in the sunset, down the streets. By the time we reached Garner City, the whole place was covered in the sounds of gunshots and horrifying screams. We shivered in fear and hid behind a building.
"Gartha, I want to help but, I don't want to go out there, I don't want to die." my best friend said with a voice of fear that I had never heard before.
"Lianna, I don't want to go too but think about all the happy times with Brian," I whispered in the calmest voice. Just then a bullet came zooming by us barely missing my arm.
"We got this let's go before we die just by sitting here," I told as I tried to amuse her. We Ran out of our hiding spot and were immediately bombarded with bullets flying all over. Lianna and I almost reached Brian just twenty feet away then, "BOOM!" the bullet that changed my life forever, it felt like slow motion as the bullet was shot and flew across the air hitting through Lianna's white shirt and staining it with a bright blazing red in a blink of an eye. My best friend had just been shot by my other best friend. She slowly and gracefully fell into my arms, as I threw myself onto my knees.
"Lianna, Lianna... Lianna Hadman! Please don't die on me like this. We're so close, just live this once. Please," I said pleading while shaking her. Then her body went cold and that's when I knew, she was gone from this world. My best friend of over 20 years, had just disappeared from this world and changed my life forever.
"I'm so sorry Lianna, I'm sorry." I cried out loud while holding her still, frozen body, her brown wavy hair blowing in the wind. Just then a cold, dark shadow stood over me.
"This is what you get. You and Lianna left me. I thought I finally had friends, but then I started getting bullied again. Thanks a lot, Gartha Granham," A deep voice gloomed over me and sent chills through my spine.
"Brian, this isn't who you are, remember all the times when you smiled, laughed, and were always happy? Can we go back to those days? Look at Lianna," I said looking down at her in her arms while the hot tears flowed, "She sacrificed her life for you, we care about you, please stop this, Brian," Then a ray of the sun cut through the cloudy sky and shined on the disastrous scene. Then, a hug came from behind, embracing Lianna and me warmly.
"I'm so sorry, I have no idea why I would ever kill Lianna or anyone," Brian cried in realization. "Lianna, have a great time in heaven, please forgive me." So then, Brian and I carried Lianna's body back to a nearby cemetery and held a funeral a few days later. Now, we are both in our 60s and are married together, living happily. Of course, we couldn't forget about Lianna, so we visit her every week on Monday, the day of the week when she passed. We both have learned that no matter how tough the situation is, you should never blame other people because they care about you. Lianna, I hope you're doing well.