based on one of the most beautiful short films iāve ever seen called āGoodbye, Charleyā. Strongly recommend watching Ā it on youtube to watch, itās only like six minutes.
The intercom screeched in the hallway, feedback echoing against the walls and lockers.
Reminder, the memorial for junior student Cyrus Goodman will begin today during the free lunch period.
The secretaryās voice rang, going right through the headās of almost every student.
āIām right here!ā Cyrus wanted to yell, but he wasnāt right there. No one could see him anymore, feel him, hear him, touch him. He was gone.
Cyrus stared at his locker, covered in Ā flowers and little notes, no one who left those things even knew him. The only reason they cared was because he was gone. If he still walked among them in these halls then heād still be no one, more invisible than he was now.
He couldnāt look at this anymore.
Cyrus turned around and saw a classroom. Economics with Ms. Newell. He used to go there every day. Now he canāt go anywhere. He peered inside the classroom. He couldnāt see much through the small window, but what he could see wouldāve killed him, had he not already been dead.
He was laughing, smiling, like nothing had even happened. How?
In a momentary lapse of memory, Cyrus tried knocking on the window to get his attention, But Tj couldnāt see him. Even if he could he probably wouldnāt look at him. Why would he risk doing that?
Memories started to flood Cyrusā head, little flashes of all the times Tj would pull him into a secret spot just so they could kiss or hold hands, emphasis on secret. Tj was cool, had cool friends, and was all around perfect. Even if Cyrus was a girl Tj would never want to be seen dating him.
Suddenly the hallway where Cyrus stood filled with students. All moving through the corridor, not noticing or seeing Cyrus standing right there. āIām right here!ā Cyrus wanted to yell, but he wasnāt right there.
āWho was it again?ā Tjās friend Jasmine said.
āCyrus somebody. It literally happened right over there, so weird.ā said another girl, Katie.
āDid any of you know him at all?ā Tj shook his head. But, he did know Cyrus. Cyrus Goodman. He knew him well. Cyrus would be so disappointed if he could see what Tj was doing right now.
Cyrus could see, he was disappointed, he was angry. 'You knew me! You knew me better than anyone ever has. Say something you idiot!ā He was practically begging the universe to let his thoughts reach Tj.
āI heard it was a heart defect.ā Katie said.
āI heard he was gay.ā A short silence followed before Jasmine spoke up again. āWasnāt he on the basketball team?ā She directed that question towards Tj and the other boy sitting with them, Harry.
āYeah barely,ā Harry laughed.
āWhat does that mean?ā The girls asked.
Cyrus couldnāt watch this anymore, so he left. Itās not like anyone would notice.
He went to the gym. Yeah he might not have been the best basketball player on the team, but he tried. He put his heart into every game, into everything he ever did. He ran his fingers along the bleachers as he found a place to sit, and let his favorite memories replay in his head.
āHey Cyrus,ā Tj whispered. Then threw a small note at him before walking away and onto the basketball court.
After the game he went to the locker room, as a bench warmer there wasnāt much need to shower. The rest of the team was still in the gym, celebrating the win. Well, not the whole team.
The running water from the shower shut off. Tj wrapped a towel Ā around his waist and walked out of the shower. He walked to Cyrus and surprised him by grabbing his waist and harshly pulling him in for a kiss.
Cyrus melted into him, wishing it could go on forever, but it couldnāt. The other guys started filing into the room. Cyrus was completely oblivious to that, but Tj was not. He pushed Cyrus away, leaving the other boy to hold the empty space where Tj used to be.
Cyrus stood up from the bleachers, not wanting to be there anymore. He remembered that itās lunch time, that meant his memorial was happening. He didnāt know what he was expecting, but for some reason what he saw there still disappointed him.
āThere will be counselors ready to listen to anyone who needs to talk,ā A teacher spoke to the three students who showed up. He didnāt really think Tj would be there, but it still stung that he didnāt care. This was way more depressing than Cyrus thought it would be, he couldnāt stay here.
He walked down the staircase towards where this day had started, his locker. Ā As he turned the corner he could see that Tj was there. 'Finally!ā He thought. Finally he was doing something that indicated he cared.
Tj finished what he was writing and then walked away. There Cyrus could see the word that was left, in big red ink, under the other messages.
Cyrus could feel tears beginning to form and fall. He didnāt know dead people could cry. The world fell at his feet. Lockers flew open and everything that could make noise did. But then everything went silent. Completely silent. Except for one thing. From half way across the school he could hear a locker room shower turn on.
Cyrus made his way to the gym, quickly. The shower got louder and louder as he got closer. Clearly something was telling him to go there. So he did.
He walked into the locker room, sobs were now audible among the sounds of the shower.
Tj came into his sight. He was sitting on the floor of the shower, letting the water run over his face and body. There was a piece of soaked paper sitting next to him.
āSee you in the locker room ;)ā it read.
Tj was uncontrollably breaking down, bawling. Here, right now, was how he truly felt. These were his real feelings. Cyrus knew this.
Cyrus sat down, leaned against him, and interlocked their fingers one last time. He knew Tj couldnāt feel him.
'Iām right here!ā Cyrus wanted to yell, but he wasnāt right there.
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