Our Paige

Paige was a sweet and friendly girl who wore a grin brighter than the sun itself. She always seemed to be so cheerful; no force nor season could move her, and I'd known her for longer than I could remember. We would spend the summer nights on the balcony of my house, watching the sun descend to sleep, the sky caving in as its blanket before the moon took duty on a darkened sky while the fireflies glittered on the tranquil painting. All these nights we barely spoke. Paige and I had a connection so strong that we needn't use our voices for communication. Being an only child, she was the closest thing I had to a sibling, and I called her sister although we were opposite in appearance. 

One night as we sat together on the balcony I felt a force coming from Paige's atmosphere. Her long blond hair was gently swept by the wind and her skin gleamed pale. Instead of watching the clouds form shapes across the changing sky she fixed her eyes upon her trembling hands and her entire body silently shook.

"Paige, what's wrong?" I gently asked, bringing my eyes to meet her distraught face.

"It's nothing really," She tried to smile but instead tears came to fall. I put my arm around her and gave her a warming hug. 

"... Would you like to tell me what's going on?" I said in a calming voice.

"Chantelle... I'm tired," she whispered, fighting tears

"hmm? It's only 7 o'clock, do you want to go inside already?" I inquired 

"No, Chantelle, I want to run away... promise me you wont say a word" she said in a low tone

"... Don't do this Paige... Don't do this! Why would you do this?!" My voice escalated.

"I knew it was something you just wouldn't understand." Paige brushed away her tears, stood up and walked back through the house to the front door where she departed. Frozen in time, I had to devise a plan to stop her, and I hadn't the slightest clue of what to do. It was already obvious to me that words couldn't change her, but if I told her parent, or my parents for that matter it may only make it worse. Night began to fall and I walked over to her house. My head wasn't clear, but I knew I couldn't just sit there. Paige's mother opened the door and greeted me. 

"Paige is right up stairs, is she expecting you?" Her mother smiled

"I...um, she left something at my house earlier." I lied, making my way up the stairs. I knocked on her door lightly before turning the handle. I saw Paige, the majority of her hair on the floor. Paige had cut her long angelic hair to a very short and shaggy bob, similar to that of Victoria Beckhams.  She stood by the open window next to the dresser, weak at her knees. A marble light shone through creating highlights on her red face.

"Paige, what are you doing?" I could barely utter the words

"If I cut my hair it'd be harder for people to find me." Her mouth moved ever so slightly

I swallowed heavily, staring at the backpack by her feet. 

"Please." I cried. I ran up to her and embraced her in my arms. "If you leave, what will become of me?"

"That's exactly it Chantelle." She pushed me off. "You only care about yourself. You're the onlyfriend I have but even you can treat me like I belong on the bottom of your shoe. All my life I've tried to make sure that everyone around me is happy and with every inch of hope within me I thought maybe then I could be truly happy but it seems I have lost myself along the way, Chantelle, and let's face it. You don't want to clean up after me. You don't want to enter the 9th grade alone and stare all those people in the face knowing you can't ever say a word to them about how you really feel. Yes,Chantelle, silence is golden but if your heart is golden it can still be cold." She said sternly. 

 "I-I didn't know... we can fix this together, you just, you just can't leave and throw away your life like this- what are you going to do?" I looked around, my heart pounding.

"Just Leave that to me. Leave everything to me, Leave!" She yelled. I made my way out of her room and down the staircase. I said goodnight to her mother and left as swiftly as I could. My mind was racing. I can understand that ever since her father had passed away she had been a little hurt but I didn't think it would go this far.

Something was telling me to just leave her and let everything play out. But I just couldn't! I gazed out the window of my bedroom. It faced Paige's house directly and I could see her bedroom light was still on. My plan was to watch her house all night and run out and stop her if I see her leaving. I knew it couldn't go wrong. Little did I know.  

Around 2am, my eyelids began to feel very heavy till I heard something coming from Paige's house. I forced my eyes open wide and saw Paige climbing out of her window. At that very moment I burst out of my room and raced down the stairs through the front door. 

"Paige!" I screamed with all my might. She turned around, stationary in the intersection of our neighbourhood and the middle of a busy street when suddenly bright lights formed behind her.

"Paige!" I screamed again. She waved when suddenly the bright lights came closer to her and swept her off her feet. It was a car. All of the ambient noises of the street ended. I could see my sister's body fly. This is what she wanted...

I became overwhelmed with guilt, rage and sadness. I knew that this was all my fault and that I was responsible for the death of such a platinum soul. Paige was my happiness. She would absorb my pain and in return fill me with nothing but joy and contentment, but I could never do the same for her. I loved Paige, but I was too blind with myself to see how lucky I was to have known her. I wish it could've been different. 

For the next few years till Paige's mother moved away, I would bring her a basket of sweet things everyday. I knew her mother was strong but now she had two grievances. One on my accord. There are no words to express how sorry I am. 

We all have a friend called Paige, tell her that you love her now before it's to late.