Mission: Illinois (On Hold)

The tree

1K READS!!!!! In movie terms this is called a 'double feature'!

After them finally letting go of my dream, we all got ready for the day. I was showing them around town today so I was definitely getting excited about that.

Once everyone was ready, we started walking. My town wasn't that big so we could walk it. I showed them the Church, Grocery store, movie theatre, Schools, pretty much everything. My last stop was the park. I felt a lot like a tour guide as I showed them everything but that's okay, I enjoyed every minute of it.

We got to the park and I immediately headed for the trees. It was just what I did. I always went to the trees. With or without Matt.

"I usually don't actually do anything at the park but I enjoy to climb the trees and just read in them." I explained as we arrived next to one of my favorite climbing trees. It was the easiest. "This is the easiest to climb and also my favorite." I said as I stared at the tree. I had so many good memories here.

I laughed as Matt hung upside down from one of the limbs of the tree. "Matt, get up here! All the blood is going to go to your head and you'll be seeing stars when you finally sit up!" I warned with another laugh.

He laughed too as he sat back up and gave me a curious look. "And how do you know that?" He demanded. I leaned in close and whispered, "I read." Then pulled back and laughed when his face twisted into a face of disgust. He despised reading.

We were only 13 at the time but we were the best of friends and we couldn't have been closer. He knew everything about me and I, him.

I came out of my quick memory as tears tried to fight their way down my cheeks but I wouldn't let them. "Sang, you alright?" Sean asked me. He was the closest so he could probably see the tears I was fighting. I gave him a watery smile. "I have so many good memories here. This is one of the few places I can say I actually laughed at." He smiled at me, but not his usual smile. A comforting one.

Something caught my eyes and I quickly moved to it. It was a carving on the tree a little back from the climbing tree. It was a heart with S + M carved into it. Me and Matt. I quickly traced the lines of it and noticed that it was freshly cut. Recently done.

Tears welled up in my eyes again but this time they spilled over. "We'll always be together through this tree." His words echoed in my head. He still carved it. He still cared.

I hadn't been able to tell him that I was moving so I just disappeared to him and I felt horrible about it but I didn't have a choice. I didn't even get to say goodbye.

"Sang? Cupcake, are you alright?" Luke asked as he grasped my shoulder. I nodded as I smiled up at him. He noticed my tears and he quickly wiped them away. "Then why are you crying?" He asked with a worried look. I smiled better as the tears stopped.

"These are happy tears. I'm happy." He gave mea smile that instantly made me want to smile back. My spirits were up and I was forgetting about my impending doom that may be awaiting me at school.