Possible Story Ideas

Always Strong

"You were always the strong one and I never knew how you could do it. I was always envious and wished I could be strong like you." She was weak now and frail but strong nonetheless, she just didn't know it. Now I have no way to tell her but something tells me she's finally realized it herself.

Elementary school. She was the new girl and I couldn't wait to meet her, but then again I was also extremely nervous. "Okay kids, this is Zoe and I want you to welcome her and help her make new friends." Timid. Nervous. Scared. Looking back that's what I saw. Cautiously looking around the room her eyes finally landed on me and I gave a huge grin lifting my tiny hand high in the air. "Yes Jasmin?" My smile only grew. "Can she sit next to me?" I don't remember our teachers name but she smiled warmly as she led my future best friend to the desk right next to mine and I remember the small ghostly smile she gave me that day, and in all honesty it was one of the most beautiful smiles I had ever seen. As the years went on we got closer together and the more I learned the more I realized how strong she was. Zoe was stronger than I could ever imagine. Bullying, Depression, Anxiety, Suicidal thoughts. She's gone through it and even still has them.

9th grade. It was the weekend and as usual I was listening to music, doing homework and doing chores when I got an unexpected phone call. Pulling out my small phone from my pocket I opened it to find one name that worried me to the core. Zoe. Picking up the call I answered and all I heard was tears. "J-Jasmin... Talk me out of it, I need you to talk me out of committing suicide.."

"Zoe. Calm down you'll be okay. I'm here for you. You can't do that. I'll miss you too much." my throat constricted slightly as tears blurred my vision slightly and I sat on the end of my little sisters pink bed. "Hey, hey, shh... How about we talk about something else."

"O-okay.." her tears died down as we talked about things we were looking forward to as I sat there on my little sister's bed next to the window stroking my cats black and white fur. As the call ended I could hear her shaky voice as she said, "T-thank you.. This means a lot." I smiled gently looking out the cold window into the grey sky as the remnants of winter slowly faded away. "You're welcome, it's what friends are for."

10th grade had finally ended and summer had finally began. Zoe and I were closer than ever and sometimes we thought we were supposed to be sisters. Zoe's fight against her inner demons was stronger and she was finally getting happier. Her ghost smiles becoming less ghostly and her blue eyes becoming less dull. "You're always so strong Jas, I don't understand how you can smile all the time."

"You're strong too ya know. Anyway, I can't believe you actually managed to buy those shoes! I was so worried you wouldn't have enough money! But I do have to say those ankle boots are super cute." We laughed as we continued walking around the mall, people giving us looks as we just laughed about inside jokes and things that happened back while we were in school. After a few more hours we walked out of the mall and to the crosswalk. I silently pressed the button to signal the light to indicate when we can walk as I listened to Zoe ramble about some cute guy she met. As we slowly crossed after waiting for the light to change all I could hear was a strangled scream as metal crunched against metal and something forced me the rest of the way across the road. Confusion clouding my mind I slowly got up pain rushing through my body as dizziness overtook my footing causing me to stumble. Looking around at the chaos I saw fragments of glass and discarded shards of metal everywhere seeing at least three cars bashed together and lying where I had just been standing mere moments ago was the young teen I knew as my best friend, Zoe. Flashing lights and distant sounds fog my memory of what happened next and only one phrase kept me together. "She's still alive. Your friend is going to be okay."

The next week passed in a haze as Zoe's condition didn't get all to good. I don't remember how injured she was or even what her injuries were but with her frail heart and terrible asthma, whatever her injuries were didn't help much. Gently knocking on the wooden door, the faint "come in" just barely reached my ears. Zoe's ghostly smile was ever present as I smiled back at her. "Hey, how you holding up?"

"Well, I've been better." she grinned, chuckling slightly as to not start a coughing fit. Her already pale skin was even more ghostly and her blue eyes were duller than when I met her. " You know I'm glad we at least got to go to the mall before this happened."

"I'm happy we could too." I smiled sitting in the chair next to her hospital bed.

"You know, you were always the strong one and I never knew how you could do it. I was always envious and wished I could be strong like you." Her words slowed until her breathing slowly came to an end, her eyes sealed tight and the ghostly smile was all that was left. Something cold slipped down from my eyes as the harsh reality of that day crashed upon my chest for Zoe had breathed her last. Everyday after her death was lonesome and long. Many times am I reminded of her words just by one calling me strong, when in reality it was her who was strong, and I know she's always close by, her ghostly smile always in the darkness of my closed eyes. Her smile no matter how small was always the most beautiful and strong, just like her. For Zoe has always and forever will be strong, no matter what she would say.