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“I wish I could see you one last time, Miah.” Ellie said with tears filling her eyes. “I am here.” Miah said in the distance. “Miah, is that really you?” Ellie said with a smile on her face. “ i missed you so much” they said hugging her Then they go to hug each other*“ how have you been” whipping tears from her face“ i've been good” with a smile on her face“ let's go watch a movie” “ ok” “K”“ how r we gonna get there”“Idk”“ok ““Wyd yesterday”Nothing wbunothing

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“I wish I could see you one last time, Miah.” Ellie said with tears filling her eyes. “I am here.” Miah said in the distance. “Miah, is that really you?” Ellie said with a smile on her face. “ i missed you so much” they said hugging her Then they go to hug each other*“ how have you been” whipping tears from her face“ i've been good” with a smile on her face“ let's go watch a movie” “ ok” “K”“ how r we gonna get there”“Idk”“ok ““Wyd yesterday”Nothing wbunothing

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(from Ellie’s perspective)

In and out. I took deep breaths through my nose breathing in the scent of flowers. I was in a park. The park where Jeremiah died. I keep thinking maybe if I hadn’t left him that day he wouldn’t have been killed. The basketball court was to my left. I turned away from it and walked over to the bench I had spotted a few moments earlier. I pulled out my phone, was I really going to do this? Deep breaths in and out. I hadn’t talked to her in years, other than the semi-awkward thanksgiving exchange about turkey when my parents tried to force us to talk to one another. Anne.
It’d been five years since Miah’s death. Five and a half since my argument with Anne. I looked down at my phone, one hand pressed against the chipping wood of the bench and the other tapping away at the phone. I could do this.
Anne, are you almost here?
“Yup I’m here, Ellie.” I froze hearing the sound of Anne’s voice. It sounded older and a little worn down. I looked up to see Anne slightly towering over me. She was always taller. I used to say that I’d be taller than her when I was fully grown but apparently I never reached my full height. Anne wore a paint covered jumper and was holding a bag that looked like it weighed a lot.
“Hi Anne, what’s in the bag?” The corners of Anne’s mouth turned up. “You were always very curious. The bag has cheese in it.” Anne sat down. “Just cheese?” I asked, feeling myself get confused. Why would someone have a bag of just that? “Yes, but it’s not just one cheese, there's different types. Like parmesan, brie, blue cheese, etcetera.” Anne sat the bag down. “Why?” I asked. “I feel like we're getting derailed here but it’s for an art class I’m attending. They said that the art pieces should look appetizing. I think they meant like drawings that look delicious but I figure if you could smell my art work it would y’know make it more appetizing. I’m making a sculpture out of cheese.” The scent of cheese washed over me. “I don’t think people are gonna find that smell appetizing.” I said moving further away from the bag. Anne rolled her eyes.
“We're getting derailed here.” Anne knew very well what I wanted to talk about and it wasn’t cheese. I opened my mouth to speak but Anne beat me to it, “I’m sorry about Jeremiah’s death, but I’m more sorry that I wasn’t there for you.” I set my phone on the bench and tucked my hands under my legs. My eyes stung. “I think that- no, I know that you feel really guilty about not being there for me. And I appreciate knowing that you still care for me, because to be honest it’s been five-ish years since we had a real conversation and I was starting to think you didn’t see me as your sister anymore.” I felt a hand land on my shoulder tugging me closer to the bag of cheese. “No matter how many fights we have, no matter how mad I get at you, I will always see you as family Ellie.” I smiled a little, feeling myself relax a little. “Same goes for you, Anne. You're my older sister, always.” Anne brought me even closer to her moving the bag of cheese.
“But, I do have one question.” I said, feeling my tone quiet ever so slightly. “Ask away.” Anne said, starting to dig through her cheese bag. “Would it have- would it matter to you if I did date someone with a different skin tone?” I forced the words out louder trying to make sure she could hear me and I didn’t become a quiet little mouse. “No, it wouldn’t have in the long run. I was just a little shocked at first.” Relief washed over me.
“There’s something else I’d like to say.” Anne looked a little nervous now, fidgeting with her hands. I mimicked Anne’s words earlier, “Ask away.” Anne rolled her eyes. “When we were younger and we still lived in the same house I used you as a personal confidant and would tell you everything. You were this person I could dump all this heavy stuff on and you never complained so I assumed that you were okay with it. And I got in this habit of telling you the many details of my life and I completely looked over yours. Even after I moved out, all I ever talked about was me and I apologize.” Anne sighed. “What I’m trying to get out is I want us to have an equal relationship where we both feel comfortable to talk about our lives and I don’t talk over you.” I smiled. “Thanks, I’m accepting that offer. Also you just rambled so much.” I snickered. Anne whacked me lightly on the arm. “Shut it. It could’ve been a lot worse.”

Anne shoved cheese towards me. “Want some cheese?” I stuck my tongue out in disgust and shook my head. “No way. That stuff is nasty.” Anne gasped dramatically, “How dare you!” “I’m not the only one who thinks this! Elliot thinks cheese is a monstrosity too!” I half-yelled, watching as the hand with cheese recoiled and dropped back into the bag. “Who’s Elliot?” Anne asked. “Just some guy I’m talking to.” I shrugged trying to act nonchalant. Anne leaned forward. “Is he cute?” Anne asked, seeing through my act. “Yes, but I’m not dating him or anything so don’t get any ideas.” “Well, do you want to date him?” Anne asked. I paused thinking about it. “I might ask him out. He’s really shy so I don’t think that even if he liked me he would ask me out.”

Anne paused, seeming to think over her next question. “So you're over Jeremiah?” I sighed. “I don’t think I’ll ever truly be over Jeremiah, I don’t think anyone will be able to understand me as well as he did. But I deserve to be happy and move on as much as I can.” “That’s really wise, are you secretly an old lady?” Anne joked. “But on a serious note there’s a lot of truth in that, me and Stacy are having a rough time right now and I just don’t know if we're good for eachother anymore. Like I know neither of us are happy with each other anymore and we're just together because we’ve been together for so long and we’ll probably question the meaning of our entire lives without each other.” I glanced over at her. “I’d say try and communicate with her as much as possible and see exactly how she feels before doing anything that might be really sudden.” I said. I will always value my sister's feelings before some random person but I also know if I were in that situation I wouldn’t want to be broken up with out of the blue. I'd like a reason as to why.

“Well Anne, I have to go. I have class in like 30 minutes. So I gotta head out.” Anne looked up and smiled. “See you later, Ellie.” I smiled and waved one last time before turning away and heading to my car.

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Tamia L

Once the service is over the room is kinda silent and the air is filled with sadness Marion walks over to Nelia and sits down next to her. She sat there for a second then said, “Hello Nelia, my name is Marion I'm Ellie's mom. Nelia then wipes her eyes and then looks up at her, “Oh Ellie's mom? Your daughter is such a sweetheart how is she feeling.” Marion was stunned for a second, she thought to herself “She met Ellie? Did she know about what they had going on before me?” Marion responds with, “She's okay, definitely hanging in there.” Nelia then asks “Did you know about their relationship?” then Marion said, “Well yes but no, I didn't find out about it until much much later.” shes stops for a couple of seconds then continues talking, “I don't think I made a comfortable space for her to tell me these things.” They both stood silent for a minute. Marion thinks about the time when Ellie said “There was no boy.” but now there's actually no boy. Was it because I didn't make a good space for her? Is this my fault? Then Marion says “I'm sorry, enough about that, I'm very sorry for your loss. I hope we can get justice for your son's death.” Says Marion then she bit her lip afterward. Nelia smiles, “No it's okay, that's just how teenagers are don't lose brain cells over it. Teenagers now and days are very stubborn and not to mention they're just figuring themselves out. I thank you so much for showing up and coming over to talk with me.” They both grin at each other than shake hands for a second then separate

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“I know we were young but you were my everything,” Ellie spoke softly.

Jeremiah looked back at Ellie with those same bright eyes and responded softly, “Remember the poem Ellie- ‘Only those who stay dead, shall remember death’. In a way I’m still alive to you and those who love me and tell my story.”

“I’ll never forget. I tattooed that poem on my forearm,” Ellie said, showing him the tattoo. Jeremiah sees the poem is written on the trunk of the tree like the one they first kissed under in central park. Under the beaming green maple leaf tree sits an orange basketball. Jeremiah kisses the tattoo and a tear slides down his cheek. “I’ll never forget you,” Ellie whispered, wiping the tears away.

“Ellie, like Shakespeare said so many hundred years ago, we were star crossed lovers, our paths were meant to cross in this lifetime. I’m so thankful for our magical time. But, now you move on, you have your whole life to live. Other people love. Places to travel. I’ll be with you. Literally,” he laughs giving a love squeeze to the tattoo, “get out there and meet other people, go to college, live those dreams we talked about. That will be the best way to remember me.”

After a long tear filled embrace.

“Thank you Miah. Thank you for everything…”

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This takes place before Miah dies.
Louis Ann remembered the first time she saw Norman. It was love at first sight for her, but he looked right past her. Everytime she looked at him, she saw that his eyes were filled with love for Neila. So she waited, she waited until that love began to fade, and that’s when it all began, when she knew that Norman was her soulmate. Neila was never a part of the equation to her, she was just a delay to what was inevitable. She now saw that Neila was affected by this more than she understood. She looked into Nelia’s eyes, and saw that they were filled with love for Jeremiah.

“You know,” she began cautiously, “you have Jeremiah’s eyes. He looks a lot more like you than like Norman.” Nelia smiled sadly. “I just worry about him.” she said. “With the divorce, and Norman hardly ever being there for him, and now a new school… it seems like so much at once.”

Louis Ann began to understand better. This anger from Nelia was more about Miah than it was about her. “A while ago, he ran into me and Norman together, and we were both so shocked to see him happy. The second he saw me, that happiness was gone,” Louis Ann said thoughtfully, “And I think that he thought, just for a second, that I was you. But he’ll make it, he’s strong. And I know that I could never replace you, but I don’t want to be a person that makes him upset. I want him to know that I care about him.” Nelia smiled. “I appreciate that, thank you. Give him time.” Louis Ann nodded. “That’s all we need, just time to heal." (I didn't put it all b/c it was too long)

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After the service, Marion walks over to Nelia and sits down next to her on the wooden pews.

“Hello, I’m Marion. Ellie’s mother. I’m so sorry for your loss.” She speaks softly but directly, an uneasy tone in her voice.

Nelia looks up, the thin veil covering her tear-streaked face. “It’s nice to meet you, Marion. And thank you. I’m sorry…I don’t really know much about you. To be fair, I only met Ellie once, and it was very brief.” Nelia’s mouth turns up into a small smile, remembering how Miah had held Ellie’s hand tightly and given her a tour of the house.

Marion’s eyes avert downwards, and she bites her lip. In her head, she thinks of how Ellie never talked to her about Miah. How whenever she tried to talk to her daughter, Ellie had always insisted “ there was no boy”. But now, there really was no boy. She emits a small, tense laugh, “That may be partly my fault. I heard from Ellie’s sister that there was a boy, but she never told me who he was. Granted, I may have been a bit too…pushy. Ellie never came to me much to talk about her personal life, but I do know that I am at fault for that.”

Nelia smiles, “I wouldn’t beat yourself up about it too much. That’s just how teenagers are these days. I’m sure you’re doing the best you can. But take it from me Marion, really try to make the most of your time with her. Yes, teenagers can be stubborn, but I encourage you to get through to her. Especially now. The next few months, years even, are going to be very hard.” Nelia sighs, and brushes a tear away, her face stoic.

The two mothers clasp hands, and Marion walks away from Nelia.

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There is a plaque outside the gym at Percy. It reads In Memory of Jeremiah Roselind. I looked back on what I had said to the officer that was responsible.

The cop was wearing your typical uniform, he had dark brown hair with hazel eyes.

“I’m sorry for your loss…” he says.

I look at him, he’s not showing any emotion on his face.

“No… you’re not.” I sobbed.

“Listen I truly am, he didn’t listen to me when I yelled stop.”

“Have you ever thought about what if he was deaf, or he didn’t think he was getting yelled at by the police.” I said, starting to tear up.

There was silence for a moment before I started to say.

“This is the problem with our world right now, a cop sees a black man running someplace and then he’s automatically a criminal.”

We sat in silence for a moment before I got up.

He didn’t show remorse for his action, as if he doesn’t care for the life of a teenager.

I walked past the Plaque with the memory of Miah, the sun was setting, and the street lights were turning on.

Two and a half years have passed, and still, this is how I remember us. This is how I will always remember us.

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(In the perspective of Ellie)

I was sitting on the steps, dozing out and looking through the windows from my empty, spacious apartment. It was after I came home from Percy, Marion went grocery shopping, dad was rarely home, and as I watched the little specks go by, all I could think about was Miah. A sudden abrupt ringing comes from the kitchen and disperses my thoughts.

Who could be calling at this time of the day? I skip down the stairs into the kitchen and pick up the phone and start to twirl the cord around my finger, “Hello? This is Ellie, who’s calling?”

“Ruben here, thank goodness it’s not mom,” he was rushing, “I just wanted to talk about the ‘boy’ Anne mentioned.” I stop for a moment, not this again. Why did Anne have to tell everyone. Please don’t be like last time.

“Why do you want to talk about this ‘boy’ Ruben.”

“I heard what Anne said about this boy you like.”

“Why? Are you just going to tell me what you think about black guys?”

Ruben said in a soft, calm voice, “No not that, I don’t mind you being with a black person. I just wanted to say that I am sorry for what Anne had said.” I was shocked, I stood completely frozen. “Ellie, whatever Anne has said about this boy, I just want you to know that it’s okay. You are allowed to like anyone no matter who they are.”

I sniffled, slow tears forcing themselves out of my eyes, “Do you… do you really mean that Ruben?”

“Yes, of course I mean it. Anyways I have to go now, I have to be somewhere for my college class today. Take care of yourself.”

Ruben hung up, I slouched down onto the floor and started to wipe off the tears from my face. Thanks Ruben, I really needed that.

Daniel B.

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“Can I sit here?” Ellie looked up to see Carlton. He looked ragged and in despair, his dark, curly hair all over the place.

“I can’t believe he’s gone, you know?”  Carlton“He always had my back, always heard what I had to say, and now he’s just-gone. Without a warning.” He looked up at Ellie.

“Oh sorry.” he looked down. “I’m just babbling.” Tears welled up in Ellie’s bright blue eyes.

“No. No, it's ok. I know what you mean. I loved him with all my heart, and he’s left without a warning. Left forever.”

“Yeah. You looked happy together.”

“We were. We really were.” Tears returned to Ellie's eyes. “You two seemed like good friends.”

“We were. We were.” A hush filled the room for a second, and they sat in silence.

“Did Miah talk alot about me?”

“He did. We were hanging out after school one day and he told me he’d met a white girl. That he felt like he knew you, even though you’d never met before. I told him it sounded like love.”

“That sounds like my Miah.” Ellie smiled.

“He…he asked me for advice.”

“About what?”

“About dating a white girl. I have a white mama and a black daddy, so he figured I could help, having grown up in both worlds. He asked me about my experiences growing up.” Ellie nodded.

“So…how did you know Miah?”

“Oh, well you knew we were friends. We were on the same basketball team together. That is, until he left Tech to go to Percy.”

“Yeah, but like…what was he like for you?”

“Oh.” He shook his head. “He was a good friend. Always listened to what I had to say, even when I ran my mouth too much. He teased me a little bit, but I probably deserved it.” He chuckled. “How about you? What was he like for you?”

“He was…amazing. It’s hard to describe how amazing. We just locked eyes in the hallway one day, and we just clicked. It really was love at first sight. He was so kind and sweet, but also knew a lot about the world. Being with him taught me so much I would never know otherwise. He saw the world for what it was, but yet he always felt like people could change. He was always willing to give people a chance.” Carlton nodded.

“That sounds like him. I could always see your face light up every time you saw him.” Ellie smiled briefly.  They sat in silence for a little longer.

“Does it hurt?” Carlton asked, tears in his eyes.

“Yes. A lot.” Carlton hugged Ellie, and together they cried. Cried for the loss of their dear friend.

“We should probably join the funeral procession right?” Carlton remarked, wiping tears off his face.

“Yeah. Yeah, let’s go.”

Together they walked away, following the crowd carrying the casket. Several minutes later, they watched as the casket was lowered into the ground, and the hole was covered up with dirt. They heard the soft pounding thud of the dirt on the casket. “Miah’s in a better place now Ellie. We should always remember that. And someday, we may get to see him again.” Ellie cried on Carlton’s shoulder, clutching her heart to her chest. She held onto this small bit of hope, thanking Carlton silently.

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Ruben & Ellie

(In the perspective of Ellie)

I was sitting on the steps, dozing out and looking through the windows from my empty, spacious apartment. It was after I came home from Percy, Marion went grocery shopping, dad was rarely home, and as I watched the little specks go by, all I could think about was Miah. A sudden abrupt ringing comes from the kitchen and disperses my thoughts.

Who could be calling at this time of the day? I skip down the stairs into the kitchen and pick up the phone and start to twirl the cord around my finger, “Hello? This is Ellie, who’s calling?”

“Ruben here, thank goodness it’s not mom,” he was rushing, “I just wanted to talk about the ‘boy’ Anne mentioned.” I stop for a moment, not this again. Why did Anne have to tell everyone. Please don’t be like last time.

“Why do you want to talk about this ‘boy’ Ruben.”

“I heard what Anne said about this boy you like.”

“Why? Are you just going to tell me what you think about black guys?”

Ruben said in a soft, calm voice, “No not that, I don’t mind you being with a black person. I just wanted to say that I am sorry for what Anne had said.” I was shocked, I stood completely frozen. “Ellie, whatever Anne has said about this boy, I just want you to know that it’s okay. You are allowed to like anyone no matter who they are.”

I sniffled, slow tears forcing themselves out of my eyes, “Do you… do you really mean that Ruben?”

“Yes, of course I mean it. Anyways I have to go now, I have to be somewhere for my college class today. Take care of yourself.”

Ruben hung up, I slouched down onto the floor and started to wipe off the tears from my face. Thanks Ruben, I really needed that.

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