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. 

^{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.} 

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.

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. 

  “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. 

“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)

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…” 

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