My Beautiful Girl

The picture is worn and creased. I've looked at it so many times, you can easily tell where my fingers held on so tight. It's a simple picture, the only person in it is me. But that's not what makes it special. What makes it special is that he was there when it was taken. In fact, he was the one who took the picture. I remember clearly that that day was the single happiest day of my life. Little did I know that was the last time I would ever see him alive.

Six Years Previous

"Teeghan, come find me!", he called, his voice carrying on the wind.

"Zacky, where are you?", I yelled back. Sometimes I hated him for having such an extravagant backyard, a place you could easily hide or get lost. But I should be able to find him. I mean, come on. He's white as a ghost, with a mop of messy jet-black hair. He shouldn't be that hard to spot.

"I'm not telling you. You have to come find me.", he answered.

He sounded close. I tiptoed around a large shrub and sure enough, there he was, albeit facing the opposite direction. After a few seconds, I realized he didn't know I was there. I calmly reached out and tapped him on the shoulder and he jumped, shouting a curse word into the air.

Once he faced me, I put on a smug smile and instantly his bright green orbs narrowed. "You're gonna pay for that, Teeghan.", he stated, his voice low. He pounced at me with a playful growl and I squealed before running in the opposite direction. Of course, there was no way I could outrun him, so ten seconds later I was wrapped in his arms, lying on the ground, because he had tackled me.

"Please get off of me, Zacky.", I pleaded.

"No.", he said, shaking his head.

"Please, you're squashing me!"

"No!"

"What if I give you a kiss?", I asked innocently. Ha, I knew that would work. With absolutely no hesitation, he nodded rapidly and leaned down close to me. But I turned my head so that his snakebitten lips only grazed my cheek. "Nu-huh, you have to let me up first."

"Fine.", he grumbled. He got to his feet and held out his hand to me. He pulled me to my feet and instantaneously into his arms again. Giving me little to no warning, he pressed his lips softly against mine and we shared a sweet kiss.

After exploring for a little while, we found a tree in his backyard that we'd never really noticed before. It was tall, but with branches that almost touched the ground. Next to it, a cluster of beautiful purple wildflowers danced in the wind. Every detail was stunningly striking, and the way the sunlight hit it made it absolutely breathtaking.

"Go sit down next to the tree.", Zacky instructed me. I looked at him with a loving smile and did as I was asked. I knew exactly what he wanted. Within seconds, he had produced an ivory black camera, which he pointed at me. "Look that way.", he said, pointing up ahead and to the left. Zacky backed away slightly and a few minutes of testing angles, I heard a soft click.

"Can I see it?", I asked. I knew he would say yes. How could he say no?

Zacky handed me the camera, set to viewing mode. My gaze scanned the picture, and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The girl in the picture was gorgeous, there was no way that could be me. I could sense Zacky's warm smile on my back and I surveyed the photo, and then he spoke my thoughts aloud.

"You look beautiful in that picture, Teeghan.", he whispered. I shook my head. No. There was no way that was me. "Yes, that is you and yes you look beautiful. Now come on. Let's go inside so I can make a couple of prints of this and then I'll take you home."

I sat waiting in Zacky's car as he explained to his mother that he was taking me home, he would be right back. I ran my tiny fingers over the glossy printout. I still couldn't believe that was me. I never looked that beautiful. Maybe it was Zacky. Maybe he just made me so happy that I glowed, and that made me beautiful.

Zacky walked out the door, calling, "Love you, Mom. Be back in about thirty minutes!", to his mother as he exited the house. He swung down into the seat next to me, and started the engine. But before backing out, he seized my hand and placed a gentle kiss on my knuckles. "I love you, Teeghan.", he whispered.

"I love you, too, Zacky.", I replied with a smile.

When only five minutes stood between us and my house, I pulled out my phone to call my mom and let her know that I would soon be arriving home. We chatted for a few minutes, and as Zacky pulled his car onto my street, I began telling her about the picture.

Suddenly I felt myself being flung to the right, but my seatbelt restrained from flying from my seat. I screamed as the car rolled over at least four times, finally coming to a stop on its top. I screamed and screamed for help, hoping someone would heed to my pleas.

Help soon arrived in the form of my neighbor. He pulled with all his strength to open my door, but it was jammed shut. The jaws of life would be needed. I was in a great deal of pain. My mother came and comforted me as we waited for the ambulances to arrive. Soon the tell-tell wail was heard on the horizon and before I knew it I was freed from Zacky's mangled car and strapped to a stretcher.

As I was loaded into the ambulance, I saw the paramedics also lifting Zacky onto a stretcher fifteen feet away. As I watched, they harnessed him down with the same yellow straps that held me tight and then placed a white sheet over his face.

No! What were they doing? Zacky was going to be fine! I kept repeating that to myself over and over until I finally slipped into unconsciousness.

At the hospital, I was told I'd suffered from severe damage to my spinal cord, I'd never walk again, blah, blah, blah. But I didn't care about me. I wanted to know about Zacky. Where was he?

With a heartbroken sigh, my mother delivered the news. Zacky was dead. Unlike me, he had failed to fasten his seatbelt and was thrown violently from the car upon impact. He was killed instantly, they'd pronounced him dead on the scene.

As I cried, I felt something fall into my lap. Looking through teary eyes, I saw the picture, me sitting in front of that beautiful tree. My mom told me that had been found in my pocket when they taken my clothes, and she thought I might want it, so she kept it.

I studied every angle and aspect of that picture, trying to imagine that only a few hours ago, I'd been there. With Zacky. And we were happy. On the back, I noticed writing in what appeared to be Zacky's messy scrawl. He must've written it after he'd printed it, without me seeing. I flipped it over, hoping to find something to tide me over through this horrendous loss, but only found three words.

My beautiful girl.