Camp Nityasundar

The last day of camp.

Misty’s updates were still nerve-wracking, but growing less and less so every day.

Jersey did his best to distract me for the past two months, but with that bracelet on my wrist, I cried every day.

Now, it was time to go. Misty would be there to tell me Mary still hadn’t passed.

“She’s still hanging on.” “She’s a tough little girl.” “She’s proving people wrong.”

It was grueling; every word.

Anyway, the last day was here. I had my bags all packed and in my car. I almost didn’t want to leave. Mary’s essence still graced this place. It hurt to know it never would again.

“You all ready?” Jersey approached me at my car, his hands shoved in his pockets. I nodded.

“Looks like it,” I said. He walked up to me and took my hands in his.

“I’ll miss you,” he said, biting his lower lip. I smiled weakly.

“I’ll miss you, too,” I said. He pulled me into his arms, hugging me tightly.

“I’m only an hour away. I’ll be out to visit you as much as I can,” he said, smiling as he broke the hug.

“I’ll consider that a promise,” I said. He chuckled.

“Listen… I know we never made it official or anything… but, I was sort of wondering… I mean, if you want …” he babbled.

“If I’d be your girlfriend?” I asked, laughing. He blushed a bit, chuckling.

“Yeah. That,” he said.

“Of course,” I said, smiling. He smiled back, kissing me softly.

“Great,” he said.

“I should get going… it’s a long ride home,” I said. He nodded.

“Everything’s going to be okay, you know that right?” he asked. I shrugged, tears welling up in my eyes.

“I just… don’t like that she’s so far away. And there’s nothing I can do about it,” I said.

“I know. It must be rough,” he said. I nodded slightly. He pulled me in for another hug, kissing my head. I took a deep breath and composed myself. I was so sick and tired of crying.

“I’ll call you when I get home,” I told him. He nodded and kissed me with a bit more force this time. I smiled when he pulled away.

“Drive safely,” he said.

“Always,” I said, getting into my car and closing the door. Jersey leaned against the window.

“Summer we’ll never forget, hm?” he asked. I scoffed.

“You could say that again.”
****************************************
Jersey came to my house the day Mary died.

There was a knock on my door, and I greeted him with a smile and a hug.

“Mind if I come in?” he asked.

“Go for it,” I said. We both sat down on my couch, and I cuddled up next to him as he put his arm around me.

“I need to tell you something,” he said. He didn’t go into much detail. He told me that Mary had passed away in the middle of the night. She went holding onto her “A Catcher in the Rye” book, a smile on her face.

I cried, but only for a moment. Then, I couldn’t help but feel so much better about everything.

Mary wasn’t in pain anymore. She didn’t have to worry about whether she was going to wake up the next morning, or how many shots and IV’s she’d have the next day.

She was an angel now. My angel. I was lucky.