Six Feet Under The Stars

My backyard was silent after I finished telling my best friends that I would leave. Claire was there—Alex called her to come because he knew he couldn't calm me down alone—stroking my back sadly while the others were looking down to the grass.

`I really don't want to leave, I don't want to live alone there,`

`You're not alone, Carl, you will be with your mommy and daddy.`

`But not with you guys,` I started to cry again as Alex handed me a sheet of tissue.

`No need to be sad, Caroline, really,` Claire finally spoke up. I saw her watery eyes before and I knew she tried so hard to keep the tears on her eyes so I wouldn't feel worse. `We have internet and phone, right? You can call us whenever you miss us.`

`That's not enough--`

`Don't worry, just call me if you needed, I'll be there beside you in a second!` Jack exclaimed and grinned.

`Silly, Tempe to Baltimore is so far away, and I know you only know the route from your house to mine here.` Jack pouted and crossed his hands for what I just said.

`Alright, alright guys, no more sad faces, no more tears. We will only have Carly for three days so let's have fun!` Alex stood up. `I'll treat you guys some ice cream. Come on!` He said as he helped me to stand up and cleaned my tears.



I was carrying my stuffs and putting them inside the car when I saw my best friends standing near my front door. Jack was grinning stupidly and waving his hand saying hello. Alex had that warm expression on his face as I saw both him and Carly handed something in their hands.

`Hey, 'sup guys?` I tried my best to show them I was okay and happy. In fact, I cried to sleep last night remembering every memories I had in Baltimore. I guessed I had that panda eyes with me that morning.

`Are you going now, Dear?` Jack asked slowly.

`Uh, yes--` I didn't want to look at their faces because I knew it'd be sadder than before. `I'm sorry I have to leave.`

`No need to, Dear,` Alex lifted up my chin and looked into my eyes. `Just please remember us and try to always keep in touch with us.` I nodded. He then hugged me so tight as I started to cry on his chest.

Alex then released his hug and asked me to go to the backyard for the last time. I knew he wanted to check our time capsule. I wasn't going to bring it with me since it's still my house and I'd be back as soon as I could.

`I didn't plan to bring our time capsule, I'll keep it here where we buried that box so if you want to, you can open it whenever you want.`

`I'll be waiting for you here to open our time capsule together and see you get my punishment because you'll lose this game, Carly.` Alex grinned playfully.

`I'll be back as a famous writer, don't worry.` I said winking my eyes. Alex hugged me as I heard Mom calling to get in to the car because we were going to leave now.

Alex led me to the front yard and hugged me for the last time as Jack and Claire crushed to give their latest hugs too. I tried my best to keep my tears in my eyes as I hugged them so tight.

`Keep this, please,` Said Claire. I looked at a box wrapped with smooth paper she handed me. `If you ever missed us, just look at this present.`

I opened the wrapper and found three dolls that represented Jack, Alex and Claire, and a picture of us together. I finally couldn't hold my tears and dropped them in front of my best friends. `I'll be missing you all!`

`Caroline, it's time to go!` Mom called from the car. I said my last goodbye and hopped into the car, waving my hands to my best friends until I couldn't see them again from the road.