“Please come meet me… I have no where else to turn, and you’re the only
one that can understand… I’ll be at the spot…”

I could tell that it took everything she had to keep her from crying but I did
not say anything. I merely hung up and walked to my dresser. Each step
seemed to take an eternity, as if I was stuck in a second for an entire year. I
opened up my wardrobe, and thought, what does it matter? I need to get out
there as soon as possible for her, she came to me over every one else. I’m not
her boyfriend, her lover, her crush, I’m her best friend. She tells me everything, always pouring out her heart to me ‘cause she knows that there’s no one else that can listen and keep a secret better than I can.

I glanced at the clock and was surprised. It was 3:37 in the morning, she wouldn’t call me this early to tell me something good. But I wouldn’t let her down for anything, ever, and she knows that. I grabbed my phone and stuffed it in my pajamas and headed out the door.

I quietly crept through the hallway, taking more care to be quite as I passed my father’s room. Not for the first time, I wished mother was still with us as I continued past.

I stopped briefly at Rachel’s room and silently pushed open the door to peer in. The moon light spilled across the room onto my sister’s bed and I stood at the door way for a minute or two watching her steady breathing. She was so young, much too young for everything she’d been put through. My mother’s passing, the tragedy of her best friend, our uncle, our youngest sister Gloria… She was just too young for an unforgiving world. Rachel suffered much more than any eight year old should. Sighing softly, I closed the door and left her to continue sleeping.

I quietly pushed open the old rotten door that lead to outside. It quietly creaked and groaned while I softly closed it behind me. Standing on the paint peeled porch, I paused. What did she want? That’s what bothered me the most. I had no idea what this would be about, but my heart begged for me to keep going to her and be there for her. I shook my head and headed off the porch and cut through the yard on my way to the lake. The only light the night offered was from the moon, it beamed from the starry night sky like a beacon. But it didn’t last long as dark menacing clouds blotted out the stars and the moon. I cursed myself for not bringing a flash light, the dark was not my favorite thing in the world. I wasn’t afraid of it, just not completely comfortable with it.

I felt the first of many rain drops patter on my head, followed by more and more until the rain made the dark even darker. But it didn’t matter, I was already a third of the way to our spot under the tree by the lake. I covered the remaining mile surprisingly quickly. I suppose it was ‘cause I was too deep in thought about her and what she wanted with me. I stood at the edge of the dirt road, and squinted to see if her figure stood under the tree. Sure enough, there she was. I ran the last fifteen meters to her. I was drenched, but I couldn’t have cared less as I saw her head turn to face me and I grabbed her in my arms. She was soaked through as much as I was, but neither of us cared. She let go slightly to look up at me with big blue tear filled eyes that shimmered through her wet blonde hair. Her lip quivered, and I pulled her closer to me and told her everything was going to be ok, that I was here for her.