Friends Forever

I was an outcast since day one. I never acted the right way. I could never get it right. My teachers got mad when I squirmed and fidgeted in my seat. Apparently, it meant I was not paying attention. To me, it was the only way I could pay attention. Then they were upset I didn't understand what they were teaching. Other kids didn't like me either. I was never good in social situations. At least that is what I was told. I never could understand what I was doing wrong. It always felt like no one understood me at all. 

That was until I met her. She came into our 1st-grade class halfway through the year. 

"Jasper Johnsen, would you be the guide for our new student, Liza Aguilar, today?" I remember Mr. Green asked, " Make sure she knows where to go and understands what to do. " 

Unlike most, she was always nice to me. She even was interested in my rants about my favorite topics. at the time that was all types of dogs. We were inseparable. 

It stayed that way for 6 years. middle school was hard for Both of us. Neither of us had many friends, That was ok Because I only needed her. 

"I can't believe how long we've been friends like were almost in 8th grade," I exclaimed as we walked to the park. 

Ms. Rodgers had been discussing our schedules for eighth grade in science. 

"Yeah", She replied staring ahead.

She thought a second and asked, "We're gonna be friends forever right?"

"Friends forever!"I replied smiling big.

As we turned I saw the familiar bright green grass and metal play equipment of the park we went to every day Friday after school. Just beyond that the sparkling water of the lake that I loved so much. As usual, I started pointing out the beautiful and interesting parts of the park and how it was a part of the local environment while we went and sat on our favorite bench. 

"Sorry I'm probably talking your ear off," I said, slightly embarrassed. 

"It's okay, I like your excitement" she laughed. 

We talked for a while, looked at the pretty surroundings, and ate our snacks. Just like we did every week, but like always it was so much fun. 

"I'm gonna do the monkey bars a little, ok", Liza said while walking towards the monkey bars. 

I turned to watch. It always made me nervous when she goes on those things. 

"Be careful" I blurt out, without thinking. 

"Don't worry" she spits back quickly.

I watch as she climbs up and reaches to grip the bar. Liza goes smoothly across each bar and then back again. She starts going again and lands in the middle of the set. 

"Hey, Jasper, watch this!" Liza yelled as she starts rocking back and forth. 

I turn to watch her trick. She loves to flip over the bars and land on top of them. My blood goes cold when she loses her grip and falls and rolls down the hill all the way to the edge of the lake below. 

"Liza!" I screamed.

I jump up from the bench and fly down the hill. By the time I get to her, I can see red coming from her head. Her eyes were closed and she didn't respond to me. 

"Some Help!" I begged. 

"Call nine-one-one" someone running towards us tells me. 

I quickly pull my phone from my pocket and dial, as people begin to crowd us. Everything went by in a blur. I don't know how long it took, but eventually, an ambulance came and took her away on a stretcher. 

Before I knew it I was sitting in the back of Liza's mom's car, on the way to the ER. When we got there, she went up to the front desk and I went to take a seat. I felt numb and terrified at the same time. It felt like ages before Ms.Aguilar came over to me. 

"How is she? What's going on?" I asked as soon as she could hear me. 

"I'm sure she is gonna be fine but I don't know much. She is still unconscious. She hit her head pretty hard and that can be pretty serious. The doctors are taking care of her." She explained in a kind but worried voice. 

I didn't say anything for a while. A million questions and scenarios were swirling in my head. It was too much to process. 

Noticing my concern, Ms.Aguilar made her voice even more gentle and said, "It's gonna be alright. You won't be able to see her today or until she is back conscious, but as soon as she is you can see her. I promise. I know how much you guys mean to each other."

I nodded quietly. A few minutes later my dad came into the hospital. I said bye to Ms. Aguilar, grabbed my school back, and got into the car. I didn't say anything the whole drive home. I just couldn't believe everything that happened today. 

When we got home I dropped my bag at the door and immediately went to my room. I knew it was dinner time but I also knew if I eat I may throw up. I didn't know if I wanted to cry or scream. She was my best Freind. The only person who understood me. 

It was a month before she regained conciseness. I called Liza's mom twice a week if not more until she did. Every time she said the same thing. 

"She is doing fine, but we don't know anything else." She explained calmly. 

"Ok. thank you, Ms.Aguilar," I say. 

Time went by in a blur. It felt like weeks of constant worrying and fear without any new information.

Finally, on a Thursday in fourth period, I was called down to the office. I was scared to let myself hope, but I did anyway. It was all I had been thinking about. 

"Yes, Jasper, your father is here to get you. Something about your friend." said the office secretary without looking up. 

I couldn't even talk. I just nodded and walked through the office.

As we drove, dad looked distracted, or maybe conflicted. 

"I came to get you as soon as Ms.Aguilar called me. she said you can see her but..." he started explaining hesitantly. 

"We... we don't know everything." he continued. 

I stared at him. I didn't understand what he was saying. What was there to not know? She is alright and that's all that matters. 

"Like what, or how much she remembers. Ms.Aguilar", He finished finally.

That didn't answer anything. If anything it just added more. What did he mean How much she remembers? I felt my heart start pounding. I was so distracted with my thoughts I didn't notice we pulled into the hospital. As soon as the car stopped I raced into the hospital. 

"Jasper!" she exclaimed 

"Hi, Ms.Aguilar. Is she ok? please say she's okay?" I shot out all at once. 

"About that, before you can see her I need to explain something to you, " She told me. 

Ms.Aguilar explained that Liza's head injury caused some type of amnesia. She can't remember much from before the accident. They don't know if it will come back or not. I listened intently as she explained. I nodded and then a nurse lead us to Liza's room. My heart lept when I saw her. She really was ok. 

"Liza" I nearly yelled. 

She looked up at me with big eyes. She looked for a long time as if trying to find the answer to a question she had not asked aloud. 

"I- Ugh I-," She stammered, "Who are you?"

My heart dropped from my chest. I remembered Ms.Aguilar's warning but it still hurt. She was sitting right in front of me but...

"I- I'm your friend, Jasper. Well, best friends actually. we've been friends since we were little. " I told her as her mom nodded her head.

I could see she was trying to remember. There was just nothing there. 

"Why don't you two get um, acquainted" Ms.Aguilar suggested. 

I spent a while explaining how we knew each other, when and where we met, what we did together, and stuff like that. She told the few things she did remember or was told and understood. I didn't show it but it was killing me. We were talking like we were strangers, but I had known her for as long as I could remember. Even worse, she seemed like she was a stranger to herself. 

After a while, Ms.Aguilar and my dad came and told me visitation was ending so I had to go. Obviously, I didn't want to leave her but I Obeyed and gathered my stuff. 

I couldn't sleep that night. I just kept thinking about everything. What was going to happen to us?

It wasn't until a little while later that she could finally leave the hospital. They said they had to reintegrate her into her old life slowly. A few days after she got home, Ms.Aguilar asked if I wanted to come to see her. She said it would be good to see her. So I walked over to their house. 

Liza and I went to her room. I sat on her bed as she started looking through her old stuff. 

"I really liked reading, I guess" she noted as she mauled over all the books on her tall bookshelf.

  I nodded quietly. I didn't know what to say. She turned to me. Her expression changed from confusion to something I couldn't place. 

"What was I like?" she asked as if grasping onto anything that might make her remember. 

I sat in shocked silence for a second. 

Finally, I responded, " You- you were awesome. you were smart and funny. But you would never admit it. You always loved adventuring and we're always laughing. You were always so nice to me even if no one else was. You liked me for me. You were the best friend I ever had. " 

I had started tearing up. There was nothing I could do to stop it. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" she stopped and stared at her feet. 

I felt bad, I didn't want to make this about me. 

"No, No it's fine. None of this your fault" I assured her quickly. 

we sat in awkward silence for a moment. I tried to clean myself up. Then I had an Idea. I got up and Turned on her ps3. Liza stared at me unsure. 

"don't worry ill show you how," I told her as I put a controller in her hand. 

We played for a while. As we played I told her stories about us. eventually, I ended up talking about the park and how we went there every Friday. 

"what-what if we went there again? Maybe this Friday?" she proposed. 

"That would be great" I smiled. 

Once I got home it was nearly dinner. I sat at the table and stared at the empty plate in front of me. There was so much to process. as we ate I didn't talk much. 

When Friday finally came I grabbed my stuff to head over to Liza's house. My dad stopped me.

"Just be careful" he warned as he let me through. 

I got to Liza's house and we started on our way to the park. As we walked I tried to point out shops where we used to get snacks or shop. When we finally turned the corner onto the park, I led her to our favorite bench. 

'I love this park so much, you know it gives so much to our environment, and-" I started to ramble. 

I suddenly noticed Liza Staring at me clearly think hard. I looked back with concern. 

" You okay," I asked. 

Her expression softened and she looked defeated. 

"I just want to remember, "she confessed, "I want to have my life back. I want to know you and everybody, I want to have my friend back. I just don't know what to do."

I thought a moment, then I said "then why don't we start over. Instead of focusing on what our friendship used to be, we can make it something new. You don't know who I am so It's kinda like we're strangers again."

She looked confused, so I continued, "It won't be easy, But making new friends never is. We used to say, Friends forever, and that includes if we have to restart. We will do this together."

She still looked unsure. She thought it over and looked back up at me. 

"Really, you would do that?" she questioned. 

"Of course," I told her with as much certainty as I could, " I'll start, My name is Jasper Green. Do you want to be friends?"

I held my hand out to her. Instead of taking it she quickly grabbed me in a tight hug. We were both crying at this point. No matter what happened we both knew we would have each other. We were Friends Forever.