The Messages In The Treehouse

Summer.

I will never forget that one summer where all of us met. It felt like fate brought us together as I met my best friends; Bruce, Laila, and Rafaela.

I remember our school ended.

As summer vacation came rolling around the corner, my friends and I spent the entire summer on my Uncle's farm. My Uncle's farm held a special place in our hearts, because we found our haven there, and that haven was our treehouse. 

"Can I tell you guys a secret?"

We turned our attention to him. We sat on the ledge as we stared out into the blue sky. The trees swayed as the light breeze surrounded us, serenely.

"Anything, Bruce." I faced him as he had a frown upon his face. He prompts his arms on the railings of the treehouse as he exhaled a breath.

"I'm not in a good state of mind." He said the girls looked at him, concerned plastered on their faces.

"What happened?" Our African beauty, Laila, asked softly.

He sighs, "I'm drowning in my parents' expectations," he averted his gaze towards the ground, "I mean, I know my parents are Asians and they come from a very disciplined family, but it's like I'm suffocating because it's expectation after expectation, after expectation."

We stayed quiet as we continued to listen to him.

"Sometimes, I just want to run away from everything." He put his head in his hands as a gush of wind blew by us, making our hair fly all over the place.

"I feel you," Rafaela said through her Spanish accent. We all turned our attention to her.

She let out a sad smile, "My parents have been fighting recently," She confessed, "Sometimes, I feel like I'm the reason why they're fighting..."

She shakes her head as she scoffs, "I won't be surprised if they're planning on getting a divorce."

Silence.

"You guys aren't alone," Laila whispered, "My mom..."

She let out a shaky breath, "I don't even recognize my mom anymore," her voice cracks as her eyes shined with tears, "Ever since my dad died, she's been drowning herself with drugs and alcohol."

Her breathing became uneven as she was trying to hold her tears back, "Sometimes, I would come home and she's passed out in her bedroom with weeds and cigars," Her tears rolled down her face, "I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen to me." She choked.

Rafaela put an arm around her as she pulled her into a side hug, "My mom would do anything to get rid of the pain, even if it means ruining her health."

She wiped her tears away as Rafaela stroked her back. Bruce stared with sadness in his eyes.

"I guess we're not that different after all." I quietly said.

They all looked at me, I gazed at the treehouse and an idea popped in my head, "I have an idea," I proposed.

"What if we write what we feel?" I stated and everyone's eyes landed on me.

"Where?" Rafaela asked as her eyebrows came together.

I smiled, "In this treehouse." I gestured, "We could write like secret messages in this treehouse, that only we know about," They eyed one another "This treehouse could be our haven!"

Everyone thought about it.

"I agree," Laila wiped her eyes and let out a smile, "We're all sharing our struggles in life, so why not make this place a sanctuary where only we four get to go." She gestured the area of where the treehouse is located.

"That's not a terrible idea," Bruce added. He then scanned the view in front of him, "This place is a pleasant place to forget about your all problems, even if it's just for a little while." 

The girls nodded in agreement.

"So, what are we waiting for?" Rafaela, who was already up on her feet with the most beautiful and brightest smile she's ever shown, "Let's get to writing!"

And that's how this treehouse became our retreat. A place where we could think about our lives and forget about our problems, every day we would come here to write endless messages inside the treehouse. We carved almost the entire place. Sometimes we would even write secret messages just to see who could find them first. 

If only moments like these could last forever. 

Everything ended when all of us had to go off to college. Unfortunately, we didn't have much time to spend together because we got accepted into different states.

Bruce went to Harvard University, Laila went to Yale University, Rafaela went to Columbia University, and I stayed here in Texas to attend the University of Houston.

Weeks, months, even years have gone by, and I was the only one taking care of the treehouse. 

Everyone was so busy moving forward with their lives that we barely had time to reunite. I don't blame them though; I was happy with their successes, but deep down, I wish they could have visited.

***

12 years later...  

It was the month of February as winter came along. Today is the anniversary of the day when they first claimed the treehouse as their haven.

It's been 12 years since they last contacted each other, but today was different. They all met up after so many years at the treehouse.

Rafaela took the familiar path that she remembered 12 years ago. There were now fewer trees and everything looks different. As soon as she came to an unobstructed view, she saw their sanctuary.

From a distance the treehouse looked different; the wood looked old, and the leaves that were still hanging on the tree weren't as vibrant as it was years ago.

Rafaela's eyes slowly scanned the area, and a figure at the other side of the forest caught my gaze. A woman who had the most beautiful afro hair she's ever seen stood there admiring the tree.

"Laila?" Rafaela called out. Her smile widened. And that's when she knew she finally reunited with one of her best friends again. They both ran up to each other and hugged one another, "It's been so long!" She exclaimed.

Laila chuckled, "I've missed you!" She wore casual clothing; she wore a beige turtle-neck sweater with denim jeans, which showed off her curves, and she wore white sneakers. 

"You ladies look incredible!"

A voice erupted from behind them.

They turned around and their smiles widened as they saw Bruce there, standing with a smile across his face.

"Bruce!" They ran up to him as they did a group hug together, "How have you been?" The girls asked in unison as they all erupted in laughter. 

"I'm doing great!" Bruce replied, "It's feels nice to see each other again."

"I can't believe it's been 12 years since we last saw each other," Laila added, "It feels so surreal!"

They erupted in laughter, but a frown was plastered on Rafaela's face as she searched the place, "Where's Archie?" 

Laila and Bruce looked around, "Maybe he's just late," Laila suggested, "After all, this is his Uncle's farm."

"Yeah," Bruce added, "Let's just go inside as we wait for him." They glance around for the last time as they climbed up the old treehouse.

With every step they took, the old wood creaked underneath them.

As they entered the sanctuary instant flashbacks invaded their minds, their eyes wandered in awe as they scanned at every writing that was on the wall.

They beamed as they reminisce about the times they shared that summer. In every direction and in every turn, they could see writings can be seen.

Suddenly, sadness was laced in Rafaela's eyes as she turned to them, "Did any of you ever visited in the last 12 years?" Bruce and Laila shared looks as they shake their head.

"But Archie has," Bruce said making Rafaela look at Bruce with her eyebrows knitted together. Bruce showed the wall to the girls where Archie has written, in the last 12 years only Archie has been writing here. 

Their eyes skimmed through his messages that their best friend, Archie, wrote.

"I miss them. I wish we could've seen each other more often."

"I feel like no one understands me."

"There's nothing left for me here, maybe it's best if I should just leave..."

Rafaela's eyes widened as she read that, Bruce and Laila stared at her with surprised looks.

"I never knew he felt that way," The 28-year-old model averted her gaze towards the floor.

"He was the happy pill of our group," Laila whispered as her eyes shined with tears.

"He must have waited for us to visit him.." Bruce added.

Silence.

Laila with her head hanged low ambled around, outlining every writing that was carved into the house. She stopped when her hand landed on something that wasn't there before. She pushed the wood and suddenly, a small compartment popped out.

She called over Bruce and Rafaela, and they soon came eyeing the compartment in curiosity. Bruce opened it and inside was a scroll. It looked like it was recently put there since it didn't have any brown edges yet. 

The girls peered down as Bruce unraveled the scroll.

Dear friends, 

I miss you all dearly, it's such shame that we never once reunited to come and visit this treehouse.

Although I don't blame any of you, I am very delighted to see each and everyone's success.

Laila, congratulations on becoming a doctor; I always knew you'd loved to help people.

Bruce, you're officially a lawyer! I bet you have surpassed your parents' expectations.

Rafaela, seeing your beautiful face in the magazines and tabloids, I'm very proud that you've achieved your dreams as a model; I will not lie, I had a crush on you, even before you became a model.

For the past few years, I've been taking care of our treehouse, every day I would come here and write down my thoughts and feelings.

Sometimes, I would come back just to see if any of you showed up, I guess you guys are busy with your lives, and it's not your fault.

Over the years I've developed severe depression and loneliness, I was not in a good place and state of mind. My family fell apart as I was in college and the only thing that kept me in check was our treehouse.

If all of you are reading this, please take care of each other and just know that I am more than happy that you've come together after such a long time, unfortunately, I have to apologize that I won't be able to join all of you, because by the time all of you read this...

I'm already gone.