text: [Themes: love & dating, drama]
  
  Ever since Naomi left us, it hasn't been the same. Her best friend seems down, she hasn't smiled much recently. She only left us 5 months ago. Her mom is upset, her dad rarely comes out of his bedroom, Naomi's younger sister, Keiko never smiles. The bright, bubbly and cheerful Keiko is no longer so cheerful.
  
  I always just sit on the couch, looking at old memories in our scrap book. We went though so much, I wonder where all those memories went. I wonder if she still remembers me in Heaven. It's just not the same without her. "Naomi," I started, "Why did you leave me..." I started to tear up, my vision going blurry, the next thing that I knew was that I was crying.
  
  [Author's Note: So, this story was inspired by "Farewell, my childhood self." I love tragic stories (Although they make me cry) and I wanted to make something like it. I'm sorry if it's extremely similar, I didn't copy, I just got inspired. So don't say "Oh, you copied!" And I have also canceled "A dragons tale" Series because it was boring and stupid and I hated it. Lol. And if this has some weird parts to it, again, this is my fourth story and it's more focused on the Story part not the "CHOOSING" part so yeah. Hope you enjoy I guess.]
  
  > 7 months ago
  "Hey, what are you painting?" Naomi smiles at me, "A sunset," I reply. She stares at it for a moment and then looks at me. Her crystal blue eyes shining. "Hmmm... It doesn't really look like a sunset. More like a... yellow ball in the ocean." She teases me. "Oh come on, it's not THAT bad." I mumble. She giggles a bit. "She is so cute." I thought to myself.
  
  I look at her painting, I can clearly tell that it's a swan. "Oh yeah, well your's looks like a..." I can't think of anything. "I know you know that it is a swan. You're so bad at lying." she grins. Her smile is so nice, I haven't met anyone like her before. We met when we were children.
  
  > Your first meeting
  It was my first day of Kindergarten. "I don't want to go!" I yelled to my mom. "Kei, you have to go to school. When you are older you will need a job to earn money for your family. Please understand." I stare at my mom. "Fine!" I yell. "Thank you." she says relieved. When I walk into my class, I look around. I felt nervous.
  
  My teacher came up to me and spoke to my mom. "Hello, I am this classes teacher." He said to her. Then I stopped listening, it sounded like a big blur. I went to an empty chair. I looked at my group and saw a silver haired girl with deep crystal blue eyes. "Hi! My name is Naomi! What is your name?" She seemed innocent and sweet. "Kei" I replied.
  
  She smiled at me, "Nice to meet you Kei." She gave me the brightest smile I have ever seen. "Right back at you." I said like an idiot. I felt like giving myself a facepalm. We started talking, and then we found out that our moms know each other and they are close friends. I felt happy.
  
  > The festival
  Finally, the day of the festival has arrived. I have been waiting to go to go to the festival with Naomi. We promised that we would go every year together when we were still in kindergarten. We went for 5 years now together, today is our 6th year. We are 10 years old now. I was getting dressed to leave. I was imagining Naomi in a Yukata this year, just the thought of it made me blush slightly.
  
  My parents were getting my younger sister, Emiko and younger brother, Ryo dressed, they are twins. They don't look to much alike since they aren't the same gender. I finished dressing so I ran to the bathroom to check my hair and use some mouth wash, I don't want bad breath on my "Date".
  
  My parents finally finished dressing the two devilish twins. Emiko looked adorable wearing her Yukata. Ryo was still pretty cute, obviously he wouldn't wear a Yukata. We headed out the door and got into the car. I was excited to go to the festival this year since we are a bit older now.
  
  > Snow day
  Today I looked out my window and saw that there was a lot of snow outside. I knew it would be a snow day, so to make sure, I checked the news. "Due to the massive amount of snow, school has been cancelled." The news forecast has said. I was so happy, I knew I could hang out with Naomi all day. Right now, we are 13 years old.
  
  I grabbed a pair of warm jeans and a sweater then grabbed my winter jacket and gloves and scarf. "I'm going to Naomi's house!" I yelled to my mom who was in the kitchen. "Alright, just be back before 5:00 PM, dinner will be ready by then. You can invite Naomi." My mom had said. I nodded to her and ran out the door and ran 5 blocks to Naomi's house, thank god she lives near us.
  
  I rung Naomi's doorbell and she opened up. "Oh, hi Kei" She said smiling. I smiled back. "I was just coming to see if you wanted to play in the snow with me." I told her. She nodded and told me to come in and said to sit on the couch. I sat on the couch waiting for her to get ready. When she came down we went and played in the snow. "Kei," She said softly. "Yeah?" She said nothing for a few seconds then finally spoke, "If I were ever to leave, not as if I were moving, what would you do?"
  
  > tell her she is being stupid for saying that
  I was surprised for what she had said. "Don't be stupid Naomi." I said. "You will never leave like that, at least I won't let you." I said a bit annoyed. Naomi looked a bit surprised then smiled, "Of course, Kei." I looked into her eyes. The way she asked me was like she was being a 5 year old again. She used to ask me that a few times when we were younger, I never knew what she meant.
  
  "Kei," Naomi started. "Yeah?" I replied. She started to tear up a bit and quickly wiped them away. "Can you stay by my side forever?" She asked. I was puzzled, what did she mean? First she tears up as if she lost someone and then asks me to stay by her side. "Of course, Naomi" I replied. "One more question, Kei." I looked at her. "Would you miss me?"
  
  I just stared at her. Frozen. What should I do? What should I say? I wondered. She had a very serious look on her face as if she were saying it was going to happen.
  
  > Of course
  I stared at her for a moment. "Of course, I would miss you Naomi. You are my best friend, we were best friends since we were little." I blushed a bit. She nodded at me then said, "Okay." She gave me a big bright smile. I smiled back at her. "Naomi," I started. "Yes?" She curiously said. "What do you mean by that anyway?" It was quiet for a moment. "Well," She started.
  
  I looked at her. "It's a secret, Kei. I can't tell you. But promise me this," Naomi looked down for a moment. "Just promise me, that regardless of what happens, just forget about me." I was shocked. "What the hell are you talking about Naomi? I can never forget about you!" I shouted a bit, I was a bit mad at what she had said to me.
  
  She stared at me, also looking shocked. Then she smiled. "Please Kei, for me." She started to tear up a lot again, It made me want to tear up. "Fine, Naomi." I looked down, not knowing what else I could have said. I looked at her a bit then, I saw she was crying. What's going on?
  
  > Halloween
  Today is Halloween. I can't wait to go trick or treating with Naomi. Even though we are a bit older now so it's awkward. But it's okay since we look a bit younger then we really are. Although that is kind of weird. For Halloween, I'm going to dress as a zombie, I'm not going to be one of those kids who dress as pirates or Superman or Spiderman or anything dumb like that.
  
  Naomi said that she would dress as a zombie cheerleader, which is a coincidence since I'm going to be a zombie and she is a zombie cheerleader. It's as if we died together. I started to get dressed into my costume but then I heard the doorbell. I knew it was Naomi so I started to dress faster. I heard her voice and I quickly ran downstairs.
  
  My mom was talking to Naomi in the kitchen. She then saw me. "Oh, hey Kei." Naomi said. "Hey." I said back. My mom turned to face me. "Be back before 11:00 PM. And don't do anything weird. Alright? Me and your dad will be helping the twins trick or treating so here are the keys." She handed me the keys. "Alright mom, Bye."
  
  We headed out the door and Naomi looked nice as a zombie cheerleader when I got a good look at her. "Are you ready to eat some brains?" She asked me smiling. I laughed a bit and then said "Of course, zombie Naomi." We both laughed and then we ran off to gather some candy. That was our last Halloween together.
  
  > Christmas
  Christmas. The day where you meet family and friends and give one another presents and some say "Santa" visits. Although I don't believe in that baby stuff. I knew it was my parents all along, I saw them setting up the presents but I kept the act going so they wouldn't get upset that I knew and they thought I might tell the twins that when they are 8 years old.
  
  Naomi's family was coming over. I couldn't wait. My grandparents were also coming and my aunts and uncles too. It was going to be one of the best Christmas' ever. I got out of my pajamas and put on a ugly Christmas sweater that my parents had gotten me to wear and a pair of nice jeans.
  
  I waited and waited for them to come, then I heard a doorbell so I ran to see that it was Naomi and her family. "Merry Christmas." Naomi's parents had said. "Merry Christmas." My parents said back to them. I looked at Naomi and she smiled. "Merry Christmas." We said together and we both laughed a bit.
  
  I wish that day could have lasted, because it was my last Christmas with Naomi. The last happy Christmas we had together. Now it was only me and my family members.
  
  > The Hospital
  It was a Tuesday, August 15, 2015. I was in the kitchen eating some French Toast that my mom had prepared for me and the twins. It was a normal day, until we got a phone call. "Can you go get that please, Kei?" My mom asked me. "Sure." I replied. I ran to get the phone and I picked up. "Hello?" I said. I heard some people in the background crying a bit.
  
  It was silent for a moment then someone said "Yes, hello. Kei?" I knew who it was, it was Naomi's mom. "Yes?" I was wondering what was happening. "Kei, I have bad news. Naomi is in the hospital, she isn't feeling well." I froze. What does she mean by that? "W-what do you mean?" I startled. "Come to the hospital." Then I heard the phone get turned off.
  
  I ran into the kitchen and told my mom to drive me to the hospital. "What for?" She asked. "Naomi is there, she isn't feeling well." I replied. She looked worried so she grabbed on her coat as fast as possible and picked up both of the twins and woke up my dad to leave. We all got ready and left.
  
  > At the hospital
  When we got there, we asked which room she is in and we ran inside the room. Naomi looked pale, she was breathing hard. When her family saw me, they told my parents to leave the room for a second. "We'll give you two some room." Her dad had said. Then the door shut. I sat next to Naomi.
  
  I looked at her. "I'm glad you came Kei." I nodded. "I would obviously come, Naomi." I replied. "Remember when we were younger, and we had that Snow Day?" I asked. She nodded. "Is that why you asked me those questions?" She nodded again. "Kei, I'm sorry for not telling you, but I was sick all this time. The doctors couldn't cure me and I had gotten worse during Christmas last year." She told me.
  
  I saw her tearing up, so did I. "Kei. Will you miss me?" She asked one last time. "Yes, Naomi. Remember when I said I will forget you?" She nodded. "I lied, I can't forget you, Naomi." She started to cry and so did I. "She started breathing really heavily again. "I always loved you Naomi." I said. She nodded then replied, "So did I, Kei." Then she told me to come closer.
  
  When I got closer, we kissed. And then, she wasn't moving. I started crying a lot more now. "I'll miss you." I said holding her hand. I was crying a lot now, I couldn't stop. And when I looked at her face, I saw that she passed on smiling. so I smiled.