RIHLA #22

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There was a little girl sitting on a park swing crying because her parents were working and they could not spend time together for her birthday. They did not have a lot of money; therefore, she received no present from them. She had a best friend named Aaron and he lived right across the street from the park. On that day he looked out his window and saw his friend sitting on the swing with her face covered. Aaron ran outside to see if she was okay. Once he got there he asked her why she wasn't at home celebrating her birthday with her parents. She did not move or say anything to him. Aaron finally realized that her parents were not going to spend the day with her. He looks around and gets an idea. He started to make a doll out of some grass and twigs. They both knew that it was not the best or even the prettiest gift, but it was the thought that counted. He thought it would make her laugh and cheer her up a bit. Aaron showed her what he made for her and sure enough she giggled when she saw it and told Aaron that she loved it and that she was glad he was her best friend. As the years past on Aaron and the girl stayed close friends. Eventually the girl begins to have feeling for Aaron and she tells him, but Aaron says that he does not want to ruin their friendship. So the girl says that she is fine with that. A few years later they are sitting in their college library studying and she brings up her birthday, like she does every year, he said that he will remember the first gift he ever gave her. A couple of days past and she did not see her best friend. She thought maybe he was doing something special for her birthday. On her birthday she received a letter telling her to go to the hotel on Dayton and to go to room 45. She did. But she did not see Aaron. There were presents all over the room and they all had her name on it. She thought that Aaron was hiding, so she looked behind the window curtain, but he was not there. She looked to her left and saw a letter on the table and it had her name on it. The letter said, Dear girls I know you are expecting me to pop out somewhere and yell surprise, but I will not because I am not here. You see a few months back the doctor told me I had a brain tumor and would only live for another month. I was so afraid I would miss your birthday, which was in three months. I wanted this year to be the best year for us, but it is not going to happen. I do not want to miss any one your birthdays, so around the room are presents for the years to come. Please do not cheat and open them all right now. Please do not be sad or mad that I did not invite you to my funeral. I could not have you crying more than my mom. I love you more than a best friends and I should have told you that before I left you here alone. sincerely Aaron. In the back on the note were pictures of her and Aaron. She got into bed and looked at the pictures of her and her best friend and cried for a long time. The end

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