In Study Hall

Sitting in her study hall, Lynn thought about her best friend, Aaron. They'd only known each other for almost four months but he was the best friend she had.

Trust issues were one of Lynn's problems. In order to become even a remote friend of hers, she has to know you for close to a year. If you expected her to open up to you and tell you about everything that bothered her, hurt her, then you would have to wait two or three years before that would be considered.

Aaron was the same way. For both Aaron and Lynn their pasts made trust a rare thing. But for some reason, within a few weeks, Lynn and Aaron were becoming really good friends, despite her fear of being hurt by him.

But for four months, they had shared stories with each other, told each other about the things that scared them most, and were helping each other through the challenges that life had given them.

Aaron was a college student; Lynn still in high school, but the connection between them was something that they both felt and enjoyed. It was hard to remember that he was so much older than her when they were talking or hanging out together.

As Lynn sat in study hall, her mind was forming a list if things she wanted Aaron to know, things that, if he was dying, she would want him to know about her feelings for him and how eternally grateful she is to have know him.

The list was extensive and Lynn wished that she could share everything on that list with Aaron the next time she saw him. But, it was one thing to form the list in her head where her thoughts made perfect sense. It would be a completely different thing to try and put those thoughts into coherent sentences.

Thinking over her list, Lynn knew, without a doubt, that she cared for Aaron more than anyone else in the world. She couldn't stand the idea of losing him; nor, could she bare the idea of something, or someone, hurting him. Lynn knew Aaron's future would be bright as long as he could believe in himself the way she believed in him. In short, she loved him.

The thought scared her as much as it made her smile. Living Aaron was probably the best thing she'd ever done; but, because of her past, pare of her was scared that loving him would hurt her like loving others had hurt her. Most of her knew it wouldn't because he was the best thing that ever happened to her.

But, Lynn also knew that the same was true for Aaron. She knew that he cared for her and loved her. Slowly, together, they were working through their past and, with each others support, they were making the other's lives better.

The bell rang to dismiss Lynn from study hall. As she gathered her books from the desk and left the room, Lynn smiled to herself. "Thanks for everything, Aaron. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me."