The Goodbye Note

Chapter 25

Songs I recommend for this chapter Truth Be Told  by Matthew West and My Everything by Ariana Grande.

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Emma-

Seventh Grade

Have you ever thought of the worst things that can happen? I mean we all have. During the worst times we think of the best possibility and the worst. And even in times when nothing is wrong, we still think of the worst possibilities. Emily would disagree with me, but just because she disagrees aloud doesn't mean she doesn't think the worst.

Usually twins get tired of each other and make different friends, me and Em are nothing like that. We love each other so much it's not healthy. We're like conjoined twins but without the conjoined part. We are opposite but together we are one. That's why we just get along so well.

I'm more of the risk taker, she's more of the careful one. I mean there's nothing wrong with being careful, but it's just not who I am. Mack, Xander, Dan, and Em all want to do a time capsule. They said to put something precious inside. They said to really think about it. So I did. And I also thought of the worst things. Death. The only thing I fear. Mom says we shouldn't be scared because when our time comes it comes, but that doesn't make me any less scared. Which is exactly why I'm writing a note for the time capsule. A note that'll tell Emily the truth. That our parents have been lying to us. Someone threatened my life. They told me if I told Emily the truth they would kill me. And again I don't fear anything except dying.

I'm going to tell Emily the truth when we turn eighteen. But with my life threatened I need to be smart. God forbid I don't make it to eighteen, I have everything she needs to know in this note. I know I'm being ridiculous because children dying young doesn't happen often, but Em needs to know incase of anything. Because life is unpredictable. And anything can happen.

"Emma, do you have what you want to put in the capsule?" Emily asks as she walks into my room. Her blond hair is at her shoulders, she hates it. She's mad she cut it, I think she looks older.

"Yeah." I reply back. Her dark eyes meet mine.

"Are you going to tell me what you're putting in?" She asks me, she's always been curious. And happy. Emily doesn't like crying. She said she feels weak. I've only seen her cry a few times, like when our grandma died. Or her goldfish, Hannah Montana. I cry over simple things like when I cracked my brand new phone screen or when my favorite shirt ripped when I fell off my bike. But I didn't really cry when our grandma died. She's tougher in a way. And I admire her for that.

"Can't say, and hopefully will never have to." I add the last part so only I can hear. We agreed that we would dig up the capsule right before we all leave for college. It seems so far from now, but time flies. We decided that we would dig the capsule behind our favorite diner. There is a big meadow behind the place.

We decided that we would all meet at the meadow at two, it's almost one thirty. Knowing Emily she'll want to leave now, but knowing me we'll argue until the time I want and then we leave. We don't really fight, and when we do it's over silly things, like who Mack likes better, or which pizza topping taste better. I check my watch, it's one forty-five. "Em, let's go!"

"I've been ready!" She screams from downstairs I grab the note and meet her at the front door. "Mom! Dad! We'll be back by three!" She yells.

"Okay have fun girls!" Mom yells back, "Be safe and make good choices." we roll our eyes at the same time, she says that every time.

We ride our bikes the whole way there, we're the first ones. Xander probably stopped for food from the gas station. Mack cycles slow so she'll be the last one. And Dan is just slower than me and Emily.

Once all of our friends have arrived, in my predicted order, Dan gets the box that we'll be using. Xander looks super cute today in his superman hoodie and sweatpants. Mack grabs a shovel, where did she get that from? As she starts to dig her auburn hair falls in her face, she pauses and puts in a ponytail, then continues. It takes an hour to dig a hole big enough for the box. Everyone decided to keep what they're putting in a secret. We agreed that it'll be more exciting to dig out if we don't know what the others put in. Mack puts her item in first, then Dan, then Xander, then Emily, and lastly me. I put the note in but I shove everyone's things to make sure the note is on the bottom. Xander puts the dirt on top and puts a large stone on top.

"What's the stone for?" Em asks.

"So we remember where we put it." Xander is so smart. I wish he noticed me, but I'll just be his best friend forever. I put on makeup everytime I see him, because he'll notice me eventually I just know it. "I think this calls for some smoothies and fries, anyone else in."

I'm the first to answer, "Me!"

Em rolls her eyes, "Which means me also." And then Mack and Dan both agree. These are my favorite days, the days I'll remember until I'm too old to remember. And by that time Emily will know the truth about our family, she won't be happy that I kept it a secret, but she'll be happy that I told her. She forgives me and only me easily. But with anyone else she's as stubborn as a thorn in a dog's paw.

When we enter the diner we go straight to our spot. The booth in the back. Em slides in, then me, then Mack. Across from us Dan slides in then Xander. I can't wait until they can't sit next to each other, maybe then Xander would sit next to me. Or even look at me. We all order extra large fries, to share, and our own drinks. Mack gets a tea, Em gets an iced coffee, Xander get blue Gatorade, Dan gets Coke, and I get lemonade. This is our normal order, the waitress knows it by heart. She even gives a discount because we're regulars. I like her very much, she is very kind. Everyone at the table is talking about going surfing after this, I don't chime in. I never liked surfing, I'm not sure why but I just never have. The ocean really has never been my favorite thing, it's such an unpredictable thing.

My mind travels to the note I put in the time capsule. Will we even remember the capsule when we're in high school? I hope so, but what I need to tell Em is important. Our family has kept secrets, but this, this secret is something that shouldn't be kept. The only reason I know is because I heard dad yelling at mom about it. Mom was crying. I guess they found out that I knew, and one of them got some man to threaten me. I'm only twelve, I'm too young to die, so I thought the man was joking. But he wasn't.

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Now we know where the note is and we kind of know why it's so important, now how long until Emily realizes it's in the time capsule? I can't wait for all of you to see the outcome. The story is nearing the end. We still have at least eight chapters left but it still makes me sad to think that this will all soon be over. But for now see you on the next page!

Lots of love, emma(the author not the character)