And Now She's Gone | Teen Ink

And Now She's Gone

September 25, 2009
By TeamJacobArchuleta ELITE, Chicago, Illinois
TeamJacobArchuleta ELITE, Chicago, Illinois
183 articles 7 photos 484 comments

Favorite Quote:
He's the one I call in the middle of the night. He's the one who makes everything alright. He loves me with no regret...I just haven't found him yet.


I saw her walking down the street yesterday. She looked beautiful as ever. Tomorrow is her birthday. I was going to go up and tell her Happy Birthday, but decided not to.
Yeah, I still remember her birthday. And I'm sure she still remembers mine too. Birthdays never change.
And even though she'll be turning sixteen tomorrow, I can still remember when we were twelve, when we first met each other.
I had just moved in next door and was a bit shy. I wasn't always the best at making friends, but she was my complete opposite. When Natalie saw me, standing outside, watching the mover guys unpack our stuff, she waltzed right up to me and said "Hi, I'm Natalie! What's your name?" She was bright and cheerful.
And beautiful, in her own way. She had blond hair that came just past her shoulders and bright blue eyes that were clear as day. But the thing I loved most about her was her smile. It was like the sun beneath a layer of darkness. It was amazing.
"David," I mumured. Like I said, I was shy.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, David." she said politely, holding out her hand for me to shake.
I took it and shook lightly. Then she cracked up laughing. "I'm never this polite! I'm just copying off how my mom greets people. But you should see me in real life!"
Her laugh was exuberant and care-free. Like she didn't care what anyone thought of her. She was herself, and proud of it.
"You wanna come down by the pond with me?" she asked.
"Sure," I agreed, a bit unsure of myself.
But she grabbed my hand and led me down towards the pond. Once we were there she slid off her shoes and waded in the pond, sighing in relaxation as the water cooled off her legs, which were hot in the blazing summer sun.
"Come on in, the water's fine!" she called to me. I hesitated before slipping off my own shoes and stepping into the cool water, which was like heaven on my scorching legs.
I closed my eyes, relaxing for a moment, but a burst of cold water in my face caused me to open them back up. When I looked at Natalie, she was cracking up. "Oh, you think that's funny?" I challenged, beginning to loosen up around her. I splashed her back, "Now, that was funny!"
We both laughed and splashed each other for what seemed like hours. I'd never opened myself up this much to anyone. But Natalie had a certain way of breaking through the outer shell.
Ever since that day, we've been best friends. We would go out to the pond, or to each other's houses, or to the park pretty much every day.
We would play pretend games, like one where she was a princess and I was her knight in shining armor. And I would have to go and rescure her from the evil king. But she would always end up pretending to be a knight too, saying that being a princess was too boring.I also loved to draw, so we'd pretend that I was a famour artist. And I would sketch her portrait.
We'd also tried making a "phone" out of two rolls of string and two tin cans. Then she would open up her bedroom window and I'd open up mine, which were across from each other. We each one end of the "phone" and tried to talk to each other from our seperate houses. Our "phone" actually ended up working. We were so proud of ourselves.
And I remember that once, while we were down by the pond, she told me that she thought I really would become a famous artist some day. And I drew a sketch of her, down by the pond. It had been the last sketch I'd drawn of her, and by far the best.
And that same day, right after drawing the sketch, she kissed me on the cheek.
We'd had so much fun together.
But then summer ended and eighth grade started. I would see her in the hallways with all of her friends and I would try to say hi to her, but all she'd give me was a simple wave.
She was friends with all of the popular girls at school. She looked like one of the populars too. She wore preppy clothing like them, instead of the normal t-shirt and cut-offs she would wear during the summer. And she had hair straightened every day. In the summer, she would just sweep it back into a quick pony tail.She also wore make-up, which I'd never seen her wear.
And as eighth grade went by, she became less and less friendly. Less and less like herself. She began ignoring all of my calls. And never answering the door when I rang her doorbell. Once, her front door was open and only her screen door was closed. So I walked up and rang the doorbell while she was sitting on the couch, watching TV. You could see the couch from the door, so I looked right at her and waved. She looked at me, stood up, and walked upstairs.
Since that day, I haven't been going to her house anymore.
The summer after eighth grade ended was extremely boring for me. I only got to talk to her once. It was when her new best friend, Lauren, the most stuck-up girl in school, was away on vacation. I rang her doorbell once, just to see if she'd answer. To my surprise, she did. So I asked if she wanted to walk down to the pond.
She scoffed and said that the pond was full of fish and other "unmentionables", as she put it. But she agreed to take a walk down to the park. Most of the way there it was silent between us. I didn't know what to say to her anymore. She used to be so easy to talk to, but now she was like a whole different person.
When we got there, we sat on the swings, and then I finally broke the silence.
"Why don't we ever hang out anymore?" I'd asked.
"I don't know." she replied.
We didn't speak to each other anymore. But as we were walking back home, her hand accidently brushed against mine. But what I felt wasn't just the warm touch of a friend. It was different, electric almost.
I knew she felt it too, but none of us mentioned it. After that, we didn't see each other again. Until high school started.
Now in the hallways, I didn't even recieve a wave when I said hi to her. So I didn't bother to say hi anymore.
But I still missed the fun we used to have. The pretend games, going to the pond, all of it. But maybe Natalie had just matured, grown up. Maybe I was just immature.
At night, I'd watch her walk out of the house with her friends and head off somewhere in one of their older boyfriend's cars. I hadn't ever had a girlfriend.
Natalie had five boyfriends a month. And every single one of them was a popular, cocky jock.
Since I didn't really have any good friends, besides a couple of guys in some of my classes who I rarely talked to, I focused mainlyon my art. I'd entered a piece into the art festival at school. To my pleasure, I'd won first prize.
So at the art festival, after everyone had recieved their prizes, I was shocked to see her there.I remembered hearing one of her more distant friend's names be called for third runner up. That was probably the only reason she'd shown up.
She was surrounded by her group of friends. And they began walking up the aisles of art,glancing at each piece, not exactly interested.
But when Natalie got to my piece she stopped. She studied this one more closely and I knew she remembered it.
A girl with bright blue eyes and shoulder-length blonde hair, sitting on a log in front of the pond. Her smile was wide and filled withjoy.
Shedidn't wear anymake-up and her hair was pulled into a loose pony tail.
But she was beautiful anyway.
"What a gay drawing," one of her friend's scoffed.
"Well what do you expect? All guy artists are gay!"another one laughed.
Natalie looked at me for a moment, our eyes meeting. And I felt that same electricity as when I'd brushed hands with her on the way back home from the park.
She remembered the painting. I could see it in her eyes. She remembered that day at the pond. The day she'd kissed me on the cheek.
"Yeah, that's just about the gayest thing I've ever seen!" she chuckled haughtily before walking off.
And that's when I knew that I was the one who'd matured, not Natalie. She wasn't even herself anymore.
That's when I knew that she was gone forever.


The author's comments:
This piece was mainly just inspired by one of my friends, who I'd lost due to popularity. I wasn't in love with the person (she was a girl), but I thought that this would make a good short story.

Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 28 comments.


on Oct. 5 2011 at 10:25 am
NKsunshine BRONZE, Palatine, Illinois
1 article 0 photos 75 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I don't need easy, I just need possible!" ~Bethany Hamilton

It was strong, it was simple and it was real(:

on Jul. 15 2010 at 1:19 pm
CrazyWriter GOLD, Lorton Station, Virginia
16 articles 2 photos 102 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Once you have given up on the most important thing in your life, you begin to die, because then, you gradually lose your true self"~Hana Kimi
"Someone who can lie to themself. . . is lonely, and in pain"~Hana Kimi

aww   i can relate to this .nice job

on Jun. 15 2010 at 1:42 am
Savvy_ PLATINUM, Houston, Texas
21 articles 11 photos 43 comments

Favorite Quote:
Call up the locksmith,
Tell him we need him quick,
We've got a million keys,
None of them seem to fit.

This was realistic :] I liked it. I expect things like this to happen in real life.

on May. 19 2010 at 9:08 am
esmeralda BRONZE, Oak Park, Illinois
2 articles 0 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
"you know your inlove when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." dr suess "you are my glue without you, id be nothing but broken peices" miley cyrus
"when i saw yo i fell inlove, and you smiled because you knew"

ok that kinda depressed me in as good of a way it could have!

on Mar. 29 2010 at 3:43 pm
TeamJacobArchuleta ELITE, Chicago, Illinois
183 articles 7 photos 484 comments

Favorite Quote:
He's the one I call in the middle of the night. He's the one who makes everything alright. He loves me with no regret...I just haven't found him yet.

oh really? which one did u read ec+am=4ever or vampire chronicles? or was it one of my poems?

on Mar. 28 2010 at 3:30 pm
SarClark BRONZE, NC, Connecticut
2 articles 0 photos 534 comments
Wait!!! Ididn't k that this was by u i read sumn else by u 2

twiwrite GOLD said...
on Feb. 24 2010 at 2:41 pm
twiwrite GOLD, Modesto, California
14 articles 0 photos 111 comments

Favorite Quote:
none :P

:'( aaawwww. thats sad...

on Feb. 7 2010 at 8:59 am
SarClark BRONZE, NC, Connecticut
2 articles 0 photos 534 comments
Yeah, but I wish Natalie stayed the same...

on Jan. 28 2010 at 5:34 pm
TeamJacobArchuleta ELITE, Chicago, Illinois
183 articles 7 photos 484 comments

Favorite Quote:
He's the one I call in the middle of the night. He's the one who makes everything alright. He loves me with no regret...I just haven't found him yet.

yeah, it sucks but this happens to lots of people :(

i'm glad u like it though :)

on Jan. 27 2010 at 5:56 pm
lily1411 BRONZE, Fargo, North Dakota
2 articles 0 photos 69 comments

Favorite Quote:
Absence sharpens love, presence strengthens it.

--Benjamin Franklin

I think that anyone (well, maybe...no, probably not:P) has experienced something like this. I know I have. This just bleeds the truth:) Keep writing like this

on Jan. 15 2010 at 12:09 pm
TeamJacobArchuleta ELITE, Chicago, Illinois
183 articles 7 photos 484 comments

Favorite Quote:
He's the one I call in the middle of the night. He's the one who makes everything alright. He loves me with no regret...I just haven't found him yet.

yeah, it really hurts when people just...dissapear like that. that's why i wrote this, because i can relate. thanks for reading it and i'm glad you like it! :)

PoisonLove said...
on Jan. 14 2010 at 7:17 pm
PoisonLove, Roselle, New Jersey
0 articles 0 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
Lifes no always the party we hoped fr but while we're here we might as well dance.

I love your writing and this one really hit home I know what its like when some one you love and know so well turns into someone you loved and knew but there not the same not one bit but that's when you realize they really are gone forever cuz inside you really don't know them at all I know the feeling well just like te pain and the emptiness

on Nov. 26 2009 at 7:27 pm
Very inspiring. The end is very victorious!!

Why do people think a milestone like highschool supposedly means you have to change or look like others?

She might be popular,and with the ''in'' crowd..but he,with a few friends and not so popular,is far happier!

Very glad highschool didn't change me!

on Nov. 25 2009 at 9:59 pm
Soccergoalie7 SILVER, Granville, Ohio
5 articles 7 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I am a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it." -Thomas Jefferson

Wow. I love your writing style, and I really like this story. It really makes me sad, especially since I can relate to it.

on Nov. 25 2009 at 9:32 pm
LoveMeRight BRONZE, Clarksville, Tennessee
2 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
The Hardest Part of Letting Go Is Knowing You Won't Run After Me

Wow. This was amazing!

You are such a great writer. I have become captivated by all of your writings.

on Nov. 16 2009 at 9:26 pm
TeamJacobArchuleta ELITE, Chicago, Illinois
183 articles 7 photos 484 comments

Favorite Quote:
He's the one I call in the middle of the night. He's the one who makes everything alright. He loves me with no regret...I just haven't found him yet.

Thanks so much for catching that. I really agree with you on that. Most people see maturity as being an adult, or being a certain age. But I wanted to find a way to include in this story that it's not about age at all. I think that this was a good way to describe that, since lots of people can connect to this sort of situation.

Thanks for reading this, I'm glad you liked it! :)

mcw_816 SILVER said...
on Nov. 16 2009 at 6:44 pm
mcw_816 SILVER, Short Hills, New Jersey
6 articles 0 photos 26 comments
I like his revelation at the end about what maturity truly is—not a pale imitation of an adult life, but understanding of what truly matters in it.

on Oct. 22 2009 at 6:13 pm
TeamJacobArchuleta ELITE, Chicago, Illinois
183 articles 7 photos 484 comments

Favorite Quote:
He's the one I call in the middle of the night. He's the one who makes everything alright. He loves me with no regret...I just haven't found him yet.

Thanks so much! You guys are all such great fans!! :)

WoodrowS said...
on Oct. 22 2009 at 4:34 pm
This story was excellent!! I found no grammatical errors that I know of in it, which made it even better! When you said, "We would play pretend games, like one where she was a princess and I was her knight in shining armor," it made me think of the games I played with my neighbors when I was younger. We all use to pretend to be a family with magical powers, or play school...things like that. Also, when you described how she changed when 8th grade started, I thought about how that has happened in my school as well. I can really relate to your piece, and thats why I love it so much. Keep writing!!

bobally BRONZE said...
on Oct. 18 2009 at 10:37 pm
bobally BRONZE, Manchester, Missouri
4 articles 0 photos 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
"damned if you do, bored if you don't"

amazing. keep writing!!