“I guess this is goodbye”

I could feel everyone’s eyes watching me as I slowly made my way over to Bridget. I stared at her for a moment, taking in her haunting image. She wasn’t the bright, bubbly, fun Bridget I once knew so well. This was a completely different girl. She was cold, pale, and horrifyingly thin. Her face was emotionless, no longer smiling and full of life. My heart started to race. I knew it was time to tell her and everyone else the painful truth. I opened my mouth so the words could flow out. As I spoke, my eyes started to water, but I kept my gaze glued to my best friend and her scary, changed self.

“Bridget you’re my best friend. You’ve been there for me since that day in first grade when Lucas called me a cry baby. You kicked him in the shins until a tear fell from his eye. You put your arm around me and told me that the real cry baby was Lucas. We were inseparable ever since.

We’ve been side by side throughout the challenges in our lives. You always seemed so indestructible. You were like Superman. But even Superman had kryptonite. You’re kryptonite was your image. God, Bee, you’ve always been so gorgeous. Every guy wished you were his girlfriend. Every girl wanted to be you. Why couldn’t you see your own beauty?

Bridget I know you think everyone is oblivious to what you did to yourself but they weren’t. I knew all about your bulimia. You don’t think I heard you purging every time I spent the night at your house? I tried to confront you, but you always avoided the subject. Well, now you can’t.

Bee, you ruined yourself. I don’t think I can ever understand why you would do something like that. I wish I had told you this a long time ago. But I didn’t. I’m so sorry for that and I hope you can forgive me. I love you Bee. I’ll miss you so much. You know I hate saying goodbye, but I have no choice. So I guess this is goodbye.”

The tears in my eyes seemed endless as I tried to compose myself. As I began to walk away from the one person I could always count on, I stopped for one last moment. I kissed Bridget’s icy cheek and whispered one last farewell. I placed a single white rose in my best friend’s coffin and returned to my seat, everyone’s eyes still watching me.