SOMETHING THAT NEEDS A TITLE 

He first noticed her when he arrived at the house.

She wasn’t doing anything particularly interesting—just shouting at her younger brother. Something about caterpillars and disinfectant. He decided she was amusing.

The second time he noticed her was when she was coming home from school. Her backpack was loaded down and she seemed to be having problems with it. He began walking beside her and lifted it ever so slightly. She’d smiled. He’d decided that she was stubborn.

The third time he’d noticed her was when she was working on the computer. A large document was open, and he had watched her type for nearly an hour. She had smiled and cried, and then laughed so hard she fell off her chair. He decided that he liked that.

The fourth time he’d noticed her, she was in her backyard in the middle of the night, lying there with tears running down her face. He’d wandered over and sat beside her, and for the longest time all was delightfully silent as she finally slept. He decided that she was beautiful.

The fifth time he’d noticed her, she was getting out of the car. Four other people were with her, and they were all laughing and joking around. They obviously knew nothing of the night before. He decided that he didn’t like that at all.

The sixth time he’d noticed her, she’d cut her hair so short that originally, he thought she was a boy. Somehow it made her look even better than she had before. He decided that she was perfect.

The seventh time he noticed her, she was in bed all day, and he was sitting there beside her. Neither said anything at all, and he wondered if something was wrong. He decided that he’d look into it.

The eighth time he noticed her, she had been gone for over a week. She was pale and tired, and it looked as though her hair was falling out. He decided that she needed something to cheer her up.

The ninth time he noticed her was when she and her family were in the living room and she told them that she was going to die. He’d walked in without saying anything and had joined the group hug that they had enveloped themselves in. He decided that he wouldn’t leave her.

The tenth time he noticed her, she had been moved out of her home and into a care center. She worked all day on her laptop, determined to finish her book before she died. He decided that it was amazing.

The eleventh time he noticed her, it was her birthday, and despite the fact that she couldn’t even get out of bed, she was smiling and laughing with all of her friends. He decided that he wanted her happiness to stay for as long as possible.

The twelfth time he noticed her, it was ten days before Christmas. She was resting, and the final page on her laptop had two incomplete words written on it. He’d quietly finished writing The End in her book. He decided that she needed him.

The thirteenth time he noticed her, she noticed him, and she sighed. “I’ve died, haven’t I?” she asked him.

“Yes,” he replied. “But don’t be afraid.”

“I won’t,” she said, and she smiled, and then he took her into his arms and held her. They watched while her family grieved. Nothing passed her lips until everyone had left the room.

“You watched me, didn’t you?” she asked him. He nodded.

“Every day. I was…captivated by you,” he replied. “But you never noticed me.”

She smiled. “The living have a tendency to ignore the dead.”

He decided that she was right.