Rachel stared out at the sunset from her sitting position on the beach thinking about where the time has gone. It felt like just yesterday they were five years old swinging on the swings and sliding down the slide. Playing in the jungle gyms and playing those childhood games. She missed those days when everything was so damn simple and easy. Than they started growing up hormones changed and when he started telling her she was so pretty instead of getting grossed out made her cheeks flush red. When his hugs were suddenly the only thing she looked forward to. Than a little but older middle school is starting cliques are being formed and you know he's being pulled toward the side you're far from. You still have the hope though that he'll fight for you're genuine friendship like he'll defend you when they say awful things about you. That he'd just fight for you in general, I mean that's every girls teenage dream anyway right? But you learn he won't fight for you than you're crying on you're bed wondering why he wouldn't. Asking the air why, why he threw years and years of memories away. Than suddenly you're in high school and he's so far out of you're reach you feel if you died tomorrow he wouldn't bother to care. Pretending when you see him in the hallway that you don't still know his favorite color or that he doesn't red sauce or pickles. But one day he notices you and you feel a spark in you ignite and your heart feels like it could beat out of your chest and fly away. You're dating, but you know he's still pining over a girl who he impregnated but didn't have enough faith in him to let him be a father. But she knew his dad walked out on him and his family, she knew he'd never walk away from his child. She watches the pain appear in his eyes when she calls him a lima loser and says she'll swear it's not his. She walks in the choir room when he's singing and he puts his guitar down and just cries she remembers he played that song over fifteen times so when he sang in front of class he wouldn't cry. She listened to all of them and quietly slipped away before he noticed she was there. Than high schools suddenly over and everything seems different. You were ready to go to New York you had been waiting for this moment all your life. But suddenly get a call from him his mother is ill and doesn't seem to responding to anything and you drop everything miss your slight and run to his side. Hold him, let him cry and mourn and you decide to stay because after all he's still your bestfriend after all these years. You guys rekindle your friendship and at twenty five it's your wedding day you walk down the aisle with your dads on each arm and you look at him and can't help but realize broadway was your dream, but what would broadway be without your inspiration? Four years down the road you're nervous because you are telling him your pregnant and last time he heard that he had to give her away. He walks in and he notices automatically somethings not right with you. You tell him the news and he looks down for a second and your heart stops. But than he picks you up and starts smiling and crying and it's the most beautiful moment you could ever imagine. The birth of your daughter is the highlight of his life when he holds her you can't help but cry. It's the happiest you have seen him in your life. You love to know that your child brought him that happiness. Soon it's six years later and you're pregnant again this time it's a boy and you know he's excited he calls him the mini me You give him his name cause you know it means the world to him, suddenly you both are watching your children get married and when you look in the mirror you see the wrinkled skin and the grey hair. When he gets sick you feel your world stop and you get scared what will you do when he's gone he's been your everything for ever. You watch him as he's laying on the hospital bed slowly fading he asks you to sing to him and you do. And suddenly he's gone, and everything just goes blank. As Rachel sits on the beach watching the sunset she gets up and walks a little further to the cemetary near the beach and kisses her fingertips and puts them to his picture smiles and walks away.
-Rest In Peace, Noah Puckerman
Husband, Father, Friend.