Based on the true story of one of my best friends.

...

Alexis ambled out of Dr. Crowler's classroom, her last class of the day, and stepped into the mainstream flow of hallway traffic that flooded the hallway at the end of the day. She pushed her way through the massive surge of red, yellow, and blue blurs until she found a relatively calm hallway. She leaned her back against the cool wall, staring at the oblivious students rushing by in both directions. The sound of their yelling, laughing, and footsteps pounded deafeningly against the walls.

Alexis closed her eyes, and in a second, the noise disappeared. She took a long, deep breath through her nose. She stayed there for about a minute, taking a moment of silence.

"Alexis, what are you doing?"

Alexis opened her eyes, and her moment of peaceful tranquility was gone. The mute button turned off and the pulsing sounds of the student body rebounded against her ear drums once again.

She turned her gaze down at the expectant blunette. "I was taking a moment of silence," she answered.

"What for?" Syrus asked. "Did something happen?"

"A few years ago, yeah," Alexis explained. "I used to live in America, and on this day in 2001, terrorists attacked one of the major cities, and the capital as well. Thousands of people were killed, and it's the main reason why America and Iraq are at war today."

"Oh, yeah," Syrus said. "I remember that. Did you know someone who died?"

"No," Alexis said, shaking her head slightly, "but I still take a moment of silence every year on this day."

"Oh," Syrus said with a thoughtful expression. Then he smiled, "Maybe I'll take a moment of silence, too."

"That's a really nice idea, Syrus," Alexis smiled. "Thanks." She looked around suddenly with a thoughtful expression. "Hey, do you know where Jaden is? He hasn't been in class all day. I don't think he even went to lunch, even though it was 'Sandwich Draw' day."

"He wandered off after breakfast," Syrus sighed sadly. "He seemed really bummed about something."

"I'm sure he's fine, but I'll go look for him," Alexis said, trying to cheer up the short blunette. "See you later, Sy."

"See ya."

Alexis watched him disappear into the crowd with a small smile. She closed her eyes again.

I pray for the thousands who lost their lives, and their families.

She opened her eyes again and worked her way into the mainstream flow of the hallway.

Alexis found herself outside. She worked her way away from the main campus buildings and started heading towards the Slifer dorm building.

She had nearly reached the Red dorms when she spotted a mop of Reese-colored hair and a red jacket sitting by the cliffs next to the dorms. She walked over and stood behind him, nearly positive that he had noticed her presence, even though he made no move to acknowledge her. After a short moment's hesitation, she sat down next to the normally animated brunette.

Jaden had a far-off look on his face, and he hugged his knees tightly to his chest as if he were holding on for dear life.

"Have you been out here all ay?" Alexis asked conversationally. Jaden stayed silent and continued to stare at the small white caps breaking on the ocean's surface. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Do you remember where you were?" he asked suddenly.

"When?"

"Today," he muttered, "on nine-eleven."

"You lived in the U.S., too?" Alexis asked in slight shock. He nodded slowly to affirm. "Wait, how'd you know I'm from America?"

He shrugged stiffly. "You've talked about it before," he said shortly, his gaze never parting from the shimmering the ocean's horizon.

They sat in silence for a moment, taking in the sounds of the seagulls flying and the crash of the waves against the base o the cliff they were currently sitting on.

Jaden broke the silence with a sigh. "So," he said after a moment, "do you?"

Alexis took a moment to recall what Jaden had asked before nodding slightly. She leaned backwards, using her palms t steady herself on the grass.

"Yeah, I do," she said finally. "I stayed home from school that day because my parents were going to take me and Atty to the zoo."

Alexis sighed, mentally replaying the day in her head. "I just remember being in the kitchen with my mom when I heard a glass break," she continued. "She had dropped her glass and was staring at the television with a petrified look on her face. The news was on, telling the public that the North Tower of the World Trade Center had been hit by a plane. Soon after, we watched live as the second plane hit." Alexis noticed Jaden's slight flinch and paused shortly before continuing. "At the time, I didn't really understand the magnitude of what had happened." Alexis sighed and put more pressure on her palms after adjusting her position on the ground. She turned her gaze towards the brunette next to her. "What about you?"

Jaden took a moment before answering, attempting to get his breathing steady, if only for a short while. "I was at school. Our classroom was on the second floor; my teacher was Mr. Kent. I remember being in line at the door – I was third in line – getting ready for gym class. The music teacher, Mr. Mattingly, ran up the stairs – they were right outside our classroom – and said to my teacher, 'Did you hear? Two planes just hit the World Trade Center.' At the time, I thought nothing of it; I didn't even know what the World Trade Center was," he said with a bitter laugh. "Anyway, we went to gym, and I forgot about it…until after gym when I got called down to the office. My dad was there…"

Jaden took a deep, shuddering breath, his knuckles white as he clutched his knees even tighter. Alexis rubbed his back in an attempt to calm him. She felt him take another long breath before he started again.

"My mom had been on a three week business trip in Boston. She was supposed to come home that day. I talked to her on the phone the day before. She said, 'I'll be home soon, Jay. I miss you so much.' 'I miss you too, Mom,' I answered. 'I'll see you tomorrow.' My dad had even made reservations at my favorite restaurant to welcome her home," Jaden said, smiling a bit from nostalgia. His brief smile, however, faded in the blink of an eye. "She was on United Flight 175, the second plane that hit the South Tower. I remember where I was," Jaden said softly, a tear trickling down his cheek. "I remember exactly where I was when my mother died."

And then he broke down, silently sobbing into the blonde Obelisk's shoulder. Alexis stayed with him and her shoulder gradually became damper by the minute, though she ignored it. She whispered calming words into the distraught Slifer's ear and rubbed his back soothingly in slow circles.

Well after sundown, Alexis coaxed the brunette into standing and she walked him back to his dorm room. She waited until she saw Syrus and Hassleberry welcome him inside before walking away from the Slifer dorms.

Most of the students were at there dorms by now, so Alexis encountered only a couple of students before she found herself at the Obelisk dorms.

She unlocked her room and slipped inside, closing the door behind her. She leaned her back against the closed door, feeling the damp cloth on her shoulder. She heard the muffled sounds of Obelisk students in the hallway and neighboring rooms.

Alexis closed her eyes, and in a second, the noise disappeared. She took a long, deep breath through her nose. She stayed there for about a minute, taking a moment of silence.

And this time, in addition to the thousands of lives lost, she prayed for one more.

...

In memory of those who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. This story is written in dedication to the aforementioned and their families.

September 11, 2001, we will never forget.