Thanks for giving my short story a chance =D Reviews would be wonderful!

I would always remember the little pathway, nestled in between the biggest pine trees in the park by my house that led down to the lake. It was a tiny path that if you didn't know where to look for it you'd probably never find it. Worn out by years of young feet tramping up and down in as it swerved around trees and over boulders too big to be moved, it was a substantial part of my childhood. When I needed to think about something important, or I just needed to get away from everything in my life for a little bit I would walk down that familiar path to the lake. My best friend and I had built a small bench by the waters edge, and I always sat there and watched the sun sink below the horizon on any night I had the chance. Tonight was one of those nights.

It was nearing the end of summer vacation, and if that wasn't disappointing enough it was going to be the start of my junior year. I knew in a way I should be excited, but there was nothing but sadness occupying the interior of my heart. How could I be happy when my best friend was going away to college? I was sitting on the bench we had made so many summers ago, and the memory tugged at my heart making me sigh and lean forward with my head in my hands. I always knew this day would someday come, when Axel left for college and left me brokenhearted and alone, but I never wanted to think about it. For some reason I had hoped that if I just never brought up that he was leaving he wouldn't. But unfortunately, life wasn't quite like that. In fact, as life would have it, the day that I had been dreading in my heart for so long was actually happening tomorrow, and at exactally 8:15 in the morning Axel would be boarding his plane for New York City. He was going to be at Columbia University as an art major for the next 4 years, and being the poor college kid that he was about to become he could only afford to fly back to our small hometown in Colorado once a year for Christmas, if he was lucky.

Now, don't get me wrong, I was so thrilled that Axel had gotten into such a great college and was going to make something of himself; the only thing I didn't like was the fact that I was getting left behind. But, I guess that's the kind of thing that happens when your best friend is two years ahead of you academically. He was actually three years older than me, but we never talked about that much because it seemed weird. Axel always seemed to act younger than he really was and I was sometimes so serious and calm Axel always thought I was older.

But now, sitting here by myself on our bench, none of that mattered. In my hands I held a half sheet of cardstock paper with confetti and streamers printed on around the edges for decoration. The words written in bold Ariel font contrasted against the white of the paper, staring up at me in defiance.

Please join us in celebrating the high school graduation of Axel Sumner!

I didn't bother looking over the information about where he lived and when to RSVP, it seemed useless to me since it had already passed anyways. But for me, this was the last piece of Axel I had been given, and ironically it was the very thing that reminded me he was leaving me for what felt like good. I wanted to scream out across the lake about how unfair this was. I wanted to disturb the silence around me like Axel's leaving was disturbing and screwing with my life. But more than anything I wanted to tell him how much he meant to me before he left. My cousin Sora had told me to tell him months ago, but I had always chickened out whenever I tried. Sora didn't understand how hard this was for me though. He was always so outgoing, and most importantly seemed to have always had Riku by his side, completely and madly in love with him. I sighed and folded the paper neatly and placed it back into my pocket.

I heard a rustling in the bushes behind me and out stumbled that goofy red head I had just been thinking about. He was so tall he always seemed to get himself stuck in every branch or bush, and I always laughed at him, like I was right now.

"Damn it, every time! You'd think that at least once I could get down this freaking path without getting attacked by nature." He flopped down on the bench beside me defeated yet again by Mother Nature. "So, what's up?"

I blinked for a moment, looking out at the lake. Did he even remember he was leaving tomorrow, or was acting casual like nothing was different was his way of cooping with nerves and stress?

"Nothing much man, how 'bout you? Ready for your flight tomorrow?" His face fell as he looked out across the lake along with me.

"Yeah I guess, but I don't understand what the big deal is, why everyone has to focus on that." I turned to look at him, a bit taken aback.

"W-well it's just, it is a big deal." He cut me off before I could continue, and I knew he cared about this more than he was letting on.

"No, it's not. People leave all the time, especially for college, and this town acts like I'm never coming back. My aunt told me good luck on the rest of my life, as if I'll never see her again. She lives three houses down from me, and when ever I come back to visit I'll see her."

I didn't know what to say anything for a moment, the last of the rays of sun were dipping below the horizon, marking the end of another day, my last day with Axel for a long time. "Don't take it personally Ax, it's just everyone's going to miss you, I know I will. I mean, who else will act idiotic around me and make me laugh till my sides hurt? It's not like I have a reserve of best friends waiting to replace you." This got him to smile and laugh and I felt myself relax a little.

"Yeah, I guess you're right, it's just sometimes I feel like-" His phone buzzed loudly in his pocket and he fumbled to get it out and answer it.

"Hello? … Yeah mom I'm down by the lake…. Yeah I'll be home soon…Oh you wont me home now? …Ok ok, don't shout I'll be there in a second hold on!" He flipped his phone shut and stood up as he slid it into his pocket. "Sorry Roxas, but I've got to cut this short. My mom's freaking out over whether or not I've packed everything, even though I'm pretty sure we bought out everything the stores have this week."

"Oh ok, that's fine, don't forget to call me when you get settled at your big fancy university." He smiled and told me he would as he started for the path.

"Oh wait, Ax, what was it you were going to tell me?" He turned back but looked out at the lake instead of me.

"Well it's just, sometimes I feel like no one's going to miss me, no matter how many times they say they will. I feel like come the end of summer the name Axel will just be a distant memory that few people remember. That's all." And without another word he disappeared into the woods, clumsily making his way up the path that was much too short for him.

I sat there looking after the place he had just been in disbelief. No one would miss Axel? That wasn't true.

I knew I would.