Matt McGuire. Although churlish and uncaring at first impression, he was the always-approachable kid.

He was popular in junior high. But not snobby popular, like all the other phonies. Sure, sometimes it seemed like he'd never grow up, but essentially, that's what was so great about him. He never did lose his sense of humor, and even though he had matured, he was still crazy little Matt. When everyone else was feeling blue, he'd come back with a witty comment to bring a little laughter back into our lives. It was like he was drunk off life. As much as everyone hated to admit it, he brought a ray of hope to everyone he met.

But now, here he was, bleeding on his hospital bed. Matt McGuire. Suicidal.

It hadn't occurred to GordoWhy? Why would Matt do this to himself? You'd always see news articles about these "model citizens" who commit suicide, On the outside, they look fine. They're as perfect as can be. But inside, they're dying. Depression eats away at all the hope they have. Could Matt be one of those people?

Why? It was comforting to think that he knew Matt, but the reality was he barely knew him. It was a rarity to see the two having a serious, one-on-one discussion. Sometimes when he was a little younger, Matt would ask Gordo for advice. About friends, family, and not to mention, girls.

But this was all from memory. Perhaps, in the two years Gordo was away, Matt had changed. But it didn't seem possible. To be perfectly cheerful one day, and wanting to die the next?

~~~~~~

Gordo's parents had left him in the waiting room to think. As psychologists, they knew what he was going through.

But they don't, Gordo thought. They were ignorant parents. You would think that people so intelligent would realize what they had been doing wrong, but they never did.

Gordo remembered being in elementary school, and learning how you should deal with a death in the family. The other children said they would cry, and let it all out. And pray. But that was never the case in the Gordon household. Things were fact, plain solid fact. No, Grandma Gordon didn't move on. She didn't pass away. She died. She went into cardiac arrest, and died. Was it possible that it was her time? Perhaps she was meant to die then? No, she died. All science, nothing else.

Yes, they were still sad, but whenever they'd talk about in front of him, it would all seem sofake. There was no truth behind the façade of anguish. He hated him, and there was little else to be said about the matter.

Suddenly, he heard his mother's soothing voice.

"David, we have something we'd like you to know."

Gordo turned to face the other direction, and clenched his fists in anger.

"I don't want to hear it," he said harshly. He hated to be so rude to his well-meaning mother, butwait, was this not the woman who had brought him so much hurt in his life? She wasn't worthy of his geniality.

"Don't speak that way to your mother," his father scolded. "I think it would be to your benefit to listen to us."

Gordo turned around. They always say it would be to my benefit, but it's always something I could care less about.

"Get rid of that expression on your face, and listen," his father said. Gordo rolled his eyes.

"David, please, this is very hard for us," his mother said, her eyes big and doey.

"Yeah, I'm sure it is," he said, rolling his eyes once again. Ignoring his last comment, Mrs. Gordon continued.

"We weren't sure if you had already heard or not, but" she said, pulling out a newspaper and slowly flipping through the pages. She stopped at a page, folded the paper over, and handed it to him

He skimmed through the names, again, as if déjà vu, saw their names. McGuire, Elizabeth Brooke. Sanchez, Miranda Isabella.

Gordo choked back his tears.

"It's real."

---------------------------

[A/N: I'm really sorry about the lack of updates in all my stories. I just finished with drama club, our performances were Thursday afternoon and last night, and it's just been so fun and exciting that I've been neglecting my stories and pretty much all of FF.net. Points to me for using a vocab word: anguish. Please review. I really want to know what you think of it, honestly. Because I think it's lame and overdone and everything. I just need to know if you agree with me. Thanks.

Oh, next story to be updated is The Great Hillridge Junior High Reunion. I might get it done tonight, if you're lucky.]