AUTHORS NOTE:

This is a bit of a sad chapter, but I had to write it this way so it would work better with the story. It's quite emotional on Brax's behalf.

Please leave a review :)

Chapter 14: Goodbye friend

(Brax 10 years, Heath 5 years)

Brax waited with Heath at the front of Hayden's house. They were going to catch the bus to school together. Brax smiled and waved at his friend when he came out of his house, but Hayden didn't return the smile.

"What's wrong?" Brax asked. Hayden looked down at Heath.

"I'll tell you later at school. Hi Heath." "Hi" Heath replied quietly.

The boys arrived at school and Brax sent Heath off to his kindergarten class.

"So what's up?" Hayden looked sad.

"My Dad got a job on the other side of Australia. We have to move next week." Brax felt devastated, he was about to lose his best friend.

"I pleaded that I wanted to stay, but they won't allow it. After next week I won't see you again, maybe for years."

Before the two could discuss any more the bell ran for class. Neither spoke to each other during class, for they didn't know what was left to say, they didn't have a choice in the matter. The two friends would be separated. By the end of the following week Hayden and Brax said their goodbyes.

"I promise I'll write and don't forget to work on your water fear. Next time I come to visit I want us to go surfing together."

Brax gave a weak smile and waved goodbye to his friend.

When Brax arrived at school on Monday morning, he felt different, like something was missing, but it wasn't just because Hayden wasn't with him, something else was wrong. Brax walked to his class room where he saw some class members whispering. Everyone stopped and stared when Brax walked to his seat.

"It's so sad, how can he look like that?" He heard someone whisper.

Brax looked around confused. A student approached him.

"How are you?" "I'm fine." Brax laughed off. The student realized Brax didn't know.

"Haven't you heard?" "Heard what?" The student didn't get to answer when the teacher walked in.

"Please can I have silence. I have some devastating news."

Brax couldn't understand why everyone around him was sad.

"You all know Hayden Collins from this class." Brax perked up at the name of his friend.

"While Hayden and his family were travelling to their new town on Friday afternoon, their car was hit by a truck. Hayden's parent's suffered severe injuries, but Hayden's injuries…Were too severe and he passed away at the scene."

Brax couldn't believe what he was hearing, this couldn't be true. Brax stood up, tears welling in his eyes.

"No!" He yelled, startling the class as he threw his things off his desk and ran out of the room. "Darryl!" The teacher called out but Brax just kept running.

Brax didn't stop pounding the ground until he reached the play gym where he and Hayden played ever since kindergarten. Brax collapsed against the bridge, running his fingers over a mark him and Hayden had made the first time they had sworn to be friends and cried his eyes out. His best friend was gone and was never coming back.

It wasn't long before Brax was approached by a teacher.

"Darryl. Are you okay?" She wrapped an arm around him.

"Why. He was my best friend!" Brax cried.

"I know honey. Why don't we call your parents to take you home?"

The teacher took Brax to the office and called Danny and Cheryl to come and pick him up. The teacher explained to them what had happened. Brax remained quiet.

"Come along Darryl." Cheryl spoke as they left. When they got home Brax went to walk straight to his room. "Don't dwell on this Darryl, these things happen, you just gotta move on with your life." Danny told him. Brax glared at him.

"My best friend's dead, maybe I don't wanna move on! Maybe I wish I was dead too!"

Brax ran to his room and slammed the door. "Darryl, you do not speak that way to your mother and I. If you weren't in shock right now, I'd come in there and teach you some respect!"

Brax cried into his pillow for hours, looking at the ring on his finger that Hayden had given him. When Danny picked Heath up from school, Heath wandered down to Brax's room and opened the door.

"Go away." "Brax, are you okay?" Brax looked at his baby brother.

Heath approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't cry, you'll be okay. That's what you always say to me to make me feel better." Brax smiled.

"You wouldn't understand mate." Heath ran out of the room and came back with Brax's old stuffed dog.

"Here" Heath handed the dog back to Brax. "You can borrow it if you like."

"Thanks mate, but I don't think it'll help this time." Brax took the toy from Heath and held it in his arms.

"I love you Brax. Be okay soon." Heath hugged Brax around his back. Brax just smiled and Heath left.

A short while later, Cheryl called Brax to dinner. "I'm not hungry." Brax turned away from the door. He couldn't get the memories out of his head. Danny and Cheryl left Brax alone for the rest of the night.

Brax barely got any sleep that night, but woke the following morning knowing just what he had to do. Walking out of his bedroom, his parents looked at him.

"Good to see you not sulking Darryl." "Do you want some breakfast?" Cheryl asked. "No. I have to do something first."

Brax headed down to the beach. He asked to hire a surfboard from a nearby store and stood looking at the waves. Brax took a deep breath.

"This is for you Hayden." Brax pushed through any fear he was feeling and approached the surface of the water, laying on the board he paddled out. Brax rubbed the ring on his finger and saw the wave approaching and stands on his board ready. He was surfing the wave. He had done it. A big smile spread across Brax's face, he loved the feeling of surfing and he had conquered his fear. He had done it all in honor of his best friend. Brax surfed back to shore.

"I did it Hayden!" He shouted. Brax wiped away stray tears from his eyes and picked up the board. He had said his final goodbye to his friend and learned a valuable life lesson he would never forget.