Take a Stand Against Bullying

She wasn't a person I talked to often. Sure, we were in girl scouts together as well as band. She was a cheerleader, a sunny person. I wish I could tell you more. I wish I was able to tell you that she had an obsession with a boy band or that she was secretly in love with somebody but I can't. Once middle school hit I only saw her in band. There were days where we'd do nothing in that class so we'd hang out. It was during one of the days my eighth grade year one of the guys found out she could do a backflip so he started chanting "Do a flip," getting the whole class chanting. It wasn't bullying, it was playful and she was declining, her face red, laughing the entire time. Fast forward to freshmen year of high school. She's in my band class again. Even though we're considered the lowest class according to ability she pushes on. She improves to the point the director is proud.She was the first band kid in cheer. I remember seeing her laugh from across the room, tenor saxophone across her lap. Then I remember walking into the PE locker rooms. A fellow band member is in tears and she can't stop crying no matter how hard she tries. When we get to calm down she speaks telling us that she, our sunflower, had killed herself. I attended the memorial. Pictures of her at scouts threw back earlier memories that were bittersweet. One of the songs that was played was Counting Stars by OneRepublic. I learned her favorite flower was a sunflower. These two things remind me of her every time I happen to come across them. Every band concert since then, we leave a chair empty, flowers laying across, as a reminder of the one we lost. Everybody still feels the aftershocks, they come when we're least expecting it. A way somebody laughs suddenly brings back a flood of memories. The blush of a face reminds us of some of her awkward moments. We laugh. We cry. We remember, and we will never forget.