She came into the classroom, looking very sad. She was crying to herself. We looked at her and tried to ask her what happened, but she wouldn’t say. She just went to the back of the class, sat on her seat and cried. We all felt sorry for her. I went up to her and tried to comfort her but she just pushed me away. She was crying even louder now. I was her best friend but I felt that I couldn’t do anything to help her. So I went to the staffroom to find our teacher for some information on what had happened. She said that her parents had just passed away. They got into a terrible car accident where a drunk driver crashed into her parents’ car. I was shocked. I didn’t know what to say. Her parents were the kindest people I knew and suddenly this happened? I cried too because they were like my own parents. I was an orphan and they treated me like their daughter, like their family. We would always do everything together like shopping, going on trips and playing sports. I was devastated. Then I thought, if I felt like this, my best friend must feel a hundred times worse. I felt so sorry for her. She was always the happiest person I knew. I had to do something.
I ran to the classroom and found everyone crowding around her, asking all sorts of questions. I pushed through the crowd and took her outside to talk. I told her that I knew what happened but she couldn’t stop crying. I needed to get through to her, to tell her that it was going to be okay. I tried comforting her but she just wouldn’t listen. So I told her about my experience, how I felt like her now, when I first found out that my parents passed away.
“Anneliese, please. It’s going to be okay. I was like you too, when I first found out my parents passed away but then I got through it and I know you can too,” I begged her.
“You don’t understand, Carrie,” she said.
“Yes, I do! My parents passed away too!” I tried to tell her.
“I got through it. Remember when I found out that my parents passed away? I cried for a month! I barely ate, I didn’t go to school, and I didn’t do anything! I just gave up on life! And who was there to help me get through it all???!!! You did, Anneliese! You! You helped me by supporting me, by telling me that it’s going to be okay. You never gave up on me, Anneliese. That’s why you are my best friend and I’m yours! So I’m not giving up on you either!” I shouted at her to put some sense back into her.
“You’re really going to be there for me, Carrie?” she sobbed.
“Isn’t that what best friends do? I owe you Anneliese…for being there for me when I needed you the most and when I gave up on myself, you didn’t. You know me more than I know myself and you helped me,” I said, now starting to cry.
“Thanks, Carrie. You really are my best friend,” she said.
“No problem. You’re mine, too,” I laughed.
After that though she was still sad, at least she had felt a little better. She was allowed to go home early and asked the principal if I could follow her. The principal agreed and we both went back to her house. Her aunt was there to bring us to the church. She was going to ask the priest for a session of prayers at her house that night.
When we were at the church, her aunt went to look for the priest and we sat there waiting. Suddenly, Anneliese stood up, and went up to the altar. She knelt down in front of the cross and prayed aloud. She asked God to take care of her parents who are with Him now and to forgive the drunk driver who did it. I was so touched. I went up to the altar, knelt down beside her and prayed.
After an hour or so, her aunt came out with the priest and he wanted to pray for Anneliese. So they went into the room and prayed for her. After that, we went back to Anneliese’s house to get ready for the prayer session that night. We bought food and drinks for those attending that night and Anneliese’s aunts and uncles were there too. They called all of Anneliese’s parents’ friends and the rest of her family. It was really hard for them. They cried every time they had to tell the bad news to the people they called.
That night, the prayer session went on and after that, everyone ate the food we prepared. They all wished condolences to Anneliese. I could see that she was holding her tears back. She was so sad but she tried to look happy though it was so obvious that she wasn’t. After the prayer session, Anneliese asked me if I could sleepover at her house as she didn’t want to be alone. I said yes and her aunt brought us to my house and I took my things to get ready for the sleepover and the funeral the next day.
The next day, we woke up early and went to the church for the funeral. Anneliese was devastated. I could tell that she didn’t sleep at all last night. When they brought in her parents’ coffins, she suddenly started to cry and scream. I was there to lend her my shoulder – to just let her cry as much as she wanted to. An hour later, the funeral started and she was still crying. She went up and spoke a few words about her parents. She cried her heart out and everyone there who knew her parents cried too, including me. I was so sorry for her. I could feel how she felt at that moment. After the speech, the ceremony went on, and soon it was over.
A few months have passed, and Anneliese is still coping upon not having her parents around but I’m always there for her. She lives with her aunt now and we would always visit each other. Sometimes we would talk about our parents, that at least now, they are in a better and happier place.
Copyright © Joanna Liaw
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