Love And Death
AJ was walking home one day from Alexis’s house when he decided to make a turn and head to his friend Samantha’s house. They had always been close, but Samantha had secretly had a crush on AJ. He had a feeling of it though.
Samantha was a 21-year-old girl who had long dark brown hair, piercing blue eyes and she was fit. She had long nails like AJ loved. She purposely grew them out to see if she could get AJ’s attention.
AJ knocked on the door and Samantha came to open it. When Samantha saw AJ she smiled happily.
“Hey J!” She smiled.
“Hey Sam,” he said. Samantha let him in the house.
“What’s wrong AJ? You seem depressed,” Samantha said.
“Oh, I am,” he answered her. Samantha put a hand on his back.
“You want something to drink?” She asked. AJ nodded.
“Come on into the kitchen and I’ll find you something, okay?” She asked. AJ nodded. They walked into the kitchen and AJ dropped into a chair. Samantha grabbed a Coke from the refrigerator and gave it to him.
“Good enough?” She smiled. AJ nodded and opened the can.
“Talk to me. What’s up?” Samantha said.
“Well, it’s Alexis. She seems to be interested in sex only. No love what-so-ever anymore. I’m beginning not to love her as much as I used to and I don’t know how to tell her,” AJ said. Samantha sighed.
“Hey wait a minute,” AJ said forming a grin on his face.
“Ohhhhh no! No way!” Samantha said, knowing what AJ had in mind.
“Oh come on Sam! Please?! I can’t dump her on my own! Please? For me?” AJ said taking advantage of the fact that Samantha liked him a lot. She rolled her eyes.
“Fine,” she sighed. AJ jumped up and hugged her.
“Thank you soooooo much! I owe you big time!” AJ said running out the door leaving a full can of Coke behind.
“Least you could have done was finish your Coke,” Samantha said under her breath. Two seconds later, AJ came running back, just to grab the can of Coke.
“Bye!” He called. Samantha just waved. She knew it would break Alexis’s heart that they were breaking up. Or that Samantha was doing it for him.
Later on that week, Samantha had planned a day with Alexis. She felt bad about what she was about to do, but she had to do it. For AJ.
“Um... Alexis, can we talk?” Samantha said nervously. Alexis nodded.
“Sure, what about?” Alexis asked.
“Well... I’m seriously sorry about this, but AJ wants to break up with you. He asked me to do it because he said he couldn’t do it to your face,” Samantha said. Something else that week had been bothering her. She had noticed that her appetite had gone down and she wasn’t very hungry lately. The doctors said she was getting Leukemia.
“Alexis... don’t react yet. That’s not all,” Samantha said. She was wearing a baseball cap. She took it of to show Alexis the hair falling out of her head. Alexis gasped.
“Oh my God! Samantha!” Alexis said almost too scared to talk.
“The doctors said I’m coming down with Leukemia. I haven’t told AJ yet, but Alexis, I’m dying. They said it’s too late to cure. Even if they did cure it, I’d die anyway within six months after that,” Samantha explained. They both broke into tears.
“I’m so sorry Sam. I’m so sorry,” Alexis said through her tears.
Samantha balled and so did Alexis. They walked home, to Samantha’s house, where they saw AJ’s car.
“Oh no....” Samantha said with tears in her eyes. Alexis looked up and saw AJ’s car.
“Oh crap,” Alexis said forming tears of her own. They broke down again and slowly walked into the house.
“Lex! Sam! Whoa. Wait. What’s going on?” AJ asked. Alexis hugged AJ and then Samantha did. AJ was totally lost. Alexis looked at Samantha and shook her head telling her not to tell AJ yet. Samantha nodded in agreement.
That week neither of them saw much of AJ. He was in practice a lot of the week and Alexis and Samantha were in a wig shop a lot, trying to find the wig of Samantha’s hairstyle and color. They found the closest one hoping AJ wouldn’t notice. Which he didn’t.
One night, Alexis was staying at Samantha’s house. It was the middle of the night and Samantha broke out into a 105.5 fever. Just suddenly, out of no where, her temperature rose up. Alexis panicked and called 911.
Three minutes later, an Ambulance was there to pick Samantha up. Alexis had called AJ telling him to get over to Samantha’s house , no questions asked. So he got into his car and drove over.
“Lexi! Please! Tell me what is going on!” AJ begged.
“I promised I wouldn’t say anything,” Alexis refused. They sat nervously in the waiting room.
“Alexis Martins and AJ McLean?” A nurse asked. They stood up.
“That’s us,” Alexis said nervously.
“Miss Crystals wishes to see you,” the nurse answered. Alexis nodded and they followed the nurse to room 304. They saw Samantha lying on the bed, helpless. AJ noticed she was thinner than usual.
“Sam...” AJ said almost in tears. She opened her eyes and saw Alexis and AJ over her.
“Please, tell me what’s going on,” AJ said. Samantha looked at Alexis for words. Alexis looked at AJ and they walked out of the room.
“AJ... Samantha has Leukemia. She was diagnosed with it a few months ago and they didn’t have time to help cure it. Even if they did she would have been dead in a few months anyway. She didn’t want to tell you because she was scared she would die knowing you hated her for some reason. Please AJ, understand. She loves you and her last wish was for you to love her back,” Alexis explained. AJ’s heart sank and he ran in to Samantha.
“Sam! Why didn’t you tell me!” AJ said through his tears. He hugged Samantha tightly.
“Samantha, I do love you. I always have loved you. Everynightll I could think of was you. Even when I was with Alexis. Please Samantha, hold on, for me. For us,” he said through his tears. Samantha cried. Samantha did sign language for “sing.” Alexis told AJ what she said and he began to sing “It’s True” to her.
“Even the lover, makes a mistake sometimes. Like any other, fall out and lose his mind. And I’m sorry, for the things I did, for your teardrops, all the words I said. Can you forgive me, and open your heart once again? Oh yes. It’s true, I mean it, from the bottom of my heart, yeah it’s true. Without you I would fall, apart...” AJ sang to her.
“Whatever happened, I know that I was wrong. Oh yes... Can you believe me, maybe your fait is gone. But I love you, and I always will. So I wonder, if you want me still. Can you forgive me, and open your heart once again? Oh yes... It’s true, I mean it, from the bottom of my heart. Yeah it’s true.... Without you I would fall, apart. I’d do anything to make it up to you, so please understand, and open your heart once again. It’s true, I mean it, from the bottom of my heart. Yeah it’s true.... Without you I would fall, apart. It’s true, I mean it, from the bottom of my heart. Yeah it’s true.... Without you I would fall, apart.... Apart... It’s true...” AJ finished. Samantha cried and listened to his words. AJ meant every word of the song and he knew he loved her.
“I love you Samantha Crystals,” AJ whispered into her ear.
“I love you AJ McLean,” she whispered back. AJ and Alexis had to leave the room for the doctors to check up on her. Little did they know, that was the last few words Samantha would ever say.
The funeral was not too long after that night. Samantha lay in her coffin/box dressed in white. AJ walked into the room where she was and walked over to her coffin.
“I’m so sorry Samantha. I wish I could have taken your place. Please baby, remember me always because I’ll remember you,” AJ said through his tears. He fell to his knees, crying. Alexis came in, crying as well, and picked him up off the ground. AJ took one of his rings and placed it on Samantha’s finger.
“I love you Samantha Crystals!” He said fusing to go back to her body while Alexis pulled him out.
“Here lies Samantha Kendra Crystals. May her soul live among us and may she rest in piece. January 11, 1979 - May 15, 2000” her tombstone read. AJ and Alexis stood at her grave, thinking of her. It had been a day since she’d been gone and already things were different. AJ knew he was in love with her from the very start of their friendship.
AJ placed a red rose on her grave thinking of her and picturing them together. He broke into tears. Alexis placed yellow and white roses on her grave. Signs of friendship. AJ has never forgotten Samantha and he never will. They’re souls live together, forever.
