Realistic or Modern Her Last Wish

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her last wish

Six years has passed since high school graduation. Everyone's lives have changed, most for the better but some for the worst. Contact disappeared within the first two years of graduation. There was no reason to stay in touch. It could only bring back painful memories. The funeral had long since passed, but their hearts were still clouded with tears as they continued to live a life they thought she'd be proud of. Despite this pain, the group still found themselves standing on the familiar warm pavement, tasting salt on the breeze, the sun gently warming their backs. It had been years since they had stepped foot on the island, yet they were back. They were home.

Lim Ara was the jewel of the town. Her bright personality and aura was one that completely rivaled that of the sun. She was such a gentle soul that it was seemingly impossible to hate her. There was nothing but love in her heart, and she managed to connect the most unlikely people and create a group of friends that made the whole island look upon them affectionately. Ara never took no for an answer and managed to do the impossible, making life seem manageable, and if you walked alongside her, you were destined to have a wonderful time. Of course her greatest achievement was the group of friends she made, and how they all worked together and stay close, despite not always getting along.

She was the heart, the soul, and the glue of the group. She was the center that kept them all grounded and close together. They felt connected and at peace with each other, especially when she was around. Everyone wanted to keep Ara happy. Seeing that smile fade and melt into tears was more painful than anything they had experienced. So the group learned to work together, despite being the lost pieces of completely different puzzles. It had been the summer of their first year of high school that they all ended up meeting for the first time. Ara had dragged along her current friends and introduced them to her new ones. A few of the boys had scratches and bruises on their hands and faces, looking like they had just gotten into fights. Yet the small Ara was happily holding the hands of her friends, smiling brightly as she happily declared they'd all be friends.

Innocence was the only thing that could describe the girl. She had this sparkle in her eyes that made a person feel guilty for even cursing around her. Yet she wasn't troublesome and never hurt another person. She was always there to help someone back onto their feet, holding their hands as they got used to walking alone again. That's why it had been so surprising when she passed away. It was a shock that had caused many angry screams and tears to be released into the humid air. THere was nothing anyone could do. Ara couldn't be brought back.

She had drowned in the ocean after being swept away by a particularly strong tide. It was just bad timing. Many of her friends blamed themselves for not getting there in time. But there had been nothing anyone could do. For a week it rained and was cloudy on the island. Two years dragged on and the group had slowly broken up. They were angry, depressed, and suffering every day they spent on the island. The majority moved away, leaving two on the island, as they were unable to completely forget their home. Everyone had known that even though they were leaving, they'd come back within the next ten years. They had all promised Ara after all. There was no way they could go back on their promise.

"A bucket list for when we all come back to the island after graduating. In six years, we will ALL come back home and complete everything on the list. Okay? It's a promise right?" A promise was made that day, and Ara, with her pink sparkly pen wrote down everything on a large piece of paper. Everyone contributed to the list, and they all made sure they'd come back. Which was why, exactly six years later, they were all back on their island. They didn't plan on leaving until the entire list was completed. They took time off their work, their lives, just to be there. They were going to properly fulfill their promise to their precious Ara and say goodbye, properly this time.