Everything Happens for a Reason

And at that moment her life, and the lives of hundreds of others changed instantly.

“Hey girl,” The sound of Melissa’s voice came through crisp and clear despite the Nor’easter that had shut off Brianna’s power for the whole night. “What’s up?”
Brianna rubbed her eyes and sat up in bed so she would sound more awake over the phone. “I was wondering if you knew if we had school today?” Brianna asked looking out the window. “The power went out and I wasn’t able to check.”
“Nope no school,” Melissa said quickly.
“Oh cool,” Brianna replied laying back down in bed. “Did your power ever come back on?”
“Yeah like in the middle of the night.”
“Oh ok, well thanks.” There was a pause on the other end of the line, and then Melissa spoke with a more serious tone of voice.
“And… I think I’m going to go ahead and do it today.” At that, Brianna’s eyes widened and she closed them for a minute and sighed before replying.
“Alright,” she finally said. “But why today?”
“Just feel like it,” came the dull reply that Brianna knew was definitely not a good enough answer, but one that would have to suffice.
“So, can you meet up with me later on tonight?” Brianna thought for a moment. Accompanying Melissa to her suicide was definitely not on her agenda of things to do for the day.
“Yeah I guess so,” she said hesitantly.
“Are the trains running?”
“Yeah they’re running.”
“Sweet than yeah I’ll come tonight.” Melissa hung up the phone and Brianna simply laid in bed for awhile taking everything in.
“Why today all of a sudden?” Brianna thought to herself as she listened to the rain. “I thought we had agreed to do it next Tuesday.” Melissa had been over just the day before on Thursday discussing details of her death. Brianna slowly began to let her mind trail off and recounted the events of the day.
“Everything happens for a reason,” Melissa had said as she laid on her stomach in Brianna’s bedroom.
“But don’t you think people will miss you?” Brianna asked looking down at her. Melissa laughed fondly for a moment and then became very quiet. She didn’t speak at first but then lifted he head and looked at Brianna with sad eyes.
“Nobody loves me Brianna,” Melissa said quietly. “No one.” Brianna of course knew she was wrong, but for Melissa it wasn’t about people in general loving her.
To Melissa if she didn’t feel like her mother cared about her than that meant no one cared. And Melissa had good reason to believe that her mother didn’t favor her since she had testified against her own daughter along with Melissa’s older sister in court when Melissa told her mother that her stepfather had molested her.
Ever since then Melissa had become determined to take her life. She had tried to overdose herself several times in the summer but all of her attempts failed, so out of desperation she decided to lie out in front of a train.
“Melissa that’s gross.” Brianna said after Melissa finished telling her about her plan to use the train.
“Yeah I know.” Melissa said with a small shrug; “Oh well.” It bothered Brianna that Melissa was so comfortable about completely destroying herself when she was so pretty, but Melissa was determined. She had made up her mind and that was that.
That Friday night Brianna sat in front of her TV watching Annie when she got a text message from Melissa stating that she was on her way. Brianna texted her back in acknowledgment and then a few minutes later her phone began to ring.
“Hey, I’m walking down the street right now. Which one’s your house?”
Brianna frowned. “Melissa, you were just over here yesterday and you already forgot which house is mine?”
“Well, yeah.” Melissa said quietly.
“It’s the one right by the train tracks.” Brianna said impatiently. A few moments later Brianna could see Melissa through her window. “Hey up here!” She called waiving her hand.
Melissa came a bit closer to the window to make herself more visible.
“Hey!” She called out smiling.
Brianna decided to meet Melissa by the train tracks after her parents had went to sleep so for awhile Melissa hid behind a corner waiting.
But after a few moments Brianna heard the loud familiar shriek of a train whistle, so she ran to her window and looked out. And at that moment her life, and the lives of hundreds of others changed instantly.