The last summer

The summer of 2012 was supposed to be the best summer of my life. I had just graduated high school and was on my way to college in the fall. My friends and I had big plans to spend the summer together, making memories that would last a lifetime. But little did we know, that summer would be our last together.

It all started on a warm June evening. My friends and I had gathered at the local park to hang out and catch up. We were all excited for the summer ahead, planning trips to the beach and road trips across the country. But then, one of my friends dropped a bombshell: he had been diagnosed with cancer.

We were all stunned. We had never known anyone who had cancer, and the idea of losing our friend was unfathomable. But as the days passed, we began to see the toll that the disease was taking on him. He became weaker and more tired, and we could see the fear in his eyes.

Despite everything, we tried to make the most of our time together. We took him on a road trip to the coast, watching the waves crash against the shore and feeling the salt spray on our faces. We spent lazy afternoons at the park, playing frisbee and laughing until our stomachs hurt.

As the summer wore on, our friend's condition worsened. He was in and out of the hospital, undergoing treatment and struggling to keep his spirits up. But even in the midst of the pain and sadness, we found moments of joy.

One night, we all gathered around a bonfire at the beach. We roasted marshmallows and shared stories, laughing and crying and cherishing the time we had left together. It was a bittersweet moment, knowing that our friend might not be with us for much longer, but also grateful for the time we had shared.

As August drew to a close, our friend's condition took a turn for the worse,which was worisome. He was in the hospital more often than not, and we knew that our time together was limited. But even in the face of death, he remained strong and brave, always smiling and cracking jokes.

And then, one day in early September, our friend passed away.

We were all devastated. The loss of our friend was a pain that we would carry with us for the rest of our lives. But even in the midst of our grief, we found solace in the memories we had shared that summer.

We remembered the road trips and the bonfires, the laughter and the tears. We remembered our friend's strength and courage, and the way he had faced his illness with grace and dignity.

As the years passed, we went our separate ways, a saddening moment that we never had thought would happen in our life that each of us forging our own paths in life. But we never forgot that summer, the summer of 2012, the summer that changed us forever.

We learned that life is precious and that every moment counts. We learned the value of friendship and the power of love. And we learned that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope and beauty to be found.

In the end, that last summer was not the one we had planned, but it was the one we needed. It was a summer of laughter and tears, of joy and sadness, and it was a summer that we would never forget.