Dear Albus Dumbledore,: June 2011

I remember the first time I saw him. God, it feels as though it was just yesterday, when actually it was 15 years, 2 months and 3 days a go. I was new in town and the first thing I wanted to do was "check out" the playground. Mom of course was a bit skeptical on letting me go alone, but I worked my charms on her and assured her that I'll be okay and that when I get back, I'll have made many friends. When I finally reached the playground though, I was welcomed with a feeling of utter disappointment and just down right shocked. It was absolutely deserted and it was 4 in the evening! The peak time of the day for kids to go out and play!.. well at least where I to came from.

I decided to stay, and thank God I did, be cause if I hadn't, I wouldn't have met him. I was on the swings when i saw a figure through the trees walking towards the playground. He was holding a book and I remembered thinking, what a peculiar thing, to bring a book to the playground. He then sat on the slides, but did no show any signs of wanting to actually slide down. Instead, he sat back and started reading. Did he not see me?, I remembered thinking. I then decided to shout a loud and clear "Hi"to his direction with a very optimistic wave, only to be lead down by him just glancing my way with a weary smile and then going back to his book. How rude, I thought. Being the outspoken child I was, I went straight to the slides and tapped his shoulder and said, "Excuse me, I would like to slide down the slides, and you, boy, are in my way.", why that would make him talk, I thought all smug. -but, he didn't. Instead, he got up and sat somewhere else to continue his reading. Maybe he's afraid of girls. So I went down the slide and went to him and asked whether or not he was, because if he was, I assured him I am like no other girly girl. He just looked at me. Blinked and shook his head. Stood up and moved somewhere else. I remembered very well getting very frustrated with this boy and I didn't hide the fact that I was. I sat down and in midst of sulking, I was thinking of how sucky this town is with it's creepy kids. Suddenly, he tapped my shoulder and handed out a note and it read the following,

"Hi, I'm Tom".

That was the beginning of a b-e-a-utiful friendship. I still have that note he gave me, along with hundreds others. You see, Tom had a gift. He was a talented writer. Just brilliant, really. I remember he always had a notebook, a pen and a story book in hand at all times. Now, you're probably thinking Tom's mute, right? Well, you're wrong. He could speak perfectly well. He just chooses not to. "I speak through the words I write", he used to say. Everyone in school, like you, thought he was mute and they also refereed to him as the weird mute guy.

Throughout the years, our friendship grew and as we ourselves grew, we've both become completely different people. He was shy, awkward, intelligent but funny and mysterious. I was rebellious, outspoken and obvious. But for some reason, we never drifted apart, our differences made the friendship work. I was probably his only friend and the only one he actually talks to aside from his family members, and even then I still have hundreds of his witty quirky notes and inspiring letters. Sophomore year of high school was the turning point though, for me. It was when I started to look at Tom differently. Sure, everybody always teased us of being an item, but we never saw it that way, I never saw it that way. Until sophomore year, that is. I remembered starting to realize how amazing his eyes were when he was under the sun and his eyes goes from brown to green, how he smelt like rain, how his smile was the most amazing smile and how he could make me laugh even when I'm feeling my worst. Now I also remember this scaring me a whole lot. I never actually told him or gave him signs or anything, though. I just kept it in me. He was my best friend, and as cliche as it sounds, I didn't want to ruin things.

Senior year. We were walking to the park like we always do at night. Usually he'd be reading while I'd be smoking, this time though, as we were on the swings and before I could take out my ciggs, he handed me a letter. How typical of him. A letter. -but it wasn't just any letter. It was the letter he had confessed his feelings towards me and asked me to prom. It was probably the most magical night of my high school days. That was a month before prom. Two weeks before prom, he didn't show up at school for school for four consecutive days. I decided to go to his house and check up on him thinking he was sick or something. Now, you're probably thinking, why not just call him? Well, he is Tom. How could he possibly own a phone? Talking wasn't his forte remember? So I walked to his house after school. It's about a fifteen minute walk from school. His grandmother answered the door and informed me that Tom was in the hospital but she didn't know why. She was really old and senile thats probably why she didn't.

I went straight to the hospital by a cab and eventually got to his room. He smiled as I entered the room, and as of that moment I completely forgot that I was mad at him for not keeping me in the loop. He then began assuring me that he was only in the hospital because he needs to donate blood to his father as the dad at that time was undergoing an operation and he has a rare blood type that Tom had inherited. He told me that he didn't want to scare me. So he left a letter saying he went away with the family for a couple of days in my History book. Idiot! Of course I wouldn't have fount it if it was in my bloody history book. I NEVER open that ridiculous heavy text book, I remembered thinking through a grin. After a couple of hours just spending time with him, I headed home. That night, Tom died.

He had lied about donating blood, he was actually donating his kidney to his dad and complications had occurred during the procedure. Throughout the years that I have known Tom, he had taught me many things, gave me countless of advices but the thing that I will never forget was what was written in that letter he had left in my History textbook. It was not a letter saying he was going away for a couple of days, but a letter saying that he might go away forever and if that does happen, he told me to never forget him, to always chase my dreams no matter what and also that he loves me and always has. You see, he knew I wasn't going to the read the letter, he knew I was going to go to he hospital, he knew he was going away, he knew everything before me. -and what hurt the most at the time was that he didn't share that with me. Within time, I learnt though that he was protecting me.

Tom was my best friend. He was the one who told me to chase my dreams no matter what. -and I did. Even though my parents were against it. He is the reason I am who I am today. For that, I will never forget him. He has affected my life in many ways through his words. That is why I have compiled his best writing pieces into a book. In hopes that his words can somehow make a difference in other peoples lives like it did for mine.

My Words To You by Tommy Greg.

.. okay. So that was the essay I wrote for my Mid Year Exams. Pretty crappy and choppy. Oh well. :)

Oh and there's probably mistakes everywhere. I can't be bothered to reread it. Sorry!

Dear Albus Dumbledore,

Thursday, June 30

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Books Ive read in the past 2 weeks or so?

Section B, Question number 1. Someone who has affected your life.