Everyone singles out the quiet kid. “He’s the one that’s going to break,” they’ll say. It’s cliché and it’s far too common.

I am the quiet one. And I’m nowhere near about to break.

I’m here to tell you about Jack.

Jack’s living life to the fullest. People like him, he’s funny, he’s creative, he’s intelligent. He seems to be getting the most out of life. He seems happy.

 

Jack seemed happy. Inside him, he held all the secrets. This isn’t the story of what happened. This is the explanation of why.

Jack’s no longer with us today. Jack had no one to confide in. His willingness to trust anyone turned them away, and no one really cared. Things built up and no one could really help him. Everything had always been given to him and he didn’t know how to handle everything new. Things were changing and Jack missed the boat. He let everything change around him, only noticing the pretty colored leaves. Parties and comedic routines and drugs and alcohol and sex and schoolwork and music were all just temporary. Everything slipped right past him and there was nothing to hold on to.

So Jack let go.