An old friend that I had not spoken with in a while reached out to me the other day. They sent me a piece and asked me a very important request: to submit it to the world of social media without using their name. I accepted, because everyone deserves to be heard and it was about something that hit home with me as well.

Last year, on August 30th, 2015, we lost two of the most beautiful souls that Lynn, Massachusetts had ever known. They were bright, they were always smiling, and they did not know how adored and loved they truly were. Maybe if they did, they would still be here with us today.

"I think what got me the most of the passing of Ashley and Amber was that I was just starting to feel comfortable in high school. I remember it all so perfectly and the interactions I had with both of the girls. I remember going to drama club rehearsal and just instantly being scared hearing Amber's loud and infectious 'Hello!' and her unforgettable laugh. I remember walking past Ashley in the hallways and her saying one of her infamous, 'I actually don't hate you' or 'You don't suck' comments which made me feel like we were the only people in the hallway. We just felt like such a big happy family. We'd never admit it but we were a family and for some, their only family. Our school, naturally, like any big group of teenagers, hated each other at times. A lot of times.

All I can remember is the unity we felt standing together on the bleachers whether it be a volleyball home game or an away football game. It was the closest thing to community we ever knew. It was kind of like all the rumors and childishness subsided. That huge web of connections took such an epic blow with the loss of our two strands. I think about the two girls often and how beautiful it would be to see them alive today. See them at college, see them working, running into them at parties, liking a social media post, or anything.

The love we feel for these two girls was made public by a tragedy; this does not mean it was caused by the tragedy. The love was always there. We had a really funny way of showing it, but the love is always there. When you ask a high school student vaguely what their memory of high school is, their instinctive emotions might get the best of them and you might get mixed answers. Ask them what they thought about the bleachers. They'll say the magic from the bleachers lives on forever."

-An anonymous LEHS alumni

My anonymous contributor is right; tragedy did strike, and it hit us harder than anyone expected. Losing friends at such a young age is something that sticks with you forever. Yes, it hurt like hell at first, maybe it still does. After the hurting subsides, you realize they are not actually gone, but yet you have gained a guardian angel that is by your side when you need it most.

I remember Ashley as the life of the party. She was always smiling and always making the ones around her laugh. Her smile was so big and beautiful, that none of us knew how bad she was really hurting inside. I think that is what hurt me the most, the fact that I had no clue how much pain she was in. I wish l told her how much her smiled brightened my darkest days. I wish there was something that I could have done. Never again will I bite my tongue if I think a friend is hurting.

I was never as close with Amber, but even with that she was always so warm to me and always made me feel comfortable. She had the most infectious way of greeting everyone, with the most sincerity I have ever known. Amber struggled, and she fought as hard as she could. She was a fighter, and I will always remember her bravery. She taught me to always be kind to people because you never know how much it can make their day.

With the tragedy of two young lives lost, a community was brought together. I will never forget the night of their passing when Lynn gathered in front of Lynn English High School to mourn our loved ones. We were united. We stood together. We cried, we laughed and we loved by those candlelit stairs. The most unforgettable moment was when the candles caught fire and burned the stairs. There is where you left your mark on Lynn, forever. That night, we realized that anger and holding grudges are never worth anything, and that we only have one life to live. Live your life filled with love and kindness, because you never know what may happen.