But love he couldn't say out loud made him lose everything that mattered. e'd finally learned to be gentle, but the person who made him want to love was gone. fter the ceremony, Blake took the donation certificate straight to a pediatric ALS care center. Hey kids, I'm Blake." e crouched down, making his voice as soft as possible. brought you picture books, toys, and special drawing tools-all gifts from a lady named Skylar who wanted me to give these to you." he kids cheered and clapped. Watching their faces light up, he suddenly remembered what Skylar said in her video: Genesis lives for others-I've always worked to make people smile." he'd already found her own way to spread kindness in this world. his world might not have Skylar anymore, but every child she'd helped save carried a piece of her forward. nd what he was doing now was just continuing to pass on her love. lake stared ahead, lost in thought. ll those kids' smiles blurred together until they became a pair of eyes- girl's eyes that never gave up, never accepted defeat, always reaching toward the light. lake carefully collected all the kids' crayon drawings and had them printed as photos. One by one, he taped them to my headstone. This little girl is Emma-she draws flowers even prettier than yours from back in the day. Says she wants to be an architect when she grows up." But she... she can't move anymore." 'Remember Annie? The first kid you sponsored." "She always dreamed of seeing the world. I got her the best travel coordinator, but that kid was such an adventurer-made it all the way to Paris and decided she... she didn't want to come home..." "And there's Tommy. Kid kept saying his dad was this huge hero, dragged me to go see." "Then the little guy just fell asleep at the veterans' cemetery. Probably missed his old man. I didn't want to interrupt their time together..." te leaned against my headstone, tears streaming down his face. I used to think beating you made me somebody special." te gently traced my name carved in the stone. Now I know your smile was what I loved most about everything." Too bad I figured it out way too late." he sun was setting when he stood up, stretching his back. sky, after competing with you all these years, there's one thing you never once beat me at." e smiled to himself, smoothing out the wrinkles in his shirt. ring so careful, like he was about to meet someone really important. ve always been faster than you. This time you got a head start, but I'm definitely gonna catch up." ith that, he collapsed in front of my grave. small white pill bottle rolled out of his palm. or a second, I heard someone calling my name from somewhere behind me. ky, I always kicked your ass at running!" ¡ext life, I'm not gonna compete with you anymore." kylar... I love you." nd in a corner where nobody was looking, carved into our old classroom windowsill: kylar vs Blake: 1-1] (0) (0)