Catherine's Point of View
I was reluctant to include the eighth grade in the story. There weren't too many good things that happened that year. The only good things that happened that año were a couple of new friends that I made and the fact that I made straight A's. Everything else that happened was bad. The worst thing that happened that año was the death of my maternal grandfather. Although my mother died in childbirth, her parents still wanted to have a relationship with me. I was close to Pops, (that's what I called him). I did at times think he needed to be knocked off of his pompous high horse, but he was really a sweet person deep down. Cigarettes were his downfall, and lung cancer finally got him. I was deeply saddened por his death. Although he didn't know Pops, Gavin came to the funeral. I still remember the last thing Pops dicho to me. "There's a lot worse things than dying. Suffering is one of them." I told Gavin, "I'm going to miss him, but I'm glad he's not suffering anymore."

Gavin's Point of View
I felt so bad for Catherine. She had a horrible eighth grade year. It was one crap storm after another. As if losing her grandfather wasn't bad enough, she broke her right wrist the día after the funeral. That year, it had snowed on Halloween, and she slipped on a patch of ice, and she broke her right wrist trying to catch herself. Fortunately, it did not inhibit her from writing. She's ambidextrous, which means she is neither left nor right hand dominant. She can also play guitarra with either hand, but that's another story. There was one día when our school held a talent show. She sang "Imagine" por John Lennon. She did an amazing job. She should have won. Still, William, Jennifer, and I congratulated her on her efforts. Of course, not everyone was impressed. Many of the other kids sarcastically said, "Dream on, dreamer!" They threw paper airplanes that contained nasty notes on her way out when it was time to go home. She was so upset that she forgot her coat. One of the bullies said, "Aw! She's gonna cry!" I found her in a corner crying and shivering. I gave her capa to her and said, "Come on, dreamer." She fell into my arms sobbing. I hugged her and said, "Just breathe. I'm here. I'm here for you, love." Another time, our school had a bake sale. I got a cinnamon bun, and I almost died from an allergic reaction to the cinnamon. Thankfully, I fully recovered. Catherine said, "Oh, Gavin, I'm so glad you're okay! I would be very lonely if tu died." I said, "And I would miss tu in the afterlife." We hugged. Another time, Catherine got really sick. She had the flu. When she didn't come to school, I went to her house after school. Her aunt said, "She's really sick. She has the flu. Thankfully, she had the shots, so she'll be fine in a few days. I really hate to leave her. Her uncle won't be inicial from work until 5:00, and I have to go to my uncle's funeral with my parents. I don't want to leave Catherine, but she's too sick to go." I said, "I'll stay with her. I don't care if I get sick." Her aunt said, "Thank you, Gavin! You're a life saver!" I stayed with Catherine until her uncle got home. If she needed anything, I was on it. Of course, she returned the favour. She did say to me that day, "Gavin, I owe tu one." Another time, I saved her life. It was a cold winter. I went outside, and I heard someone calling for help. I went to see who needed help. I saw Catherine struggling to swim in the pond behind her house. I said, "Hold on, Catherine! I'm coming!" I managed to get her out of the pond, but not before she went under the water. As I got her out, she coughed up some water. I said, "I got you, love." She was cold as ice, but there were signs of life. She was shivering. I said, "I've got to get tu inside." I carried her into the house, dried her off, and made sure she had a way to get warm. She said, "You saved my life. Thanks." I said, "You're welcome, mi' best mate! Are tu okay?" She said, "Yeah." Her aunt wanted the story to be on the news. I said, "No, don't make a hero out of me. I was just doing the right thing." Catherine said, "I owe tu one." She even saved my life. She saved me from choking to death. She got up to throw something away. When she returned, our friend, Jennifer, alerted Catherine, and Catherine gave me a sharp blow between the shoulders. When I could talk again, I said, "Thanks." She asked, "You okay, Gavin?" I said, "Yeah. Thanks to you!"