I know this was written quite a while back but I had to say something. This is a beautiful piece. You made it so incredibly realistic, enough that I could feel everything that the protagonist was feeling. A mixture of pain, nostalgia, and heartache was prevalent throughout this story. I have never cried due to reading anything that is on this site but by the end I nearly couldn't see through my tears. When the protagonist cried, I did and a story has to be pretty stellar for that to happen.
And as someone who graduated from a high school that burned down to the ground 5 years later... it really struck home. I almost feel like I got closure because of this story, as crazy as that might seem. I'd like to say thank you for that. I hope you see this dear author because I would like to ask a favor of you. And that is to NEVER stop writing because I believe you have a real knack for it, and this kind of gift is something that the world really needs right now.