Life is like a maze... You can get lost in it so bad that it's scary. You just wish there was an easy way out. You wish you could just cut right through it...

That's why I wanted to give up.

My name is Matthew, but some of you know me as Canada. Something you should know is that nobody ever notices me.

Well, mostly nobody.

The only person that I can actually talk to is my good friend, Cuba. Technically, he's the only person that's ever actually noticed me. Sometimes he'll get mad at me, mistaking me for America. Silly guy... He scares me when this happens, but he's actually very nice after he realizes it's just me.

But... He wasn't just a friend. You'll figure out as you read on.

It was a typical early morning. I was walking into the World Meeting room. But... Something was different. It wasn't the same as every other day.

"Hey," Exclaimed my brother, America, "Canada's here!" Everybody turned to me and smiled. I couldn't believe it... They noticed me? I heard this really loud beep go off in my head. I fell on my back, only to realize that it wasn't the hard floor I fell on.

It was my bed. My alarm clock turned out to be that beeping noise. Just a Dream, I thought to myself as I pressed the snooze button. I quickly got dressed and ate breakfast. "Kumajirou, do you want to come today?" I smiled, thinking for the polar bear to give me a response. All I got was, "Who are you?"

My shoulders slumped at the thought that Kumajirou still didn't have a clue who I was. "I'm Canada," I responded. Actually, I didn't even know who I was anymore.

I walked down the hall and into the World Meeting. I quietly sat down between France and England, who were arguing about pointless subjects. That could be me, though. At this point in time, everything seemed pointless.

Just then, I heard a voice say, "Hey, Canada's here!" A smile ran across my face and looked at America. But he was talking to his friend, Tony. I went from happy that someone noticed me to curious who it was. Just then, I felt a rough hand on my shoulder.

"EEEK!" I yelled. I nervously turned around just to see someone I appreciate seeing. Cuba. I was flushed in embarrassment as I apologized to him. He let out a big, strong laugh. "Está bien."

"H-huh...?" Another thing about me is that I don't understand much Spanish. He gave me a gentle smile and said, "It means 'It's ok.'" I replied with a simple, "Oh." I smiled awkwardly as Cuba went back to his seat. I kept thinking of Cuba for I don't know how long. I didn't quite understand why, though.

Later in the meeting, France and England got into another "little" disagreement. For someone who sat right in between this, I wasn't in a very good mood. I kept asking them to stop, but as usual, I wasn't noticed. But what I noticed was that their argument was getting physical. I stood up in between them and tried to yell, "Stop it!" But, of course, I just had to be a quiet person, so they didn't hear me.

Just then, I felt a fist go to the back of my head. And then a knee to my stomach. France and England were having an actual fight, and I was completely unnoticed by both of them. So there I was, getting beaten by the two people that practically raised me.

Within a few minutes of fighting and wondering why one wasn't hurting the other, they finally saw me. With bruises, black eyes, a bloody nose, and a swollen chest. All I could make out was their eyes widening, realizing the only person they were hurting was me. Then I just fell down, with tears in my eyes. I heard Cuba yell my name, and I tried to smile. But having being beaten up, I didn't want him to see my face. I quickly got up and started to quickly walk out.

Right at the door, I felt the same rough arm grab my arm and pull me back, making me land on Cuba's chest. I could barely make out his face. It was angry and upset at the same time. I pulled away, crying, thinking I was the one who made him feel that way. I didn't want him to think I didn't like him, but I turned back to him to reveal my face. It was an angry, upset face. He just stood there as I turned back and ran.

That was it. I was done being hurt because nobody noticed me.

Cuba's Point of View

Those idiots... They didn't even see Canada right in the middle of their fight? Now he's gone. All because of some pointless argument between those two spoiled fools.

I walked up to the two and hit them both in the heads and yelled, "Who do you think you are!?"

"Désolé, we didn't see him there..." France responded.

I got pissed. "HOW CAN YOU NOT SEE SOMEONE RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!?" I ran out of the room. I'd expect to see Canada just around the corner, but he was already gone.

I had no clue where he was for the rest of the day. I finally decided to go to his house and look for him. I ran as fast as I could. The way he looked at me... It made me feel like he was gonna do something to himself. I bumped into an odd person wearing a cloak. He was a scrawny kid. It reminded me of Canada. "I'm so sorry, Cuba," He stuttered. "That's alright." Before I knew it, the person disappeared. And he seemed to have dropped a brochure of a map of Niagara Falls. Wierd, I thought. I just shrugged it off and continued to run.

I slammed open the door to Canada's house. I called for him countless times. I looked in all of the rooms. Nothing. He wasn't here. But then I looked at his polar bear. He was eating out of a plate that seemed to be filled with food that could last him a month or two. Then I found a note by the food on a table. It said,

"Dear... Whoever is reading this,

I am sad to say that I am taking my own life. But then again, who cares if I died? Nobody notices me anyways. That was proven today when two people were fighting each other and I was standing right in the middle of it. I'm not even sure why I'm writing this... Nobody will read it. Oh, well... Goodbye...

-Canada"

At first, it didn't seem to make sense. Why do ya want to kill yourself? Why do ya want to leave this world? Why do ya want to leave me? Wait, what am I thinkin'... He's another guy, I know, but... He made me happy, ya know? People always liked to mess with me and play stupid games 'til I got mad. But Canada... He was different. He was so nice, so gentle... nervous, even... I liked him. He is such a good friend. He's...

Someone I like... MORE than a friend...

I read the note over and over. I swear I had tears in my eyes... "Taking my own life" kept ringing in my head. Where on earth would that boy have gone to?

Then it hit me. The person in the cloak knew my name. Maybe he reminded me of Canada because he WAS Canada! I mentally hit myself in the face for not thinking that sooner. And the map of Niagara Falls... Was he gonna jump!? I set the letter down, when I saw a pile of familiar photographs.

I picked them up and realized they were pictures of me and him on all of the times we spent together. My hands shook... And I felt warm tears come down my face. I dropped the pictures and ran out the door. All I thought of was his face the last time I saw him.

I didn't want to see that kind of face again.

Canada's Point of View

I can't believe I said his name, I kept thinking. Now he must know it was me! I walked up and down the wooded walkways around Niagara. I looked down to the depths of the water to see violent water beating down at the bottom. But I can't let him get to my head, I kept saying. Cuba wouldn't care if I was gone.

Right?

I hid myself until it was late. Nobody should be here now... It would be best if I just did it now. I slowly dipped myself into the freezing water. But that was okay, since I was used to it. The current was strong, so I could just die quickly. So I sat in the cold, rushing water... Waiting...

Despite the loud booming of crashing water, I heard my name get called. Impossible. I must be hallucinating, I thought. So I closed my eyes and just waited again. There it was again. "Canada!" A familiar voice shouted. I lifted my head up. I saw I was getting close to the end of the waterfall. Then I turned my head and saw someone I didn't expect to see.

Cuba.

Tears came to my swollen eyes. His face looked like he'd seen a ghost. "Cuba, I-" I was interrupted by a slight curve in the water. I thought that Cuba was the last person I would ever see. That's what I wanted before I was dead. But something I wanted more was to just be with him. He's my best friend. He's my everything. But I made this decision without even thinking of him, so it's too late now.

I felt myself tilt even more. I knew this was it. I left Cuba all alone... Like the bad friend I am.

Wait a minute, I thought. Why am I not going any further down? I then felt myself pulled up from the water to be hugged by the big, strong arms of my best friend. He squeezed me tightly, and I heard his heart racing.

Then, with his voice cracking up from crying, he yelled, "Don't you dare leave me!" I felt his tears pouring down on my head. I had worried Cuba to the point of losing his cool. I started crying almost as much as he was. "Why did you come for me? Nobody notices me and-"

"I noticed you," he interrupted. He raised my chin to show me his face. His eyes were puffy, as if he had been crying for a week. This made my chest sting, making me feel guilty that I, again, had made him upset. But then he said something I'd never expect him to say.

"Because I love you."

My eyes had tears coming down more than the Falls themself. "But... Why?"

"Are you seriously asking me that?" He gave me a sad smile. "I've been thinking of ya constantly. You're in every dream I have. Those blue-violet eyes of yours give me butterflies in my stomach. When ya smile, it makes me wanna kiss you..." Everything he said made me feel more and more needed... And less and less invisible. I started smiling as tears rushed down my face. "But I'm not sure if you feel the same for me..." he said, slowly backing away from me.

I made a big smile, my face flooded from crying; except now these were happy tears. "Idiot, of course I love you," I said shyly as I made a quiet giggle. Suddenly, he grabbed my waist. He pulled me closer and looked at me with his gentle, deep brown eyes. He raised my chin and came closer. I closed my eyes, knowing what he was doing. I felt his lips perfectly connect with mine, as if they were made to be together. I felt him lower his hands and lick my lower lip requesting entry. I shyly accepted.

The next morning was beautiful. I woke up right beside Cuba, who kissed my forehead the second I awoke. No, I didn't "sleep" with him, but I slept with him. What I mean is that I didn't do anything with him... I just slept next to him, under the cozy covers, with my arms wrapped around his warm, beating chest. That kind of sleep.

"Do you feel any better from yesterday?" He asked. "Kind of," I replied. He gave me a small grin and gave me a kiss before wrapping his arms around me with his warm embrace.

"Je t'aime," I said shyly. "Huh?" He asked. I smiled and said, "It means 'I love you.'" Mockingly, he said simply, "Oh." We both laughed, remembering yesterday.

"Um... Canada?" He asked. "Y-Yes...?" "Can you promise me you won't try to..." He stopped, maybe because he couldn't bring himself to say the words. I knew what he wanted to say. "I promise." I kissed his cheek shyly to assure him. After all, I never wanted to go back to crying the tears of Niagara.