Friends For A Year

©2008 Bailey Thompson

It all started with hate. Here she was stealing my only “best friend” and leaving me in her dust. In my eyes, she was ruining a friendship and I HATED her!

Since she was friends with MY best friend and since I hung out with my best friend daily, we were forced to hang out together. At first, I hated it just as much as I hated her but as time progressed, those feelings of hate began to disappear. Eventually, she became one of my closest friends. She became the first person that knew my latest crush and the only person I went to when I needed a friend. She was the one person I could trust with anything.

            Things started getting a little rough when the guy I’d been crushing on, got a crush on her. I still remember the day before Christmas break. It was the beginning of the school day and she walked up to me and said, “I made you a Christmas card but I lost it” I laughed, not the least bit surprised at what happened to it. Later that day, at the Christmas dance held by out school, she danced with him. I couldn’t believe it. I was upset, and chose to ignore her “sorry”. Following the dance, she handed me the card and said “ I found it”. Hesitantly, I read the purple sparkly gel pen scribbles:

I’m sorry. I didn’t forget how I said I wouldn’t go out with him. I won’t Bailey. You’re worth way more than any guy. Your BFF, Melanie.

In awe, I looked up from the card but she was gone. Yet that day, I realized how much of a true friend she really was.

For the rest of that school year, she remained one of my best friends. Still listening whenever I needed a friend and understanding EVERYTHING.

Things continued to go well until right before summer break. Our friendship had began to fade and hanging out with her at recess seemed like a privilege. When school ended for that year, we didn’t talk at all over the summer. So when school returned the following year, I think we both knew that close friendship was over. She had found new friends and became more “popular” and I stayed friends with the original best friend I had thought she’d stolen.

At first, I didn’t take it that hard. That was until I realized that the friend I was left with understood little about me. She had completely different interests and talking with her about my interests was tough. When I brought up the subject of guys, she couldn’t understand how I could like someone. After all, she still believed we were too young to “fall in love”. When stuff got hard at home, and fights with Mom were daily, she couldn’t understand – she never fought with HER mom.

 Fortunately, I began to accept the fact that Melanie wasn’t my close friend anymore and it was her choice, I couldn’t change it.

Looking back, the hate at the beginning didn’t matter. When I think of her, I think of a true friend. Even though we were only friends for a year, she changed my life for the better. She is one person, I will never forget.

So, if you’re reading this Melanie… Thanks for a memorable year!!

By Bailey Thompson

 

Author's Note: The name of the person who this story has been changed for privacy.