circle of friendship

She was late with her first day; we had been there one year before her. All seats were taken except the one in the back corner, with the wall behind the bench, beside me. We smiled and became instant friends.

For four years we had the same classes and friends, ran up and down the fields, played dandy-shandy, Chinese skip, bend down stucky, boys catch girls, danced, and laughed heartily till our sides hurt and we could no longer control the fluid in our mouths. Everyday I called her by both her names. The first major exam of our lives and we each pass and move on to our chosen school – the very same one.

She came in with a smile. We realized we had been classed together after two years of separate classes and friends. She sat next to me and we became number one friends.

For three years, and then another two, we shared classes and friends, ran up and down the fields, played ‘a what?’, spit, kalooki, boy/girl, danced, fought, and laughed heartily till our sides hurt and we could no longer control the fluid in our eyes. Everyday I called her by both her initials. The hardest exam of our lives and we each pass and move on to our chosen path in very different countries.

We shared by mail, email, firefly, ICQ, then msn, and the occasional phone call about boyfriends or major decisions. I flew for her graduation, she for my sister’s wedding, and many others in between.

I was late with my first day; she had been there many years before me. My seat was waiting on the passenger side, right beside her. We smiled and remain infinite friends.

“When it hurts to look back, and you're scared to look ahead, you can look beside you and your best friend will be there.”
-unknown