Chapter 22: Things Change
“Is the seat taken?” Frida said.
Maya glanced up from the book she was reading and shrugged. Frida cleared her throat and sat down beside her. Sarah was helping Sarosh with their science project, and Maya was taking her lunch outside. It was a clear day—too good to stay indoors. The beautiful view of the mountains in the distance and the flower bushes surrounding her was soothing. Their school had a well-kept garden and Maya loved to take her lunch there whenever she got the chance.
“So,” Frida sounded nervous, which was odd for her.
Maya wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone, but it would be rude to ignore her. She said, “Sorry, I have delayed our project. I promise to start tomorrow.”
“Oh, that’s fine,” Frida smiled. “We have plenty of time. I’m good at science. I’m sure we can do it in time.”
“Thanks for understanding.”
After that, both girls sat there in awkward silence. Maya had closed her book and joined Frida in staring at the clear blue sky. Neither knew what to say. They weren’t fighting anymore, but they surely weren’t best friends. In a few months, Maya had matured beyond her years. Her animosity towards Frida seemed foolish now.
“Sarah is nice,” Frida broke the silence. “Sarosh too. I like them.”
“I know. And I like them too.”
Once again, the two were quiet.
“So, this is awkward,” Frida stated the obvious, then blurted out, “I want us to be friends again.”
“Are you feeling sorry for me because my parents got divorced?” She couldn’t think of any other reason for Frida’s sudden change in attitude.
“No, of course not. That’s absurd,” Frida rushed to explain. “I have been meaning to say this for a while now. It just never seemed to be the right time. I miss you. You were my best friend and I want that back.”
Maya stared at her for a moment and then beamed. “I miss you too. Why were we fighting, anyway?”
Frida returned the smile and said, “Beats me. By the way, what are you reading?”
And just like that, they had broken the ice and chatted away like old friends who had never drifted apart. Miss Janet was on to something when she made them lab partners. And Maya realized that sometimes change could be good.
Epilogue
There was bittersweetness in the air after receiving their high school diplomas. Things would change once again, hopefully, for the better. And the four friends understood it. They had filled their final year at the school with fond memories of laughter and mischief. No matter where they went from here, they would always stay in each other’s hearts.
“I can’t believe we did it,” Sarah said, plopping down on the bed beside Frida.
Maya was lying down on the carpet, staring at the ceiling as if looking for answers to life’s mysteries, while Sarosh stood by the window. The four best friends were at Maya’s house, celebrating their graduation. The weather hadn’t permitted them to go out, as a snowstorm was on the way and the friends were stuck in the house for the weekend.
“This might be our last weekend sleepover,” Frida said, sadness dripping from her tone. They all had plans for their future, which didn’t include staying in the small hill station. Frida was taking a gap year and planning to travel around the world. Sarosh had already received her acceptance letter from one of the top universities in the country. She would leave soon. Maya was going to stay with her father for a while because her mother was going abroad for work. And Sarah did not know what the future held for her. One thing was clear: the four of them would go their separate ways for now.
“Promise you will stay in touch,” Sarosh said, looking at each of them earnestly. “I know people often say they will remain friends forever, but then drift apart. But let’s not let that happen to us.”
“Agreed,” Maya said at once, sitting up and looking at them with all the love in the world. “I’m going to call you girls every day.” There were tears in her eyes. The thought of being apart from her friends was ripping her heart into pieces. Not only that, she would miss her mother and the town.
“That goes without saying,” Frida said.
“Of course,” Sarah said, smiling.
The four huddled together on the bed and talked away their fears of the future. Tomorrow would come soon enough, but for tonight, they were happy to be together.
© 2022 Fizza Younis. All Rights Reserved.
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