Neighbor

Definite Friend

"Hello ma'am, is Simi home?" A short, blonde girl stood at Angelina's door asking for her daughter. She was confused. No one has ever come to their place asking for Simi before.

"Pardon me, but who are you?" Angelina questioned politely.

"Oh right! I'm a friend of Simi's, my name is Hailey Beer!" The blonde stuck her hand out joyfully for Simi's mom to shake.

Angelina shook the girl's hand and sighed with relief.

Simi finally has a friend.

She waved the lovely girl into her house and offered her a drink and some snacks. Hailey politely declined the lady, flashing her a golden smile.

"She's in her room, you just go right in dear!" Angelina pointed in the direction of her room, excited to know that her socially inept daughter managed to make a friend.

"Hailey oh my God!" Simi bellowed, shooting for under her covers.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" She questioned still hiding under her blankets.

"Simi," Hailey spoke. The small girl had closed the door behind her and puffed up her chest to make herself seem bigger.

"From today onwards, I'm going to be your definite friend." Hailey confidently and sternly said.

Simi slowly removed the sheet from her head and looked at Hailey bewilderedly. She didn't even feel fury at that moment anymore, she just felt confused.

"After today, at school," Hailey continued, softening her tone, "I realized how much you've probably got pent up and I want to be there for you."

"So you want to be my friend because you pity me?" Simi felt her temperature slowly rise again.

"What? No. You're twisting my words."

"Then what is it?"

"I want to be there for you just like how you were there for me."

"Hailey that was one time," Simi argued.

"And you never gave me a chance to repay you."

Simi rolled her eyes.

"I didn't help you with a reward in mind, I don't need your pity."

"I don't pity you, Simi," Hailey's voice stiffened again. "You know what, I'm going to do this now matter what."

Hailey grabbed the pair of scissors that lay on Simi's desk and began nearing the bed.

"What are you doing?" Simi asked.

The girl didn't respond but instead sat beside her on the bed.

"Give me your leg," Hailey ordered.

"What? No!"

"Simi I'm not playing with you."

Hailey grabbed the Simi's injured leg but she resisted. Hailey wrestled her back and eventually Simi gave up.

She's not backing down any time soon, Simi thought to herself, finally letting her leg rest on Hailey's lap. Hailey cut the bloody bandage off of Simi's leg and got off the bed again.

"Where do you keep your first aid kit?" Hailey asked.

"We don't have one," Simi mumbled.

Hailey sighed and told her she'll go get some supplies from the nearby convenience store.

"Don't be ridiculous, Hailey. I'm fine!"

Hailey insisted and didn't give Simi a moment more to protest before she stepped foot out the door and made her way to the store.

-

The convenience store was deserted, the only sounds that could be heard was the whirring of the AC and the horrid cough that that came from the cashier.

Hailey moved along the aisles looking for ointments and bandaids.

Suddenly the store entrance bell chimed, Hailey diverted her attention from the pack of bandaids she was observing to the entrance.

"Basil!" She excitedly waved.