9 Years Ago - October 20th 2013 (12 years old)
Arsema
"I finally took a moment and I'm realising that you're not coming back."
Song: All At Once by Whitney Houston
"Nunca te olvidaré" (I will never forget you) is written on the back of the card Miles and Noah gave me before I left. I stretch out of my seat to look out the back of the car and see Miles waving with his whole body, a big smile on his face, while Noah looks the exact opposite; a frown framing his face, hands shoved into his jumper pockets. I get that my moving isn't exactly the best thing, but Noah's been in a mood ever since we found out I'm moving. Acting like it's my fault. I mean if it was up to me I'd never leave Port Beaver and the three of us would grow old together, never apart.
I've lived in Port Beaver my whole life (only 12 years, it feels like centuries to me personally, but Mama says that's just because I've got an old soul inside a kid's body), raised alongside my best friends Noah Alwar Periera and Miles Jesiah Denzel from day one (okay not exactly, but close enough). Our mums have also been best friends since the dinosaur ages (wayyyy back in the 80s, scary) and they always wanted to have kids at the same time, to raise together. Their wishes came true when Noah and I were born just hours apart (he loves to rub it in that he's older than me, but only by three hours!) and Miles was born a week later. Now we just have one big birthday party between mine and Noah's birthdays and Miles's, which is always the best part of the year.
Anyway, now we won't even be able to do that because Baba's new job is much more important than anything else. He says that we might be able to come back here for holidays and stuff, but according to the internet search that Noah did, Sydney is way too far to come back whenever. It's a four hour long drive! But Mama promised me that we'll come back every single Christmas to do Secret Santa just like me, Noah and Miles have been doing since pre-school. I'm excited because Christmas is in only 2 months!!!
8 Years Ago - December 20th 2014 (13 years old)
Arsema
I hung up the phone after talking to Noah for the last 2 hours. He's been catching me up on all the new gossip back at Port Beaver (which isn't much, given that nothing changes in that town, except when Mrs Smith from the local newspaper cheated on her husband with this newsman from the city. That scandal lasted for months and when she became too ashamed to show her face she moved to Melbourne with the newsman.) and I told him all about my new high school and friends.
I didn't know how to tell him I wouldn't be returning to Port Beaver for Christmas this year because he seemed so excited about this new book he found for me and going camping before New Year as we do annually. It's not that I don't want to go, but my new friend Claire and her friends are having this Christmas party without any adults at her place and they invited me. I feel so bad ditching two of my oldest best friends on Christmas, but I feel like I need to start making more friends and this party will be the best way to do that.
7 Years Ago - December 20th 2015 (14 years old)
Noah
The last time I talked to or texted Arsema was just after our birthday and now it's nearly Christmas.
She wasn't here last year like she promised but at some beach party with her new friends. She didn't come to our 13th birthday party (after promising she would, as usual) because her friends threw her a surprise party, and that must be much more important than us.
It's like she's forgotten all about us and this town. I understand that she's at a new school with a new life and all, but it's like the girl I knew and grew up with has disappeared under all those expensive clothes and rich friends.
And now she's too busy with school and all the parties to drive over with her parents for Christmas. I just don't get it, our mums still talk daily, why can't she at least try to pretend that she's still friends with us? But if she's done with us, I won't try to pretend anymore. Miles is insistent that she does still care about us, but he's always been too forgiving.
6 Years Ago - September 30th 2016 (14 years old)
Noah
He's gone.
My dad died in a car crash. And I'm going to be turning 15 in a couple of days.
He's gone. And I don't have one of the most important people in my life here with me.
He's gone.
YOU ARE READING
Right Person Too Late
RomanceA love story between two childhood best friends turned strangers, separated by time and life, reunited in their final year at Melbourne Uni. Noah and Arsema were the best of friends growing up in the small town of Port Beaver, however, that all cha...
