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A Childhood Friend

"3, 2, 1, ready or not, here I come." A little girl, having finished counting down the numbers with her hands away from her eyes.

Seeing clearly with all the children around the playground, she walks around. Trying to find her friends who may be hiding in random places.

Going under the tables. Easily finding two boys, same age as her.

The boys immediately groan in defeat, no way they can hide from her. The little girl is really good at playing this game. The boys are the only ones who have hid under the table.

Walking around, going into certain places. Finding another little girl hiding behind one of the slides the school recently set up for the children to play at. The other hiding in a small, plastic house, something this child shouldn't be going to, knowing this area is only for Reception kids.

The little girl and her friends are Year 6 students.

All around the playground, she found them. Screaming in victory over how she found them all. Her friends agree. Unless they noticed one of them isn't with them.

"Wait where's Mary?" Looking around each other. The little girl becomes confused. She looked everywhere in the playground. All areas but she's nowhere to be found.

"That's weird." She said.

"Do you think she might be in the bathroom again?" The little boy said. Laughing over the matter. The girl doesn't like it.

"Don't do that. I'll go find her." Only a few minutes left till lunch time is over, she runs to the school door, going inside. Hoping to find Mary in the bathrooms.

Inside, she rushes to the bathrooms. The bathrooms don't have private doors. It's all open. Some little boys may be able to go to the girl's bathroom. Probably to mess around with them due to their stupid childish imaginations. Or the fact that they just want to do something for a good ol laugh.

"Mary!" Screaming for her now that she's inside the bathroom.

"Mary are you in here?" The toilet doors are open. With the exception of one.

Immediately noticing it, she walks to the toilet door, gently pushing it for a moment, it's locked. She's inside but doesn't answer.

"Mary it's me Abigail. Is everything ok?" Mary inside. Her heads in between her legs. She doesn't feel good.

Usually Mary goes to the bathroom whenever she feels upset, to escape her problems, to become alone without any of her friends finding her. It's the perfect place to have quiet. Until her teachers come to her. They always know which toilet bowl she goes to.

"Leave me alone!" Making Abigail feel concerned for her. She knocks on the door carefully, not wanting to scare her.

"Mary it's just me." Mary puts her head back between her legs. Crying. Hearing her soft, quiet cries, the realisation starts to settle in.

"It's because we won't see each other right." She doesn't answer. Abigail already knows the answer to that.

"Mary look. Even though I'm excited to go to St Paul's for girls, I'm still going to miss everyone, you, our friends who you keep avoiding, and our teachers." Mary looks up. She can't see Abigail clear and direct but she can feel her presence right in front of her.

"We can still keep in contact through our mom's phones. You know that right. Just imagine it's us, still doing what we love to do whenever you spend time at my house." Smiling.

Hearing the toilet door unlock, it opens, revealing Mary. She rushes straight to her and hugs her quickly. Abigail hugs her back straight away.

"Will you always remember me?"