Best Friends. Darren Espanto

Lara El Santos

Four years ago

I nervously walk up the stairs to my best friend's house and I stand in front of the door.
Here it goes, the big news. It's now or never.
I put my finger over the doorbell. I close my eyes and I lightly press down on the doorbell.
I quickly take my finger off the doorbell. I turn around and I start running.
I hear the door swing open behind me as I'm running down the driveway.
"Lara, wait!" I hear a voice call. A voice that I know a little too well.

I abruptly stop and I slowly turn around.
"Hey Darren." I force a smile upon my face and I, once again, walk up his driveway and into his house.
"Why'd you run away so quickly?"
"No reason," I respond.
"Lar, don't lie to me," he says with a sigh.
"Can we go some place a little more private."
"How's the basement."
"Sounds lovely." I slip off my shoes and I follow him down into the basement.
I sit down beside him on a black leather sofa.
"What's so important that you had to tell me alone?" He asks.
"Uh, did you see the game last night? The Lakers totally killed it!" I say, stalling.
"Yeah, I saw the game," he says. "But I know that isn't the real reason you're here. Why are you really here?"
"I have something important to tell you..."
"Speaking of important things, I have something to tell you too."
"You go first."
"No, you go first."
"Fine..." I look down at my hands and I play with my fingers. I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. I try again. "I... I... I-"
"You what? Just spit it out already."
"I'm moving to Chino Hills, California... on Sunday."
"Okay..."
"You don't seem all that surprised. What's up?"
"I'm actually moving back to Calgary, tomorrow."
"W-what? And you didn't bother to tell me till now?"
"You didn't bother to tell me," he throws back.
"I did just come over here and tell you, didn't I?"
"If I didn't catch you running away, would you have told me before you left?"
"If I didn't come over to tell you, would you have never told me?"
"I asked the question first."
"I deserve the answer more."
"You want the truth?" He asks.
"You've got to be kidding me." I put my hands on my hips and I give him a look.
"Okay, fine. I wasn't planning on telling you. I didn't want to ruin our friendship."
"Like running away would've done anything for our friendship."
"But-"
"You know what, save it. I don't want to hear another word from you. You go where you need to be and I'll go where I need to go." And with that, I walk upstairs and out of the house for the last time ever.

***

And there's the prologue for you. I hope you liked it even though it was written at midnight.

Love you,
The Anonymous Writer

July 30, 2015 @ 11:54 pm