BEST FRIENDS FOR LIFE

~FLASHBACK~

It was the Annual Oaksville Talent Show and eight year old Casadee Johnson felt like throwing up. It was a tall order asking a shy eight year old to perform a piano solo in front of the entire community of Oaksville, Alabama. Her mom thought it would be a great way for her to make new friends and boost the little self-esteem she had but Casadee thought it was a suicide mission. “Mom! I don’t wanna do this! I can’t do this!” she’d complained. “Oh hush up, Casadee. Mom wants you to do this, okay? Don’t you wanna please your Mom?” She nodded, even though she wasn’t sure she wanted to please her mother now. “Well, go on now and win Mom that big ol’ trophy we talked about winning, okay?”

The stage lights dimmed and the announcer, Mrs. Dorminstine, introduced to the audience the talent show. Everyone applauded. “Now, we’re going to bring on stage Elisa who’s gonna sing us a song!” The audience applauded again. That’s how it was. The announcer called kids on stage who did their acts and talents. Casadee was getting sicker by the minute.

“Are you okay?” She turned around and stared straight into the blue eyes of someone she didn’t know. “Who are you?” “My name’s Will. William McKenzie. Are ya scared?” He didn’t ask her like he wanted to make fun of her. He asked her like he was genuinely concerned. She nodded, feeling as though she was on the verge of crying. “It’s okay. I’m a little scared too. Can I stand with you for a while?” She nodded again. Will was like any other boy. His hair was sandy blonde and he had those big blue eyes that stared at you with wonder and curiosity. A very likely combination, yes, but Will’s personality was one of a kind. Then Casadee, without even knowing it, she asked him, “Will you hold my hand?” Will, of course, didn’t know what to say or do. He just met this girl a few minutes ago but he wanted to be a good friend to her. It took a while but his hand found hers, their fingers entwined and resting on her pretty blue dress. That’s how their friendship started….

~END OF FLASHBACK~

It’s been nine years already and Will and Casadee were best friends since that day. Casadee didn’t win the talent show. Neither did Will but they won the best friendship of all.

“C’mon Casadee! We gotta get to school!” William was standing outside her house, yelling his lungs out to get her up because he knew (he could bet on his life) that she was still sleeping. Casadee’s mom came outside, happy and smiling to see Will as usual. “Good mornin’, William. You know, you could just use the front door instead of yelling and waking everybody up.” William laughed. “Mornin’, Ms. Johnson.” William walked into the house together with Casadee’s mom.

And as Will knew, Casadee was still asleep. He crept quietly up to her room. As he opened the door, his eyes landed on the photo collage she kept on her door. Pictures of them doing things and going places together. An entire collage, dedicated to us, he thought. As he closed the door quietly, his eyes wandered to every inch of her room, as if to memorize it which wouldn’t make sense. He knew where everything was already. He knew where she kept her favorite artwork, the hidden stash of candy bars that her Mom doesn’t like her eating. He even knew where she kept her diary but he wouldn’t go as far as reading it. That’d be disrespectful.

“Casadee, time to wake up,” he whispered. “Casadee…” She murmured something like ‘Go away’ or ‘Sleepy’. “Casadee…” He was sitting on the edge of her twin bed, pulling her big toe. “Casadee…” She bolted upright, mad as ever. “By golly, Will! I’m trying to sleep!” Will couldn’t contain his laughter. Casadee’s hair was all over the place. “No. You can’t go back to sleep. We’ve got school today.” She dove back under her cover and muffled, “No! I hate school!” Will gripped her ankles and pulled, using all his strength into it. "C’mon. Let’s get you educated!” Casadee gripped the head board, determined not to let go. “Casadee!” “Will!” Just then, her Mom came in with a bucket of ice cold water and dumped it on her head. “Mom!” Her mother and Will broke out into a fit of giggles and laughter as Casadee squirmed under the chill of the water. “Now get your rump in the bathroom or you’ll be late for school!”