Friendship Through the Ages

Getting Over It

I still can't believe it. 

Why must we be separated ? 

The thought is in my mind as I go to sleep at night, as I wake up in the morning, as I watch the buildings pass by while sitting in the car. 

I don't understand why I'm making such a big deal out of it. It's not like we'll be forever apart.... right ?

"Lily ? Get ready quick. Your PTM and book sales are today, remember ?" Mom says from the kitchen. I mumble something random and turn on the geyser.

Later...

"And this... and this... and this.... Yep, all of the books are there." I say, closing the list. 

"Well, then, let's get this load in the car." My dad says, picking up the bag and heading towards the gates. I turn around, hoping to see one of my friends, and notice Ashleigh coming down a staircase, probably from the PTM.

"You go ahead, dad. I'll be back in five." I say, and go to Ashleigh. I think she noticed me, because she tells her father something, and he goes to the bookstalls.

"How are your results ?" I ask. 

"Not bad." She shrugs. "A few A1s, some A2s... What about you ?" 

"Oh, you know... The usual." I say. Ashleigh puts on a look that's somewhere between annoyance and a pout.

"You say it like it's nothing." She says.

"Well... It happens every year. Big deal." 

"For you, maybe. I mean, you get the highest grades everytime. Why can't you just give me a part of your brain ?" 

I giggle a bit. "Well... It's not possible, so..." 

I pause, and look at Ashleigh. She averts her eyes for a moment, then looks up at me.

"You know what ? I thought about... it. I think I'll be fine. I mean.. Kadienne's with me. It's not the end of the world. We can actually meet. Unlike.. well..." She pauses and looks away. I nod.

"Samantha." I say. "I guess I'll be fine. You're right. It's not the end of the world. Besides, Charlotte's in my class. You know, Rachelle's sister."

"Of course I know her." Ashleigh says.

"We kind of got to know each other over our third Language classes, so I guess I'll be fine." I say. I look at my watch and see that five minutes have passed. 

"I guess I'll see you later, then." I say.

"Ok. Bye !" She says and runs off to the book stalls. 

"Bye !" I say, and go to my dad.

Later that night,

Dear Diary,

My emotions are too messed up.

I wonder how my eighth class is going to be.

Because my two best friends are presently in another section. 

So, yay. I'll probably be alone for another year. Yay.

Oh, who am I kidding ? Let's be serious now. Me and Ashleigh had a convo this morning. She's all good. She has Kadienne. She has a friend who will be with her for the rest of the year. And me...

Great. Now I just feel pity for myself.

I wonder if Samantha feels the same way...

Hopefully, she's fine.

And so will I be.

A Few Days Later....

I walk up the stairs, standing in line with my new classmates, ignoring all the 'Walk in line' and 'Hands back' statements from teachers.

When I'm in the classroom, I look around me, surveying the various people I'm going to be spending the year with. Brittany, a girl I knew from third grade, but am not exactly close to, is talking to Alison and Rue, a childhood friend. Hannah is with Savannah and Scarlette. Isham is somewhere in the last bench with Albert and a couple other boys. And I'm sitting with Charlotte and another girl called Marlene.

Our class teacher, Ms. April, is calling out the attendance (by names, cause we don't have roll no.s yet), I raise my hand and say, "Present ma'am !" when my name comes.

Once the attendance is done, she stands in front of the class, and shouts, "Silence, please !" to get our attention.

"Now, welcome to Eighth grade. Before we start the session I would like to remind you that this year you will be facing your boards for the first time..."

'Aaand here we go with the board exam discussion again.' I think, and sigh.

~Later~

In the snacks break, when I expected myself to sit in the classroom and do stuff, I am dragged outside by Charlotte. Well, not exactly, but she suggested we go outside and I didn't refuse. And then I ended up meeting Cassie (Charlotte's friend from last year) and Rachelle in the corridor.

Well, I met Cassie before in Spanish classes so it's not  like we're total strangers.

"LILY!!!"

I instinctively turn around, only to be attacked by a overly enthusiastic Ashleigh, holding something like a poster in her right hand, while dragging me to her classroom with her left.

"What's going on ?!" I shout, not-so-loudly.

"You'll see !" She says, and when we're inside 8-C, she stops and lets go of my hand.

"Now, tell me what's going on." I say. Instead of answering my question, Ashleigh sits down on the edge of a bench and gestures to one opposite her.

"Take a seat." She says. The moment I do so, Martin, Ian, S.Charlie, Mike and Albert walk in. I also notice that Kadienne, Hanna and Scarlette are also here.

"Now, is everybody seated ?" Ashleigh says, looking around the nearly-perfect circle of people.

"Just get to the point." Hannah says.

"Well, okay then." Ashleigh shrugs, and opens the paper. It is a poster of...

"A musical band competition ? What's that got to do with us ?" Kadienne says, clearly confused.

"THE MUSICAL EDGE !!" She yells. "We can participate ! And we have a pretty good chance at winning !"

"Are you sure this is a good idea ?  We only formed the band. We haven't had a single practice session yet." Hannah says.

"We can start practicing, Hannah.  Big deal." Martin counters.

"It's decided, then. We'll start tomorrow. I'll sign up for school level audition this afternoon." Ashleigh says. "And Lily, you better have a couple of songs ready by tomorrow."

"What ?!" I say.

"What  what ?" Ash asks.

"Everything." I say, and get up. "You do realize it's a little sudden."

"Well, I may have given a bit of a shock." She shrugs. "But you can get atleast one song ready, right ?"

"Of course I can." I say, and glance at the clock above the blackboard.

"It's getting late for class. I better get going now." I say, and get up to leave.