Tonight

4

I avoided him for a week, in class I wouldn't talk to him even our moms got affected and started asking questions about what was wrong. This hasn't happened before, the two of us never got into a fight with each other. We had our squalls of course but never anything as serious as me not talking to him for a week. Come to think of it D and I never had a fight like this, usually it would be him who would get upset when I wouldn't agree with his plans about our future. It irked me even more that he didn't even try to make amends and it was always his mom Aunt Miriam coming over and asking if I was ok.

It was on the 8th day of our argument when he finally approached me. I was busy putting my books inside my locker when he approached me. My stack of books collapsed and the entire contents of my locker spewed on to the floor. I stooped down to get my things when I saw familiar hand helping me pick up the mess I made.

He handed over my books to me gently as if I was a volcano waiting to explode, when I had finished putting all my books back into my locker that was the time he began to speak.

"Look I'm sorry I called you weird, I didn't mean to insult you, you know that." He started to explain while I just stared at him with a blank expression.

"Ok so scratch that, I was insensitive...I was urgh." He hurriedly added as he grabbed a handful of his hair in irritation.

"I'm so sorry I was stupid, just please don't be mad at me anymore. My week has been hell without you." He stated in despair but I wasn't convinced that his week had been hell when all he had been doing this past couple of days was hang around with Trina's cheerleading friends and the varsity team. I had even seen him laughing with them loudly.

"I doubt it since you were obviously having tons of fun with Miss Hanley and her friends, so it wouldn't be hard for you to find a new best friend among them." I told him coldly and walked away. He raced after me of course but I ignored him. He walked a few steps behind me I couldn't tell him to back off since we obviously lived in the same block and our houses were literally next to each other. I reached my house and found my mom and D's mom sitting by the front porch. They were talking to each other seriously. Next thing I knew all four of us were seating in our living room.

"Look I know we shouldn't meddle into this but this fight of yours whatever the cause is has been going on for too long." My mom started her lecture.

"You guys have been best friends ever since you were babies!" Aunt Miriam Devon's mother added.

"A friendship that long would only be wasted if this fight of yours keep on going." They both continued. My heart sank each time they said the word best friend, it was as if the whole word was against me. They were making me realize that I was his best friend nothing more, just the girl he grew up with who happened to live next door. After their litany I excused myself and went upstairs without even giving D a second glance. I knew he was looking at me watching me even but I didn't care. All I wanted to do at that moment was climb into my bed and cry myself to sleep.

"Viv. I'm really, really sorry. You're my best friend I don't want to lose you." D stated as he carefully held on to my wrist looking at me with teary eyes. From that moment on I promised to myself that I would play that part well, I would be the perfect best friend just like how everyone else called me out to be. When I wake up tomorrow I would be rid of any feelings I have for him. At daybreak would be the last time I would ever cry over my best friend.

I did as I promised and I forgave him and supported him and his love for Trina, I kept mum every time he would swoon over her, bit back my tears that threatened to fall every time he gave her a rose and smile as I wrote love letters with him for her even though it hurt me to the core. I stood by him and supported him when he courted her, I even carried the cardboard that said "I love you Trina" for him as he sang her a love song. Through all the pain I had kept hidden and all the tears I had cried each night I learned to be stronger, to be numb.