Under the Stars

3. Question game

Chapter 3: Question game

Mia's POV

*****

I always found that the word 'friend' was often thrown around, most people not even realising the true meaning of friendship. That goes to say with including myself as well. Throughout my entire life, I had never had a real friend, yet I always found myself becoming attached to someone and calling them my best friends, only to have them betray me at some point and leading me to realise that maybe they weren't my friends after all, they were only there for convenience. 

I would never forget the cold eyes of my so called fourth grade best friend, who surrounded me along with the rest of the class after school one day, kicking me in the shin just like the rest of them. It haunted me for days. It broke me. What haunts me most right now, however, is the fact that I forgave her. I went to school the next day pretending that nothing happened, and continued calling her my best friend all the way to sixth grade, until she left me on the first day of middle school after she had made new, better friends. 

From then on I grew up changing close friends every year, yet never truly learning the meaning of friendship. Sophie and my sister, Julia, were the closest friends I had, yet I knew that the only reason they even stuck around was because we were blood.  

Thinking back on it all, maybe that was the reason why I grew up distancing myself from others, sometimes going as far as to fearing people. I allowed myself to live in my anxiety, wrapped in my protection bubble and only counting myself as my best friend. 

I was about seven when I felt so alone that I felt the need to create an imaginary friend. Someone who could be there for me and who I could talk to about anything that happened, a friend who could keep me from making the wrong choices. As I grew older, my imaginary friend turned into my diary, where I allowed myself to write about anything and everything, making sure to hide it away from everybody. 

I knew that if my mother were to find it, she would want to become my therapist. I did not want to speak to my mother about all of my problems. I just wanted a friend. 

And that friendship, ladies and gentleman, was found in a girl who despite living miles and miles away from me, was closer to me than anybody I had ever met before. 

Layla Jones took my world by a storm, flipping it upside down in the best way possible. That was why I could never contain my excitement whenever I heard the Skype ringtone, which despite reminding me of that creepy movie where everybody ended up murdered, also signalled the calling of my best friend. 

Hurriedly answering the call, a huge smile plasters itself on my face as soon as Layla's face shows up on my screen, smiling as brightly as ever. The smile, I noticed however, did not reach up to her eyes, and despite her telling me she was okay when I asked her how she was, I knew that she was lying to me. 

It was crazy how quickly I became able to read her, and she me. Both of us knew when something would be wrong with the other, even when we didn't say anything. Sometimes even when we messaged each other instead of face timed. 

That was the kind of friendship I wanted for such a long time. 

"What's wrong Lays?" I asked her, not buying her answer. 

Looking me with a shocked look on her face at the fact that I had managed to figure out that something was wrong with her without even needing her to tell me, she couldn't help but let out a sigh. 

"It's my brother," she said, looking down, sadness suddenly overtaking her features, making my heart clench for her. 

In the past couple of days she had become my source of happiness. I was always so intrigued at the fact that she always looked so happy, the happiness radiating off of her. It hurt me to see her so upset, and I found myself wanting to do something about it.