We were best of friends. No one could separate us. They
knew better than to attempt it. We were always together. We even attended the
same classes. We were so similar in the way we thought, the way we dresses and
the way we spoke that sometimes people mistook us for twins. We were enough for
each other. We did not need a big group to satisfy us. Everything was good.
Everything was happy.
But, all this changed when she came along. We started
spending more time with her, and he would talk to her more now. I tried talking
to them, but he would cut me off. She seemed to enjoy our company, but
eventually I realized she did not care about me. I tried warning him, but he
dismissed it as my insecurity. She started accompanying us everywhere we went.
I started feeling lonely. It was talk of the town, how a new girl had broken an
age old friendship. I longed to have him back; have us back. He still did not
realize what this was leading to. All my efforts had been futile. I could do
nothing but watch the friendship die.
Once, we three were walking down the street, going to
drop her home that tragedy struck. Those two were talking about everything
under the sun while I quietly walked with them as was the trend with us
nowadays. It was a narrow pavement, so I was walking behind both of them. He
playfully pushed her because of some reason and she happened to get on the
road. At that unfortunate (or should I say fortunate?) moment, a speeding truck
rammed into her. She fell on the road, bleeding profoundly. The driver drove
away from the scene of crime, but not before I managed to note down his vehicle
number. We then transported her to the hospital. He was inconsolable. She meant
the world to him, like he meant the world to me.
Once at the hospital, she was taken in for an emergency
surgery while we called her parents informing them about what happened. I
wanted her to survive. She was such a good friend of mine. But, a part of me
wanted her to kiss the heavens. That way, I and he would be together again. I
went over to him. He was restless. He kept looking at the operation theatre
expecting her to come out. I pat his hand and console him. He shakes his head
and says, “She won’t survive. I know it.”
“She will. Keep faith.” I say, when every part of my body
was hoping he was right. I felt so guilty at that moment.
“She meant everything to me. She was the most wonderful
person I knew. She could win anyone’s heart. Our friendship was blooming. You
saw how close we were. Why did I even push her gently? Her friendship is
everything I want. I will kill myself if she died today.”
My eyes welled up with tears. All the moments we had
spent together flashed by my eyes in a single second. “What about me, Jade,
what about me?” I asked him, my voice breaking.
“You were amazing, Liz, but nothing like her. When I was
with you I thought there would not be anyone like you. Then, she came along.
Frankly, I value her more than I value you."
I wanted to let the rains spill out, but I held them in.
Not trusting myself to speak, I got up and walked out of his life forever. I
expected him to call me back. He never did. I did not mean a thing to him now.
Realization caught up with me. It said that people change, however close you
might be. Best friends become strangers, strangers become best friends, but
life moves on.
After him, I have taken care to befriend everyone but
never got attached to someone. It always hurts. As for both of them, she did
not survive, and he committed suicide. I did not attend both their funerals.
For me, they died when I walked out of the hospital that day.
