B.F.F.

Jamie Sommers
Grade 5
IDDS

“Hey.  Wait up.”  Mandy didn’t want to drown in the swamp of middle school.  Cindy tried to stay off to the side of the stampede to wait until Mandy caught up.  It was the first day of 6^th grade, middle school, for best friends Mandy and Cindy.  New building, new classmates, and worst of all, or maybe best of all, new teachers.  Best friends, they were alike at heart, but as different as can be on the outside.  Cindy, 12, had long legs, blonde hair and deep hazel eyes.  Mandy, 11, was shorter, with wild, bright red hair cut at shoulder length and small blue eyes.  They had been best friends since the time they had met in 2^nd grade. 

“Hey, so, are you excited, or what?”  Cindy was really giddy.

“Yeah, come on, let’s pick up our schedules so that we can see if we have the same classes.  Geeze, it’s way too crowded inhere.”

“Listen, you want to come over to my house?  You can paint me swimming in the pool.”

Cindy glared.

“Hey!  I was just kidding.  Gosh, Cindy you know I know you don’t paint people, you paint scenes.”

Cindy smiled.  “Shut up and come on, we are going to be late for class!”

“Let’s go!”

After school, Cindy and Mandy met on the stairs right in the front of the school.  “My mom should be here any minute.”

“Okay.  Hey, would you mind me having a little bit of a snack when we get to your house?  I didn’t eat lunch today because I signed up to take an extra art course with Ms. Hogan teaching it.  She’s my favorite teacher because she understands why I don’t want to rush my paintings, and the principal said if I took at least one more art class he might let me take some art college courses in the 11^th grade!  I’m really excited!  Anyway, would you mind?”

“Gezze beeze!  Cindy, you talk so much, a motor could run on it!  But no, I don’t mind.  Oh!  There my mom is now.”

“Right on time,” Cindy said.

When they got to Mandy’s house, Cindy went straight to the kitchen. 

“Hey, Cindy, I know you’re scared of the water, but please come swimming with me,”  Mandy begged.

“Why?  You never cared before.”  Cindy was wondering what was with her best friend, who had never pushed her for anything before, but now pushes greatest fear?  Something’s up.”

“Is something wrong?”

“Listen, I’m moving.  My Grandpa died three weeks ago, and my mom and Dad want to be  by my Grandmother.  We’re gonna move into an apartment.  I don’t want to miss doing anything with my best friend.  I wouldn’t be able to stand it.”  Mandy said, all in a rush. 

Cindy stood still, trying to make sense of what her friend had just said.

“Why didn’t you tell me before?”

“I couldn’t bring myself to do it, and I didn’t want things to be weird between us, as if I was pushing away or something.”

“Well, how much time do we have until you move?”

“Well, we have one week.  So, what do you say about the pool?”

“Sorry, but no.”

“Why?”

“Sorry, but I can’t I just can’t.”

“That’s okay.  I understand.” said Mandy, trying to hide her disappointment.

Seven days after, it was time to go.  Mandy said goodbye to Cindy, and as she turned away, realized tears trickled down her cheeks.  Wiping them away with the palm of her hand, grasped the feeling of friendship, acknowledging what her father used to say, “You never know how valuable something is until it’s gone.”

“Goodbye!”  Mandy yelled, her voice strained with a lump in her throat, threatening to cry an ocean of tears, thinking of summer, of seeing her best friend again and what might have been.