A Letter To My Best Friend

                                                                  Episode Four

                                                                                                                                                        25 Trance Way.   

                                                                                                                                          Clutchwood Road.

                                                                                                                                           Camberwell

                                                                                                                                            Alabama.

Dear Donna,

                       I write to express my feeling about you. To tell you how important you are to me and how incomplete I feel without you.

I remember the first day I met you. You were new in the nursery class. The teacher said you moved to Manhattan but no one knew the reason why. I stared at your sad eyes and  I wondered what could be wrong. You kept to yourself and you hardly said a word.

During lunch break, I caught you at the back of the class crying. You looked fragile and so much in pain that I couldn't figure out what could be wrong. Then I came close to you, to comfort you, to make you feel that whatever was bothering you would change in no time. You cried on my shoulder and that was when I knew what true pain felt. You told me you lost your Parents and had relocated to Manhattan to stay with your Aunt. I felt very bitter about that.

I walked you home that day and your Aunt was very glad that you finally found a friend. I tried to make you feel better. We sat together in class and we studied together. I instigated you to join the basketball and after so much pleas, you agreed.

You became different. You started to smile and believe in yourself again. We were the best of friends. Just like always, we were inseparable. I had other friends but your friendship was different. It was real, genuine and pure.

The day I'd never forget was when our classmates bullied you. I told them to their face that they should never talk back at you and that if they did, I'd get them reported to the school authorities.  They called you an orphan and a loner. They said you have no one but me. We both sat in the field and I waited for you to pour out all your feelings. You cried for hours and all I did was fold my arms and watch you. I wanted you to feel better.

When you finally stopped crying, you looked me straight in the eyes. They were very red and swollen.

"Promise me that you'd always stand by me no matter what happens". she said softly.

"I promise". I assured her with so much confidence.

That was the foundation of our relationship and that was when we knew that we were inseparable.

Our friendship grew stronger for the next five years that even till now, people still mistaken us for twins.

Donna, I never meant to make you angry. I, like other students was surprised that the money was found in your bag. There was no evidence to prove otherwise and everyone laid claims on you. No one believed you and you knew that they would never do so. When you turned to me, I saw the understanding in your eyes. You knew if no one else did believe you, I would. You wanted me to fight for you just like I had done five years ago.

However, I disappointed you. I didn't believe you. I also blamed you for being a thief.

How could I have thought otherwise about you. I've never known you to steal, even at the most trying times. You preferred to starve of hunger instead of begging for life. You had this pride in you that I cherished a lot. Then why didn't I stand by you?

You know as they say, I think Satan was playing with my thought. Because when Annabel entered and explained the whole situation, I knew that I had lost my best friend. I knew you would never trust me again...