She is my best friend.
Or should I say, was my best friend.
She might be the nicest and smartest girl you’ll ever meet, that girl named Jessica. Any boy would fall for her, anybody would want to be her friend, and I wouldn’t care because I am only her shadow.
But why him? Why does he have to like her, the boy that I’ve been friends with and looked up to for years?
Oh well, all of this was predictable enough.
I, Myra, have been wondering about this for months. I now sit in the middle of the courtyard in my school turning this over in my head as a fresh autumn breeze touches my shoulders. I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and I stand up, ready to go back inside to my classes.
“Myra, lunch is almost over! Come on, we don’t want to be late,” called Jessica.
“Yes, I’m coming! Thank you,” I responded.
We only had one class together. I was known merely as the smart girl, while Jessica was the popular one. While I was sitting at the desk closest to the window, working on an assignment during a free period, I heard giggling at Jessica’s table, the table farthest from mine, next to the cabinets.
“I can’t believe you’re still friends with her Jessica! Why even are you?” asked a girl named Selene, who was also one of her friends.
“She’s right there, you know,” responded Jessica.
My eyes widened. She couldn’t be using me all along, could she?
“Well, Myra is really smart and kind too…but you’re basically better. Much better, I mean.”
I looked over my shoulder to see who said that last comment. It was the boy I’ve been friends with for years. Richard. The boy I was so close to seeing as…more than a friend.
I said I wouldn’t cry.
And I didn’t.
I bit my lip and continued working.
“Why thank you,” I heard Jessica say. “But please quiet down, she’s right there. Look, if it makes any of you satisfied, I’m only using her for her intelligence so she can help me later on. How do you think I’ve been getting great grades? It’s from studying with her at the library, of course.”
I was dumbfounded. I’ve only known her since last year’s virtual class, and now here she is, using me?
I put my pencil down and slowly walked towards their table. All eyes were now on me. The whispers didn’t stop me anymore.
“Why?” I asked.
“What do you mean, we didn’t do anything, other than talk about school. Right, Charles?” Jessica replied, elbowing her friend.
“Right,” Charles said. He wasn’t really a good student, but Jessica still kept him around.
“No. Don’t lie in front of my face. I heard everybody.”
Tiny droplets of sweat trickled down her forehead.
“I’ve only known you since the beginning of 7th grade. Are you really that fake? You made such a good impression on me, and now you’ve destroyed all that,” I cried. “I hope you’re happy.”
Before I could rant any further, the bell rang. It was time to go to my next class.
I went to my desk to get my bag, and I quickly caught up with the rest and left the door first.
“I’ll get you back for this, just wait,” I said, and disappeared into the crowd of students.
Or should I say, was my best friend.
She might be the nicest and smartest girl you’ll ever meet, that girl named Jessica. Any boy would fall for her, anybody would want to be her friend, and I wouldn’t care because I am only her shadow.
But why him? Why does he have to like her, the boy that I’ve been friends with and looked up to for years?
Oh well, all of this was predictable enough.
I, Myra, have been wondering about this for months. I now sit in the middle of the courtyard in my school turning this over in my head as a fresh autumn breeze touches my shoulders. I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and I stand up, ready to go back inside to my classes.
“Myra, lunch is almost over! Come on, we don’t want to be late,” called Jessica.
“Yes, I’m coming! Thank you,” I responded.
We only had one class together. I was known merely as the smart girl, while Jessica was the popular one. While I was sitting at the desk closest to the window, working on an assignment during a free period, I heard giggling at Jessica’s table, the table farthest from mine, next to the cabinets.
“I can’t believe you’re still friends with her Jessica! Why even are you?” asked a girl named Selene, who was also one of her friends.
“She’s right there, you know,” responded Jessica.
My eyes widened. She couldn’t be using me all along, could she?
“Well, Myra is really smart and kind too…but you’re basically better. Much better, I mean.”
I looked over my shoulder to see who said that last comment. It was the boy I’ve been friends with for years. Richard. The boy I was so close to seeing as…more than a friend.
I said I wouldn’t cry.
And I didn’t.
I bit my lip and continued working.
“Why thank you,” I heard Jessica say. “But please quiet down, she’s right there. Look, if it makes any of you satisfied, I’m only using her for her intelligence so she can help me later on. How do you think I’ve been getting great grades? It’s from studying with her at the library, of course.”
I was dumbfounded. I’ve only known her since last year’s virtual class, and now here she is, using me?
I put my pencil down and slowly walked towards their table. All eyes were now on me. The whispers didn’t stop me anymore.
“Why?” I asked.
“What do you mean, we didn’t do anything, other than talk about school. Right, Charles?” Jessica replied, elbowing her friend.
“Right,” Charles said. He wasn’t really a good student, but Jessica still kept him around.
“No. Don’t lie in front of my face. I heard everybody.”
Tiny droplets of sweat trickled down her forehead.
“I’ve only known you since the beginning of 7th grade. Are you really that fake? You made such a good impression on me, and now you’ve destroyed all that,” I cried. “I hope you’re happy.”
Before I could rant any further, the bell rang. It was time to go to my next class.
I went to my desk to get my bag, and I quickly caught up with the rest and left the door first.
“I’ll get you back for this, just wait,” I said, and disappeared into the crowd of students.
