- The beginning
Lily Parker and Freya Sailor have been best friends since 4th grade. It all started when Freya stumbled upon a couple of schoolgirls making fun of Lily. Since then, the two haven't left each other's side.
On the patio behind the house there was a small table and two chairs. The usually empty wooden table was now covered with schoolbooks and notebooks, with two drinks placed dangerously close to the paper. It belonged to the two girls who were sitting on the chairs. Both had light pants and t-shirts on, despite it being winter. One of the perks of living in Florida. They were always in short clothing since it's rarely cold there. Freya had a straight brunette bob hair and caramel eyes. While Lily had a long wavy ginger hair, that was now put in a messy bun, and hazel eyes.
"What do you say, should we apply for the college now ?" A raspy voice came from the ginger girl while holding the pencil in her right hand. Freya slowly looked up from the science book she was reading to understeand the homework better. Her perfectly done eyebrows lifted up as she fixed the glasses.
"Now, already?" Freya's voice sounded soft compared to her friend's. She looked like she belonged to the cold weather. On the other hand Lily looked like she belonged to the warm weather, with her fair complexion and freckles.
"We've already agreed to go to the sam college and we both know which major we want, so why not?" Lily shrugged, taking a sip of her water. "Besides, my other friends from drama club have already applied. So, we won't be the only ones." Freya nodded and immediately grabbed her phone.
After what felt like eternity, both girls managed to send the application with everything required. Outside the sun was setting down and the wind started to blow. Lily and Freya began clearing the table, deciding it was enough of studying. The brunette headed home knowing how her mother hated when her daughter was late for something.
2. The day everything changed
Winter break soon came, making the teenagers leave school with happy faces. Lily was so excited about the break since the day of her 18th birthday finally came. She planned to celebrate it at home with Freya and all her cousins. It was all set for that day since summer and everyone told they would come. However, the morning of her birthday Freya texted Lily saying something happened and she couldn't come to the party. The ginger girl friend felt sad and dissapointed but wasn't mad since she understood the situation.
Lily and her guests were now playing truth or dare. Before the game they have been to the beach and had a small picnic and then had karaoke at the house. Lily was never a girl to go to parties and others respected that. A couple of times Freya did complain avbout them never going to a club or a party, but never said it was such a big deal for her.
Vivianne, one of Lily's cousins, wanted to post something on Instagram and began staring at one post. Other girls looked at her interested in what she was looking at for so long. Vivianne showed it to the girls. "Jake's just posted that he's having a party." Lily walked from her place and looked over her cousins shoulder.
The post was a picture of a table full of red cups eaither filled with alcohol or empty. The other showed multiple people dancing and having fun inside the house. The third was a picture she stopped there so everyone could see who is there. Lily frowned seeing Freya on it with a smile on her face. Jake wrapped his hand around her waist and another arm was around Emily's shoulder. Before she could form a proper thought, Vivianne opened Freya's story and saw it was a close friend's one. In one story she and Emily made a selfie with a kissy face. While the other was with Jake and she wrote "my love" with a heart.
For the rest of the night Lily didn't speak. She was deep in her thoughts, not paying attention to anything. Letting one post ruin her birthday.
3. Party conversations
Freya
Sorry, I can't come today. I must help my grandma again...
We'll study next week, I promise.
Lily
It's fine.
The ginger set her phone down after seeing the text message from her best friend. She wasn't surprised at Freya cancelling every time. It didn't hurt her that she was partying with them. It hurt because she did that to her. It wasn't even that she cancelled studying, that's on her if she's going to fall back in school. It was about their friendship and how much the brunette cared about it. They haven't seen each other the whole winter break that ends the next week. She only got a text 'happy birthday' and never had to celebrate with her.
It was late at night and she just started studying. Lily never knew how to explain it, but it's easier for her to study at night rather than at day. Her mind works quickly, and she remembers quickly. Sitting on her bed with her legs crossed, she had a book in front of her. The coffee was set beside on the nightstand. Her ginger hair was now in a messy braid. All of a sudden, her phone lit up. It was a text message from a classmate.
Opening the video her heart started to beat faster. They secretly recorded a conversation among Freya, Emily, Jake, and their other friends, speaking about Lily and laughing, calling her names, making fun of how she is and was as a child. Instead of defending her, Freya joined the conversation. It made Lily's eyes full of tears which she fought not to roll down her cheeks. The video played over and over again until she suddenly threw her books on the floor and angerily turned off her phone.
The video brought back the memories when she was little and getting bullied. Except this time, she didn't have anyone to stand up for her. This time she was left alone.
4. Just like old times
As expected, the two girls weren't friends anymore. After that video Lily decided not to speak to Freya again. The brunette tried to speak with her in school, irritating Lily. When she finally got fed up with it, she confronted her telling her to stop acting like she lied about her grandma, how she talked behind her back and started hanging out with people for whom she knew have bullied her when she was little. The same ones Freya defended her against. That conversation was in front of the school and everyone listened to it.Some where filming it and laughing, but some just watched with boring expression. On the same day the video went viral.
In the following months Lily was alone in school. Her life went back to it's old routine. School, bullying, home, studyin, sleep and repeat. Jake, Emily, and Freya didn't want to leave her alone. They laughed each time she passed by, wrote multiple notes, and put them in her locker, calling her a nerd, a loser,... She tried not to show her emotions as she did before. Holding in her tears sometimes she talked back, but it was no use. They wouldn't give up.
Freya and Jake were together now. They made sure everyone knew that. It was the talk of school. A popular boy who plays for football club and a fresh cheerleader. She got in the team not long after the winter break. She hated cheerleaders, Lily thought. At least that's what the brunette told her . Now Freya was getting better and better at cheerleading, acting like she didn't talk bad about them a month ago.
Lily knows that she's a hypocrite and can't believe she ever hung out with her. She couldn't grasp she once wanted to become a college roommate with her. The truth is, when someone makes your life better after a long time you don't pay much attention to their bad habits and traits, their constant gossiping or when they give you backhanded compliments. You try to keep the only true friendship your felt in your life, feeling happy because someone wants to spend time with you.
The ginger shook her head at herself as she watched the cheerleader practice. She was just passing by the gym and stopped to see what they were doing. Lily has always dreamed of being a cheerleader but she knew she didn't even have a chance since no one from the team liked her, especially since Emily was the captain of the cheerleading team.
5. Karma is slow, but it catches up
The warm may breeze hit people's faces as they sat on the bleachers, eyes focusing on the ongoing game while the sound of others chattering, and coaches whistles filled their ears. The thin layer of the sunscreen barely helping them from turning red like a crab. However, they didn't care, they payed attention to the last game of the school season, hoping their school wins today. Their team captain is leaving school after alll and they want him to have one more victory before he leaves. The two long bleachers were packed with students, teachers, and also some parents. From freshmen to seniors. It was a free school day.
At the highest bench sat Lily with a bored expression on her face. The small bag she brought was placed beside her. It was full pf suncreen and water battles, having to be careful since she gets burnt easily. Once when she was at the beach, she fell asleep in the sun and woke up being red all over. Beside her sat a girl who was also in the drama club. She called them friends, but they never hung out outside of school. The girl never spoke much, but also didn't hate her. She felt bad for Lily because she was being bullied. However, her lack of social skills stopped her from ever saying anything to her or to those who were messing with her. Lily knows how to defend herself, but she gave up after some time because the old team didn't give up.
Suddently everyone's phone dinged, and their focus was on an Instagram post. Gasps and laughter spread in an instant just when their team scored a goal. But no one sheered expect teachers and parent. The players celebrated and continued playing, obviously confused with why everyone was looking at their phones.
"Hmm I'm not suprised." said Marlene, the girl nex to Lily. The ginger looked at her and frowned. She ignored her phone, despite seeing that everyone was looking at theirs. "What happened?"
"Jack cheated on Freya with Emily. Look!" Marlene turned her phone towards her so she could look at the picture which showed Jack kissing Emily behind some building. The person who posted it must have seen them and took a picture, posting it from a secret acount. "It's karma, am I right?"
"Yes, totally." Lily nodded. All of a sudden Freya stood up and started walking across the pitch. When he get close to Jack, she tapped his shoulder. He turned around and before he could ask anything, Freya slapped him hard in the face. Afther that she ran away into a locker room with tears streaming down her face. Jack watched with his hand placed on his now red cheek.
6. Acceptance letter
Seniors have already finished high school. It was the beginning of June now and most of them imatiently waited for their acceptenc letter to arrive, hoping they got in their dream college. The others were looking for a job or taking a small break, wanting to relax for a bit. It was as hot as ever in Florida and people mostly couldn't go out of their houses, as the heat was unbearable. The roads were hot to the point they almost started to melt. Even if Floridians were used to hot weather, especially in summer, this day was the worst ever. Not even teenagers went out to the beach.
It waws two weeks after the big news of a popular school football player cheated on a new cheerleader with their mutal best friend. His reputation didn't falter a bit, since most people didn't care about their relationship. Jack even stated that he didn't like Freya that much and was with her just because he was trying to push his feelings from Emilly. However, now they're together and Freya was alone in her house. Feeling like Lily has been feeling all those months, without friends and support from friends and anyone. The cheealeading team took Emilly's side, because they knew her longer and because of Freya's past friendship with a nerd, while other people in the school didn't really pay attention to her.
It was almost night when Lily was sitting in front of her laptop with her email open. Her parents were behind her, impatiently moving from one leg to antother. Lily was anxiously biting her nails, having a feeling she won't be accepted, despite having straight A and multiple awards from various compettions. She had some extra credit for being a part of the drama club. The refresh button was clicked every minute for the past hour. Lily has dreamt of this moment since she was in the 8th grade. Her heart was beating faster each second and with the last refresh, the email popped up.
She was accepted.
Lily jumped up from joy, crying happy tears. Her parents started hugging her and congradulating. This was it! She is going to go to her dream college. She will have a chance of becoming film director. It was something she always knew she wanted to do. Being in love with movies from a young age, she knew she would work in that field. Later in the 8th grade she was doing a research about what she could do and stumbelt upon a directing films and decided on that.
After everyone calmed down, Lily went into her room and turned on her phone. There was a message
Freya
I know you don't want to her from me, but Iwanted to let you know I didn't get accepted.
Lily
I'm sorry to hear that. Hope you can apply for other collages.
7. The ending
It was time for Lily to set off. She and her parents were putting suitcases and boxes filled with her stuff in the car. She was going to live in a drom, since the collage was far away from her town. It will be hard in the beginning, but she will get used to it. The ginger promissed her parents to come home whemever she gets a chance and definitley during the holidays. The idea of her daughter being far away was devastating for her mom. She couldn't believe her only child was growing up and about to live by herself. Eventually she calmed down after a few weeks.
When Lily placed the last box in the trunk, a soft voice from behind startled her as she wasn't expecting anyone else to come and see her off. Turning around, in front of her stood Freya. Her brunette hair was clipped behind and glasses stood on the bridge of her nose. She played with her fingers. "Hi!" Freya was the first one to speak after Lily turned around, even though she had already greeted her.
"Hi!" the ginger answered confused as to why the girl was here. They haven't heard from each other sincethe day Freya texted her about not being accepted into the college. It was four monts ago.
"I wanted to apologize to you for how I treated you in school in the las semester. It was shitty of me to turn on you. I am truly sorry about that and hope you can accept my apology. It's a late one, but I have decided to do it after a long time of thinking about my behaviour. I was wondering if we could be friends again?" Freya stopped talking and waited for Lily's answer. Lily stood there in shock not knowing wha to say.
"I will accept your apology, but we won't be friends. It wasn't just shitty that you turned on me, it was with who you did it, and how you did it. You could have just said to me you didn't want to be friends anymore, not start bullying me. That was low even for you. So I don't want us to be friends again. I don't want a friend who pretends to be real one and then turns their back at me." Lily's parents were now coming out of the house, preparing themselves for a goodbye.
"I..." Freya sighed and didn't say what she wanted because it was of no use. "I wish you the best in the collage and thank you for accepting my apology." that was the last thing she said before leaving. Lily then hugged her parents and headed for collage.
In the end she learned how to say NO to people and that sometimes friendships aren't wat they seem to be.