Worst Best Friend, Best Enemy

A person you once hated with every fiber of your being does not stay that way forever. You two might encounter reconciliation along the way or you just mature more with time. In the same light, the person you might have thought was your friend will make you wish you never met each other.  Either way, it'll be a story that will leave its own mark on the both of you.

Back in elementary school, I was the shy girl at the back of the room that befriends the very first girl that talked to me. That girl was Christine. We had things in common –at least, that’s what I thought then. Both our fathers knew each other since they used to work for the same company. When my parents knew my blossoming friendship with Christine, they discouraged it. They said that I was only being used by the nine-year old. I was adamant at the innocence of our friendship and defended it until a changing event during my second year in high school.

During the time I met Christine, I met Marie. She was the bossy kid that wants everything to go her way. What she wants, she gets. I can’t remember what exactly happened but I know it was after school ended and I was playing with someone else and she made me cry. She wasn’t bullying me, she just taunted me. After that incident, I stayed away from her.

When we reached high school, I was still best friends with Christine. Marie became my friend and became part of our group along with Jam. This was the turning point.

It happened during recess. Our canteen then was selling fruit shakes and I often go there with this group and buy some. I bought a large mango shake with the little allowance I have for that day. Christine started asking me to buy one for her. For free.

Of course, I flatly told her that I can’t; my money wasn’t enough to buy another one. She pouted and walked away from me, dragging Jam and Marie with her. She left me there just like that. For years, I had never been without a friend so I tried redeeming myself and bought another shake, a size smaller than what she wanted because it was all I could afford. I tracked her down and called out to her when I did but she intentionally ignored me. The realization and everything my parents warned me against hit me hard. In my anger, I threw that tiny cup away, went to our classroom and sulked.

It was there that Marie and Jam found me. From then on, we never went with Christine again.

This event made me realize that I used the title “best friend” too casually and bestowed it on someone I’ve been the longest; not the one who knows me the most.  The value of that friendship was the same as that small cup of shape that I dumped in the garbage can without hesitation. My indifference to our friendship further convinced me that I never thought much about our relationship in the first place; it wasn’t something even worth fighting for. It wasn’t even worth any tear. I didn’t cry over our separation. Instead, I felt relieved: I was free of her oppression and bossiness.

I was blind to her misdoings because I was afraid of being alone. I even overlooked her habit of demeaning me when the fact was, I was a lot smarter than she is and will ever be.

Every one of us has our own Christines and Maries. Each one of us has the choice to keep or get rid of either one but it should always be us that make that decision.

To this day, Marie, Jam and I am still friends. Close friends. Best friends, in fact. Our friendship –as cliché as it sounds- stood the test of time. Of course, it wasn’t always smooth sailing; no relationship is. We had our fights but the most important thing is that we always find ourselves led back to one another. Another important thing is that we cried. We shed tears because if we know that if we don’t repent and forgave, we would lose something much more than the word “meaningful” will allow.

We went to different universities and months would often times pass without a single word between each other but whenever we have our annual meet ups, it’s as if we never parted. We always go back to that time in high school when we copy each other’s assignment or when we would just lounge by the hallways during breaks as if we had the entire school to ourselves. As for Christine, we never saw each other again.

Whoever said that time and distance could bring strain to a relationship has obviously never met us.