The seasons of friendship

Summer

"Mom, I don't want to go. I told you, everyone here is so mean and no one likes me." Jade said to her mom as she sat in the car staring outside the window to her high school. It was only her third day back at school now as a senior and she hated it. "Jade you have to go to school. I'm sorry. I'll pick you up right after you're done." Constance said, Jade's mom. Constance was a paralegal at a law firm. She was a single mom since Jade was born. Jade's dad was out of the picture. She had seen him a few times, but they weren't close. He had been married three times and had other children. As far as Jade was concerned he wasn't her father, just a sperm donor. "Don't be late like yesterday." Jade looked at her mother with a displeased look. "I promise. Now go, there's other cars behind me and I need to move." Her mom told her. Jade opened the car door and got out. She really hated school. She had no friends, classes were boring, school lunch sucked, and the cafeteria smelled like burnt food. She walked through the entrance and headed for home room. At least she could sleep for a few minutes before her next class. Jade found a seat towards the back and sunk in her chair. She laid her head on the desk and closed her eyes. 

It was Mya's first day to this school. Her family had recently moved to town. Her dad was relocated for work. Mya had an older sister, but she had been in college for two years now. Her mom was a housewife. She was close to her family. They did a lot together. But since her dad had relocated he had been busier working at the office. Mya and her family weren't used to living in a small town. They lived in the city before. So Mya was feeling lonely and nervous about going to a new school. In her old school she had a lot of friends and was somewhat popular. Mya clung onto the straps of her backpack and walked towards the doors of her new school. There were so many people to her surprise. It might be harder to find her way around than she thought. Finally after wandering the halls for about 5 minutes Mya found her home room. She went up to the desk where the teacher was sitting. She handed the teacher a piece of paper. "Oh!" The teacher jumped up from her chair a bit ecstatically. "You're the new student, welcome. Have a seat wherever you'd like." The teacher said. Mya looked around and found a seat next to a girl sleeping. She looked over at her curiously.  After 30 minutes the bell rang and it was time to go to the next class. Mya was worried how she would find her way around. She saw the girl who was sleeping get up. She didn't seem that in a hurry to go to class. Mya needed help. "Hey, excuse me." Mya said. Jade looked at her with eyes wide open. No one ever really tried to talk to her. They just sort of ignored her. She looked around but no one else was around so she must be talking to her. "Sorry I just.. I'm new here and I need some help. Can you tell me where this class is please?" Mya asked helplessly. Jade noticed she seemed nice, not like she was going to try to pull a prank on her or something. "Sure." Jade said. Jade looked at the paper. "Oh that's Mr. Carter's history class. I have that now too. Come with me." Jade said. "Oh great." Mya smiled and followed Jade.

It was now lunch time. Jade's not so favorite time. "Oh lunch time."Mya said excitedly. "Really?" Jade looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "What? I like lunch and I'm hungry. Aren't you?" Mya said. Jade smirked. "There won't be any seats to sit at. They're all taken." Jade told Mya. "Oh. So where do you usually eat lunch?" Mya asked. Jade smiled. "I'll show you."  The girls walked outside. They past the large football field. "Keep up." Jade looked behind at Mya. Mya looked around wondering where they were going. Jade finally stopped in front of a big tree and wooden bench. "Wow! How did you find this place?" Mya asked. "I like to wander." Jade retorted. The two sat down and started eating. "So where are you from?" Jade asked Mya. "Seattle." Mya replied. "Why did you move here?" Jade sneered. "My dad relocated for work."said Mya. "What about you, you've always lived here?" Mya asked. "Pretty much."Jade said tepidly. "I'm Jade by the way, Jade Stone." She introduced herself. "I'm Mya Miller. Nice to meet you." They giggled. The girls kept on talking and before they knew it it was time to go back to class. "This was nice. We should do it again."Mya said. "OK." Jade said. She tried to play it cool but she actually had a nice time. Maybe she finally made a friend. They started walking back to class. Suddenly in the halls someone shoved them self into Jade. "Oops, sorry." Starla said condescendingly. "Yeah right." Jade said irritatedly. "Oh who's this, a new friend?" Starla said looking at Mya. "My name's Mya. Who are you?" Mya said looking straight at Starla. "I'm Starla." Starla said. "Well Starla the next time you're walking how about looking where you're going before you start bumping into people, ok." Mya said in a bold manner. "Wow, with an attitude like that you should hang out with us, not with this loner." Starla said. "No thanks." Mya answered. "I'm not interested."Mya said. Starla looked at Mya up and down and then turned around and walked away. "Thanks." Jade said to Mya with a surprised look. "Why haven't you ever said anything to her before?" Mya asked Jade. "To Starla, there's no saying anything to Starla." Jade said. "Well don't let people walk all over you." Mya said. Jade smiled. No one had ever taken any interest in her before."We better get to class, don't wanna be late." Jade said. "Hey why don't we meet after school, same place." Jade suggested. "Yeah." Mya replied. 

And after that Jade and Mya met each other everyday at the same spot where the tree and wooden bench were past the football field. For lunch and after school. It was their special spot. And they talked about everything. About school, classes, grades, the horrible cafeteria and lunch, their families, their favorite songs, favorite actors, favorite colors, their dreams and goals for the future. They were inseparable. They thought they'd always be together forever. That's what they thought. They built memories that would last a lifetime. But as times moves forward and the seasons change unfortunately so do people and so does life. 

Fall

"Why can't you see yourself?!" yelled Jade. "You don't see the person who you've become, the person they are making you into! That's exactly what I was talking about. High school is just about popularity, and who has the best clothes and the most followers on Instagram! And of all people you're hanging out with is Starla. Of all people!! The one person in this whole entire school who cares nothing about anyone except herself!"
"And what's wrong with that!?! Why, because you don't approve, it's not what you want to do. You're not the boss of me. Lately you've been so critical and angry. I don't know what's going on with you. It's like I can't talk to you anymore without hearing something negative about what I'm doing or school or your life. At least I have friends, unlike you. You just want to be alone all the time and if we do hang out all you do is talk badly about everyone and everything. 'Oh, I hate school. I hate my life. Everyone is a phony.' If you spent half of your time TRYING instead of just bickering about life maybe you'd actually be happy!" Mya said lashing back.
"And if you spent half of your time being yourself instead of trying to be what others want you to be maybe you would be happy!" said Jade.
"I am happy. You know why, because I didn't need to make them like me, they just did." Mya said with a smirk.
"That's what you think. But you're so caught up with everything that you're blind to the reality of things. They already got you, right where they want you." Jade said in a low upset sounding voice.
"Whatever." Mya said with a snobby tone of voice as she crossed her arms up against her chest and turned her head to the side.
At that moment everything was quiet. Jade and Mya just stared back at each other. They both knew they just said things that were hurtful, but neither of them could think of any way to mend things. It felt like a huge tornado of words had struck and the damage was by far too much to fix. It felt as if their friendship had just fallen apart and there was no going back, for the past can't be changed. What's done is done. Maybe it was better this way. Maybe their friendship wasn't real after all. Maybe it was better they go their separate ways. Jade looked down at the pavement she was standing over, she felt tears were coming but she wouldn't let herself cry in front of Mya. Jade didn't want to show her weakness. Mya looked back at the glowing lights and could hear the music from the party getting louder. She looked over at Jade again hoping she'd say something, but she didn't. Mya cleared her throat. "I better go back, they might be looking for me. Listen... um" Mya struggled to find the right words to say but Jade interrupted. "Don't. You should go back to your party." After that Jade turned around and started to walk home. Mya felt paralyzed. She wanted to run to Jade and apologize but she felt stuck. After watching Jade walk away for a few seconds Mya turned around and went back to the party.

Winter

  10 years have passed now since that day. Jade and Mya never spoke again after that. It was their senior year in high school. Jade had a different look on her face after that. After a few months Mya heard that Jade had moved. Mya never quite recovered either from that fight. She could feel something was missing inside. Sure she became the most popular girl in school but she felt lonely. She realized she lost a true and best friend on that day. Things felt never felt right since. "Mommy!" Mya turned around and saw her beautiful daughter running up to her. Her beautiful, long, shiny blond hair swaying in the wind as she ran towards her mother, "Jane!" Mya said with a cute motherly tone as she lifted her into her arms. "Mommy, today my best friend Katie and I made friendship bracelets. Look!" she said proudly as she held out her arm. "It says BFF!" exclaimed Jane. "Wow it's beautiful sweetheart." Mya said suddenly feeling a sense of sadness rush through her. All of a sudden she thought of Jade. She wondered how she was doing. "Sweetheart how about you go get ready for dinner, OK? Mya smiled. "OK!" replied her daughter as she ran off. As Mya headed towards the kitchen her husband came in. "Hi babe." he said as he went up to kiss her cheek. "How are you?" he asked. "I'm good." she said, but she could feel it wasn't quite true. She felt a sudden sense of sadness and emptiness. She felt she needed to do something she should have done a long time ago. Her daughter seemed to have taught her a lesson without knowing it.

After dinner Mya still felt the same as she did earlier. After cleaning up and tucking her daughter into bed Mya sat down at her desk and grabbed a pen and a paper. She stared at the blank page for awhile. Even though her heart felt heavy her mind was blank. She started thinking. Soon memories poured into her head like water. She picked up the pen and started to write everything. After finishing writing she felt as if a weight was lifted from her shoulders. But now she thought how could she send it. She hadn't seen or heard from Jade in years. She didn't know where she lived. And if she did get the letter, would she be pleasantly or unpleasantly surprised. She knew she had to send it, it was the right thing to do, whatever the outcome may be. Mya could only remember Jade's old house address. She knew her mom still owned that house. Her mom had rented out the house when they moved. Maybe if she sent the letter there someone would recognize the name was of the owner's family and they would send it to them. Mya needed to make amends someway or another. Even if Jade never were to get the letter, she could still feel better knowing she did try to reach out. The next morning Mya put the letter into the mailbox and as she raised the red flag she hoped the letter would get to Jade.

Jade was now a lawyer in the town she lived in. 10 years had passed since her last conversation with Mya. In her mind she felt that the years past were enough for her to have moved on from everything. She felt comfortable at her job in her town. She had a small circle of friends that she hung out with. She and her mom kept in touch on a daily basis. And she had a nice apartment on the 12th floor of her building. Life didn't turn out so bad for this loner girl in high school. She managed to have a successful life despite her personal challenges. She didn't think she'd make it this far really. Still at times she did feel a little bit lonely. The friends she had now didn't compare to that one friend she had in high school. But Jade tried not to think about that too much. She didn't like feeling sad. As she was finishing buttoning up her suit jacket for work her phone rang. It was her mother. She answered the phone. "Hello?" Jade answered. "Sweetheart, I got a call from the tenants from our old house and they said there was a letter with your name on it." her mom explained. "A letter, from who?" Jade asked sounding a bit confused. Who would send her a letter to her old house. She hadn't lived there since her senior year in high school. "It says it's from a Mya Wilson." her mom read the name off the envelope. Mya Wilson. Jade didn't know a Mya Wilson. Wait. Could it be Mya Miller from high school. "So how should I get it to you sweetheart, do you want me to mail it to you?" asked her mom. "Um.. sure OK." Jade said sounding a bit unsure and surprised. "Well I have to go to work now, I'll call you later." Jade said. "OK, I'll mail the letter today." her mom said. Jade tried to shake off the weird feeling of shock and grabbed her briefcase and put on her sleek black heels and headed out the door for work, "It's nothing, probably just a weird coincidence." Jade whispered to herself as she tried to brush it off. And with that she went on her way.

Mya stared outside the kitchen window biting her nails, wondering if Jade had gotten her letter or if she even read it. Three days had passed and she hadn't received any reply. "Hey sweetheart, what's the matter?" asked her husband. "Did the neighbor's dog get out again?" "Oh no, I'm just waiting for the mailman to come." Mya replied. "Still no reply?" he asked. "No." she said a bit disappointed. What could possibly be happening, she thought to herself. "So what exactly happened between you two? You two had a falling out and haven't spoken since high school?" her husband asked her. "Yes, but we were so close, inseparable. We would hang out everyday and then we had a huge blow out and never recovered since. In high school I was too proud to try to smooth things over. But then I heard Jade was moving and before I knew it she was gone and I never got a chance to say anything or fix it. And I never knew anything about her since then. I know it sounds crazy and it's a one in a million chance that she'll even receive my letter. But somehow I keep holding onto this hope that maybe, just maybe she'll get my letter and reply. Does that sound crazy? It's crazy isn't it?" Mya said doubtfully.  "It's not crazy. And the fact that you tried to reach out and patch things over is the right thing to do." as he said that he leaned in and kissed her forehead.

Jade reached into her mailbox and pulled out her mail. She shuffled through the mail, "Junk, junk junk, ju,,," Jade slurred the first two letters of the word without being able to finish saying it. She looked hard and close at the name of the sender. This must have been the letter her mother was talking about. Jade didn't know what to do. She couldn't stand in front of her mailbox all day though, with that she grabbed the rest of her mail and went to her apartment. An hour had past and Jade still hadn't opened the letter. She had been staring at it for the past hour. "Just open it, what's the big deal?" she told herself.  At that she quickly grabbed the letter. "Like a band-aid!"she coached herself. She yanked at the head of envelope and started to gently tear it open. She quickly began to read the letter...

Dear Jade, 

I know it's been such a long time. And I'm not even sure you will get this letter and if you do I don't know if you'll even want to reply, but anyway here goes. I wanted to apologize for what happened in high school. I should of never did what I did and said what I said. I felt horrible and you don't know how much I wanted to talk to you and be friends again. But I was proud back then. I didn't listen to you. The truth is I never found a friend like you again. I was sad when you moved away and more sad that we never got in touch. So how are you? It's been 10 years so I guess I should fill you in on my life. I'm a mom now. I have a 5 year old daughter, her name is Jane. She's amazing, so smart. I'm married now for 6 years, college sweethearts. We got married after graduating. My husband is a businessman and I stay at home taking care of our daughter. I really hope you get this letter and maybe you will answer. I really miss you and I'm sorry...for everything. 

Sincerely, Mya 
Jade put the letter down on the table. She definitely was surprised. What should she do, what should she say. Jade never imagined to hear from Mya again. She never really thought about what she would do or say if they had a chance encounter. The anger and hurt from what had happened to them in high school had past. She had moved on from that life. Jade really tried to rid herself of any memories from her past. When she moved she wanted to start over, a new life. But there was still this void space inside of her, especially after seeing that letter from Mya. Knowing how she tried to reach out to her touched Jade somehow. After all these years Mya still remembered Jade and their friendship. Jade suddenly walked over to her desk and sat down and decided to write back. Maybe she should reach out to her too. As hard as she has tried to forget and let go completely of her past, maybe she hasn't really let go of everything.

Dear Mya, 
I was definitely surprised to receive your letter. I thought you might never want to speak to me again. It was however a pleasant surprise. The truth is when I moved I was a bit sad that we never got to say goodbye. Although I've began a new life here and tried hard to forget all the memories from back then, I don't think I've let go of everything. I'm happy to hear that you're doing well, and you have a family. Now I'm a lawyer at a firm. I haven't started a family of my own yet, I'm not sure when that will happen or if it ever will. Honestly, you don't know how thankful I am that you wrote to me. To know that you never forgot about me really means a lot. You've always been my best friend. I should be the one to apologize to you. I kept you in the dark many times by being angry and emotional. Sometimes I'd take out my frustrations on you. But I just wanted you to be happy, even if it meant without me. Granted, I was worried about you and the path you were heading down, but the one thing I know about you is that you're smart and you'd come to your senses. You see I wasn't mad about the fight we had, I mean sure we did say some things that were hurtful. But that's history and real friends don't stay mad at each other forever because of some petty fight. The reason I was so mad all the time, critical and negative wasn't because of you, it was because of me. A few months before I moved I found out that I was sick. And that I needed treatment and it was possible that I might die if I didn't get any treatment. The doctor said that it was a rare disease, something that I probably was born with but it wasn't detected when I was born so doctors were unaware it existed and it just kept spreading through my body. The doctors said unfortunately the treatment I needed wasn't available where we lived, so my mom decided to move. So that's why I didn't say goodbye or anything,  I didn't how to say goodbye to you. As Jade wrote this tears flooded to her eyes. We already had fought, so I figured it was better that we stay far from each other instead of staying so close because it would only make it harder. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I never told you anything. I really do miss you my friend. Unfortunately the doctors have told me that my condition is getting worse again and I don't have much time. So they told me that I should make the most of my life NOW. My time is short and I feel it. By the time you get this letter I'm not sure where I'll be or won't be. Please take care of yourself. Live happily. Embrace each day and moment. And always know that I'm so thankful for you and our friendship. We've always been and always will be best friends. (P.S. Even though time can't be reversed and the seasons change, memories can stay there forever right where we leave them.)

Love Jade

The next morning Jade planned to go the post office on her way to work and mail the letter.

Spring

It was a Saturday morning. The leaves were a perfect shade of green and the flowers were all in full bloom. The temperature was perfect. The sun was shining as bright as ever and the sky was clear. It seemed to be the perfect day of spring yet. Mya went out to check the mail. She usually liked to start her morning looking at the store catalogs, seeing what was on sale. It had been almost two months since she sent her letter to Jade. She assumed one of two things. One Jade never got it or two she did and she obviously doesn't want to reply. Mya had let it go by now. Sure she had hoped for a wonderful reunion with her friend but she couldn't hold onto a dream forever. She did what could, she apologized, she tried and that was good enough. As Mya reached into her mailbox she grabbed a pile of her mail. She skimmed through it to see if there was anything good. She stopped. A letter, from Jade. It looked like the envelope had already been opened, and the postage date was marked for almost two months ago, but why was she receiving it now she wondered. She rushed to open it. As she opened it there was a small note attached to the letter, it looked like it was from someone else. 

Dear Mya 

It's been a long time. I'm not sure you remember me or not. This is Jade's mother, Constance. How are you dear? I found this letter in Jade's apartment. It's to sad to say this seeing that I'm still coming to terms with it myself, but Jade has passed. As Mya read this she could picture the tears on Jade's mothers face as she was sobbing while writing this note to Mya to inform her about her daughter. I'm so sorry. I know how much you meant to my daughter and how much she meant to you. So I'm sending this letter to you. 

Mya was in utter disbelief. What she was reading couldn't be true. She started to open Jade's letter and read it. As she read it her tears just started to pour down like rain. But these weren't normal tears of any kind. They were tears of sorrow and grief. Her cries soon became louder. You could hear the agony in her voice. Mya felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest and shattered into pieces. Her husband came running to her side. "Mya what's wrong?" he said. But she couldn't speak, only cry. She was on her knees with her head sunk to the ground, but she clung onto the letters. It was the only piece of Jade she felt she had left. Her husband hugged her as she cried. 

Mya sat by her favorite place in her house, the window by the kitchen. Whenever she looked out that window she felt like she could forget about all her stresses and just let her mind relax. So that's what she was doing. But her wounds were still fresh and she kept thinking about what Jade told her in her letter. She wish Jade had told her she was sick when they were teenagers. She wished that they could of kept in touch even if they lived in different places. Mya looked down again at the letter on the kitchen table. She read it over and over again. Mya couldn't stop thinking about that last line Jade wrote, Even though time can't be reversed and the seasons change, memories can stay there forever right where we leave them. Why did she say that, thought Mya. Mya stayed sitting in her chair staring outside the window and thinking. Suddenly she sat up, it was as if a light bulb had went off in her head. She got up right away and ran to grab her car keys. She started the car engine quickly. Her husband worried, came running outside. "Mya what's wrong, where are you going?" He exclaimed. "The letter! She said something to me. Jade said something to ME! I have to go." She said frantically. "Honey you're overwhelmed right now, you shouldn't drive." He said. "I have to go! I have to go!." She screamed and started crying. "Honey calm down." Her husband said as he tried to console her. "Why did she have to die, why did she have to move! And I never saw her again. She could of told me she was sick. WHY!" Yelled Mya still crying uncontrollably. Her husband opened the car door and grabbed her and wrapped his arms around her. "It'll be okay." He said in a soft voice. "I have to go. Please let me. I need to do this."she said. "OK. I'll take you. Let me get Jane." 

They were all strapped in the car now ready to go. "Turn left. Here."Mya said. They arrived. "Where are we mommy?" Jane asked. "This is my old high school." Replied Mya. "It's closed. How are we to go in?" Her husband asked. "We're not. Follow me." She said. Mya stepped out the car. Her husband carried Jane in his arms as he followed behind his wife. Mya walked to the back of the school where there was a big field. Past the field were some benches and trees that were now beginning to bloom. Mya walked over to a pretty pink tree, underneath it was an old wooden bench. "We used to come here everyday and talk. Sometimes we'd have lunch here or meet up here after school and talk. We'd talk about how Ms.Taylor had such bad breath that day or how the food in the cafeteria was so disgusting. How one time Starla had lipstick on her teeth and then she tried to flirt with one of the football players and he told her she had some gunk on her teeth and he told all his friends and soon enough the whole school knew about it. We laughed so hard." Mya smiled and laughed faintly as she talked about those memories. Then she recalled the not so good memories too. "This is also the place I came to after school to cry alone after Jade moved." A tear trickled down her face as she remembered that. "I hoped somehow that if I waited here Jade would know and come back. I should have been a better friend." Mya said tearfully. "Don't blame yourself. You are a good friend, even Jade said that to you." Her husband said. She took a deep breath in and then out. Then she knelt down on the ground and rolled up her sleeves. "What are you doing mommy?"Jane stared over at her mom curiously. "Digging sweetheart, you want to help mommy?" Mya asked her daughter. "OK. What are we digging for?" Jane asked. "A box." Mya told her. "Daddy come help us." Jane said to her dad. He knelt down and rolled up his sleeves also and started digging. They stayed there digging for about 10 minutes. "Mommy! I see something!" Jane was excited. They reached in a bit more and started to pull out a box. Mya wiped off the dirt from on top of the box. The box was the size of a shoebox. Mya opened it. Inside were pictures, some trinkets and a letter. "This wasn't there before." Mya said as she reached for the letter. Her name was on the front of the envelope. Mya began to open it. 

Dear Mya, 

I'm writing this to you because I'm moving tomorrow. I didn't know how to tell you this in person so that's why I'm writing to you. First I want to say I'm sorry, for everything. For the things I said and things I haven't said. I'm not mad about the fight. It was just a silly fight, we're best friends and best friends don't stay mad at each other forever.  I'm also sorry because I've been keeping a secret from you. You see, I'm sick. I found out a few months ago, and that's why I'm moving. Where we're moving to they can offer me treatment, although it's not guaranteed to work or not. But my mom is hoping it will. Me too, I suppose, but I want to be realistic and the doctors told me not to get my hopes up too high. I'm sorry not to tell you where I'm going, I just think it'd be better if we go our separate ways for now. I want you to live a happy life and I know you're going to. You're smart and an amazing person and I just don't want to bring you down. You have such a great life ahead of you. I can honestly say I'm happy because of you, which is why I don't need to wish you happiness or anything because I know wherever you go or whoever you are with you'll be happy because happiness lays within you. Now it's your turn to take care of our memories, which is why I'm leaving you this box. I have all our memories that I need treasured up in my heart. Now as I take one last look at the this beautiful tree and sit on this bench that we sat on and shared so many memories I say goodbye and take care.  I'm so thankful to you and our friendship. You always have and always will be my best friend, forever. Nothing can change that. Even though time can't be reversed and the seasons change, our friendship and memories last forever. 

Love, Jade

Mya couldn't fight back the tears. She didn't know Jade left her this note and that she wasn't mad about the fight. The whole reason she left was because she was sick but instead of being angry with Mya she just wanted to protect her from all the sadness and worry. Mya came here everyday after school after Jade moved, why didn't she think to look for this box in the first place. Then she could have known what was going on with Jade instead of staying mad at her all these years. But then Mya remembered, Jade didn't want Mya to be upset or unhappy. She wanted her to live a happy and good life. Mya looked up at her husband and daughter. "Do you want to see the pictures?" Mya said looking at her daughter "Yeah!" Her daughter beamed. "Come here."Mya motioned for her daughter to come sit with her. "Mommy is this you?" Jane asked. "Yes it is."she answered. "And who's this?" Jane pointed to the girl next to her in the picture. "That was mommy's best friend, her name was Jade." She began to tell her. "Jade? That sounds kind of like my name?" Jane looked up at her mom. And at that moment Mya smiled. She smiled at her daughter, then at her husband. And she just kept smiling because she realized that happiness really did lay within her and she had a lot to be happy about. She had her daughter, her husband and best friend. So she smiled.