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My Best Friend
Someone once said that friends are the family we get to choose and keep, and I couldn’t agree more. The association between friends, specifically best friends, has proven beneficial and crucial in growth and development (Rubin). Best friends as we can all agree are gems that are unreplaceable. These individuals will stick with you through thick and thin, and will also provide support systems that enable personal growth. Luckily for me, my support system lies in one gentle soul called Natasha.
Natasha is a year older than me and lives in a different town. This does not, in whatever way, diminish the strength of our relationship, nor does it weaken our emotional connection. If anything, it has strengthened it for the past couple of years. Our meeting story with Natasha is not the same as the Disney friendship movies. Our story is quite different from the norm, considering the negative energy and attitudes between us during the first days.
I met Natasha on my way to a school dance one chilly evening. I was with Ryan, my desk mate when our paths collided and we bumped into each other. She poured a chocolate milkshake on my white dance dress, ruining it from the left collar to the torso, while I stained her navy-blue satin dress with my vanilla milkshake. The level of rage witnessed by the surrounding people would not be deemed fit for school-going children. Our favorite dresses were both ruined, our emotions were shattered, and not forgetting, our stomachs were rumbling like thunder.
The principal and other teachers had to come and intervene in our heated scuffle, attracting the attention of the whole school. Teenagers being teenagers, decided to film the ongoing session with their phones and the next thing I know is that we are the famous "Milkshake Queensâ€. This attracted my parent’s attention, including hers, and was grounded for two months. This only ignited more rage towards her for not only ruining my favorite white dress but also limiting my outdoor expeditions with my friends. Her parents were a bit lenient with her, considering the past she had with them.
The negative energy between us doubled up over the course of the semester. Regrettably, if only had I realized earlier in my fit of rage that Natasha was not a bad person, then I would have saved my grades for that semester. I later learned from Hendricks et al. that rage affects one capability to function, limiting creativity and innovation (3). Our directionless scuffle came to a stop one day when I saw Natasha crying on the sidewalk after school. Her school bag was open with its contents displayed on the sidewalk. Her knee was bleeding and her hair was a bit ruffled.
My heart and ego were at a battle at the time. This is because my ego would not want to help someone who terrorized my semester ultimately hurting my grades, on the other hand, I was only human and she was hurt and alone on a sidewalk, I couldn’t leave her there alone especially that late. I helped her to my place after much begging from her not to take her to her parent’s house. I must say, that startled me at first, but I respected her wishes and helped her clean up at my place. She told me that my supporters had bullied her and told her to stay away from me.
The shock was an understatement of what I felt at that moment, dread was more like it. She explained that I was oblivious to what the school had deemed us to be and that supporters and haters grew with every argument and fight we had. This explains the mysterious gifts I found in my locker. From that day on, we decided to let go of the nonsensical hate between us and decided to be friends.
Being friends for the first time was a bit hard considering our intense history, but decided to give it a try. The "Milkshake Queens†logo stuck, but for the better. The supporters and haters from each side were disheartened to learn that their favorite high school rivals had reconciled and there would be no more drama. We paid no heed to them and labeled them idlers who fed on hate and rivalry. Our friendship blossomed as the semester ended and finals were completed.
Even though most high school friendships die as soon as people branch to different aspects of life, ours became stronger. She joined the same university as me, and we have been inseparable ever since. We are six years down the line, with kids of our own, yet our friendship sits at the center of it all. In my most challenging times, Natasha was my pillar of strength and support. Not only does she take care of me emotionally, but she also gives terrific ideas for my profession. I am glad that I have Natasha as my best friend, whom I can trust blindly. Indeed, a best friend is one’s irreplaceable gem.