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Untitled Document
I'd been home since Wednesday, but I'd made Omni promise
not to tell Reggie, Kas, or Ev. I wanted to surprise them... and to apologize.
So when I walked into the coffee shop that Sunday
and found the four of them laughing and having a good time, I almost felt a
pang of jealousy. They weren't really missing me, as they said they would. As
I hesitated, I decided that this wasn't quite rational- I'd been gone for a
good month now, and I could expect them to be sulky all the time. And maybe
the weren't- maybe I'd left on such rocky ground that they thought I didn't
really care about them anymore.
I approached tentatively. As soon as Ev saw me,
she turned around in her chair. Reggie looked down, as did Kas. Feeling rather
daring, I sat down in an empty chair.
"Hey, guys," I said finally, rather quiet.
After a moment of silence, Ev finally said, "So
you feel we're finally worthy enough for you to bless us with your presence."
I sighed. "Come on, I'm trying to apologize."
"Go ahead," she said.
I cringed, but decided to go on. "I was at the
Academy," I said, "and I'm not at all ashamed to say that I made quite a few
friends. I was having a little bit of fun. But something about it wasn't right.
I kept remembering things that we'd all done as friends, and I was feeling guilty,
sometimes, about enjoying myself."
They said nothing, so I had to go on.
"And then, the other day, I was reading off
the script for the play we were going to do. And I read something, that I'm
going to read to you now, that made me realize I had to come home and ask you
all for something I wasn't sure you'd be willing to give."
I stood up, this time not caring about all the
attention I was getting. I flipped open my script, which I'd brought with me,
to the page that I'd read before. I cleared my throat and began.
"Merie: So you've come back again. I thought
our friendship 'ended' yesterday, Adem.
"Adem: Merie. I was thinking-
"Merie: I don't care what you were thinking!
You ended the friendship, and that's that.
"Adem: No, Merie, it's not. Everyone- even people
who end a friendship that shouldn't have been ended- deserves a second chance.
I paused, because that's what it said Merie
did in the script. "Merie: Second chances..."
I waited for them to say something, now that
the scene was over, as I sat down. I was almost frustrated that they were silent,
but I didn't let it show. "So, are you willing to give it to me? A second chance?"
By now, Ev had turned around in her chair. I
thought she was there to scowl at me, or tell me off, but I saw she was smiling.
The threw my off a bit.
"Po," she said. Now she was standing, up and
I was too. "I would give you a million chances. You're my best friend. I just
didn't know if you wanted to take a chance."
I smiled back, and threw my arms around her neck.
Before I knew it, we were sitting back down, with our regular coffees and teas,
and I was telling them everything I could remember about the school. Nina, Welsefargh,
Endregid, and the rest of them. Even if it wasn't the place for me, I felt like
I would remember it forever.
And, I thought... it was just like old times.
Everything is almost back to normal... and sometimes I almost feel like
we're all better friends than we were before. Not taking things for granted
as much, I guess. It feels great, and sometimes I felt that as long as I was
with my friends, I had everything in the world.
I still keep in touch with Nina, and she's planning on visiting in the Month
of Awakening, when she gets a break off school. Also, she's told me that the
week after I left the movie scouts showed up, and she has scored a small part
in what the director insists will be Neopia's 'next biggest hit'. And if you
can believe it or not, I just sent a letter off to Welsefargh, saying I was
sorry about being so mean to him. Even though I know I didn't do much and he
hasn't replied yet, it still felt good.
Because, of course, I've decided that everyone deserves a second chance.
The End
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