Jen
“Get up, Honey!!!” my mom calls from downstairs. Today is going to be my first day of Middle School. I should be excited. I bet even Vanessa Chadwick, who hates school (probably because of the homework), is excited. But, the thing is, I bet Vanessa Chadwick’s BFF isn’t leaving for New York for a whole year.
Julie, my best friend, has left for New York for the first year of middle school because of her dad’s job. Yeah, I know she’ll come back next year, but I feel that the first year of middle school is when we’ll need each other the most. And yet, that’s the year that she has to leave.
I don’t get up, so of course my Mom has to climb up the stairs and drag me out of bed. “C’mon, Jen, honey,” she says, stroking my plain brown hair. Nothing compared to her silky blonde hair. Luckily for my older sister, Kylie, she inherited it. Kylie and Mom look a lot a like. Pretty and perfect. I look like my Dad. Average.
“I know that Julie’s gone for the year, but hey –– at least she’s coming back! And you can always FaceTime or Skype!!! You know in my Yoga class they said you should always look at the positive side of things.”
I look at my Mom like she’s crazy. How can I look at the good side of this?! There is no good side?! I sit up in bed. There’s no use of trying to stay at home. My mom and dad are probably gonna drag me out of bed anyways.
I trudge out of bed and walk towards the bathroom to freshen up. I look at myself in the mirror as I brush my teeth. I think about Julie. Our personalities are completely different. She is extremely girly, like the mean girls in our school, Jessica, Cassidy, and Emma. But she isn’t mean like them. She is one of the best friends anyone could have. I am completely different. I’m on the girls soccer team and I absolutely detest anything girly. Except my Mom, Kylie, and Julie. But they’re not exactly things… they’re people. I get dressed and walk into the living room.
“Honey, you’re running late!!!” I hear my mom call from the kitchen. I grab a piece of toast and get onto the bus. I am not looking forward to the first day of school without Julie.
Julie
I can’t wait for the first day of school!!! I miss Jen, but hey, always think positive!!! I get on the bus.
“Hi!” a girl says to me. She has brown silky hair and she seems nice.
“Hi!” I respond back. “May I sit here?”
“Sure!!” she responds cheerfully.
“Hey, are you wearing mascara?” she asks.
“Yaa,” I reply. “Are you wearing lipstick?”
“Mmhmm,” she responds.
We talk and laugh the whole trip. And the best part is that she is in my class!!! Life is amazing!!!
Bringgg! I hear my cellphone ring. Jen is calling from Skype.
“Hi,” I say, pressing the Skype app.
“Hi, Julie!!!” she says. “How was school?”
“AMAZING!” I exclaim. I can’t wait to tell her everything!!! But she looks taken aback.
“Had fun without me?” she asks in a completely different tone –– one that she never spoke to me with.
“Uhhh,” I reply. What had she gotten into?!
“You know, I thought we were best friends!” she says.
“We are!!!” I say, holding up the friendship bracelet on my wrist.
“Ya, sure!!!” Julie says and throws her friendship bracelet into the garbage. And after that, she just disconnects. What did I do wrong?
Then it hit me: I am supposed to say that my first day of school was “horrible” and that “I really missed her.” I do really miss her, and I was gonna say that. That part is true. But she asked me how my first day was, and it was AMAZING! She couldn’t have expected me to lie!!! Or did she? Friendship can be so complicated!
Jen
She should say that she missed me and that her first day of school sucked! Okay, maybe my mom thinks I’m being unreasonable… but I’m not. It’s been a month since that crazy Skype fight and Julie is sending me weird texts like “Are you okay?” Ugh, she annoys me so much!!!
School seemed especially long today because of the math test. But hey! Tomorrow’s Halloween! I’m going to be zombie! Can’t wait!!! I bet Kylie’s going to be a black cat. Whatever, I’m happy because I’ve been invited to Drake’s party!!! He’s the most popular and cutest boy in the whole grade!!! I got invited! That’s a big thing!!! He invited me!!! No need for trick-or-treating this year!!!
…
Yay!!! Today’s Halloween!!! I’m about to leave for Drake’s party!!
“Honey,” Mom calls before I go, “are you sure you don’t want to dress into something cuter?”
“Nah,” I say and leave the house. I don’t care what she says now.
Julie
This is exhausting. This is stupid. Whatever. I’m having a great time at my school. And for Halloween I’m being a black cat!!! But I still feel that although Jen can be immature at times, she is an amazing friend –– my best friend.
I walk downstairs to the kitchen.
“Mom!” I call.
“Yes, honey!!!” She says while baking her amazing lasagna. It is Saturday. My mom never cooks on weekdays. Never has the time.
“When are we going back home to Minneapolis?” I ask.
“Winter break, honey!” she replies.
“Thanks,” I say.
“Why, honey?” my Mom asks.
“No reason,” I respond. But there is a reason… maybe this fight between me and Jen is stupid. Nevertheless, it’s still a fight. And if there’s a fight with my best friend, it needs to be resolved. Christmas is the best time to get it resolved.
Jen
Why does she have to come for winter break?! Ugh… Mom had to invite her for Christmas Dinner and now I have to buy her a present!!! But she is my best friend and always will be
I go to the mall with my Mom. I hate the mall, but Julie loves it. I go into the store Claire’s. Julie loves that store. I walk inside. Sooo girly, sooo Julie. Inside the store are flower hairbands, hair chalk, earrings, make-up bags, make-up, and more. And then something catches my eye –– a friendship necklace. Perfect.
Julie
I walk into Nike. Jen really wants new shoes. Her old ones are worn out and dirty. I look and look and then I find the perfect ones. Blue sleek ones. The latest model. Air design. She’ll love this. Christmas has magic in the air. Not because of the presents. It just has magic in the air. It’s the best time for us to become besties. Forever.
Jen
Christmas time is here!!! And so is Julie!!! Well, I mean, she’s not here yet, but –– ding dong! The doorbell rings. She’s here. Yay!!! This time I really mean it. Yay!!! My mom opens the door.
“Hi guys!!!” she says. I sit on the couch. Then I see Julie in the living room.
“Hey,” I say.
“Hey,” she replies.
We sit at the table and have Christmas dinner. We say our prayers.
After our dinner we go to the living room to open the presents. The grownups are all laughing. I hand my present to Julie.
“Sorry,” I say as I had her my present.
“It’s okay,” she says as she hands me hers. True friendship never ends.