Reminiscing

I looked behind me with a dark red backpack resting on my shoulders as I bid my parents goodbye. Today's the first day that I'm going to attend high school and I felt my body flowing with excitement. As I walked through the almost empty side walk the memories of my first day of school came rushing into my mind.

*Flashback*

 It was the first day that I'll be entering elementary school which meant I was officially a seven year old child now. My parents were supposed to be with me but they weren't. I looked around at the children my age talking with their parents while I stood the like an invisible tree. People walking past me like I didn't existed. A loud voice was telling people to come to the school hall. I wanted to ask people but as a kid well you don't do that. So I just followed the people who were walking with their child in groups. Nobody took notice of the lone child at the back of the group.

When we arrived at the school hall, the people dispersed  and took their seats in the hall. Not knowing where to go, I quickly went to take a seat at the back of the hall where there weren't many people. I looked around the hall only to feel a pinch in my heart when I saw that all the children were sitting and talking happily with their parents. I looked down at my little fingers and remembered what my mother answered when I asked her if she was going with me. "You should go alone so you can grow up to be independent, besides your a big girl now right?" she said to me. 'What about them? Aren't they big boys and girls like me?' the little voice in my head said. I was so focused on my thoughts that I did not notice the pair sitting beside me.

 I heard someone coughed beside me which made me I turned my head from instinct towards the direction the sound came from. I saw a boy with dark brown hair, who was showing a set of full white teeth at me.

 “Hello, my name is Joseph! What's your's? ” he said and put his hand out to me 

“Hello,I'm Claire!” I said smiling back at him and took his hand. 

"Why are you sitting here alone, little girl?" a woman beside him, most probably his mother, asked me.

"My parent's didn't come with me and I don't have any friends" I replied looking down at my lap with fidgeting hands.

"That's okay! Well be you're friends! Right mom?" he looked up at his mother who only nodded in return.

He turned his head towards me with his bright smile and called me 'friend'. I smiled back at him and nodded to what he just called me.While waiting for our names to be called and placed into our perspective classes we talked and talked and talked. We were so into talking with each other that when Joseph's name was called he didn't notice. He stood up and said goodbye and walked with his mother to the front of the hall. I was a little disappointed and sad that we weren't in the same class but the feeling of happiness from making a new friend was overwhelming that the disappointment and sadness was quickly forgotten. I officially have someone I can call a friend. 

*End of Flashback*

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I was awaken from my day dreaming when a voice called my name- taking me back to the present day. I looked behind me and saw a girl with glasses and was a little shorter than me pushing through the crowd of students in front of the gate. I just shook my head  at the silly friend of mine. I walked towards her and was surprised when she jumped and hugged me like we haven't seen each other  for ages. The people around us just looked at us as 

"Well hello there"  I patted the head under my chin.

"Claire!!!! I miss you sooooo much!!!" she whined and hugged me even tighter which made me a little out of breath.

"I know I'm popular. Now let go of me before I die out of embarrassment here" I laughed awkwardly  and looked around us.

"NO!!!! I don't want you to leave me again!!!" she wailed which made me sigh and massage my temples.

"You know, Amy,  we just met up yesterday?" I said to her

She looked up at me with a smile 'Oh right! I forgot!!" she giggle and let go of me.

I stood there looking at her while she skipped happily into the school compound. It take me back to the time I was just like her. It was only me and Jo..

"Hey! You're just going to stand there like a statue until the bell rings or what?!" Amy shouted at me.

I just shook my head and shouted 'a minute' back at her before walking steadily to her - trying not to show my feelings.

It was 3:00 pm and time to go home. I took out my phone and texted Amy a "I'm going home first" and waited for people to empty the classroom.  I looked at my other classmates.. how they were talking, gossiping and laughing with their friends. 'How can they be so happy?' I asked myself before taking my backpack and headed home.

I opened the door of my bedroom and looked around the gloomy room. I sighed and closed the door and locked it so no one would disturb me until dinner time. I put down my backpack on the feet of the bed and flopped onto the bed - face first. I looked up and saw the last thing I wanted. I groaned and tangled my body in the sheets. I looked to my side to the direction of my bedside table where a lone picture frame stood. A girl and a boy smiling at the camera like the world was theirs. I lifted my hand and took the frame and held it in front of my face. I felt my eyes become wetter by the second. I closed my eyes and put the frame to where it originally was except with the picture side down.

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*Flashback*

(After 8 Years)

Joseph and I were still best friends. We were inseparable and were known as the ' Siamese twins' of the school but of course we weren't. We were called that because would always do everything together from playing to studying- we were stuck together like glue. It was almost impossible to find us apart from each other other than when we had different classes. 

Today is the first day of yet another new school year. We just got back from our end-of-the-year holiday which was for 2 months. Usually we would hang out with each other since we were neighbours and our houses were just a stone's throw away from each other. However, this year both of our families had to go on a long vacation since our parents were so generous to give us a brake. So, it’s been 2 months since I meet him - for the first time. Even though we were apart for so long, we still keep in contact with each other and would sent letters while we were away from home.

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I was out in the garden after dinner to catch some fresh air since a house full of boys can be troublesome. I looked up at the beautiful moon and something told me to go to a place that I had missed for a long time - The placed I wanted to go. I hurriedly inside and took my jacket from the rack and put on a pair of sneakers. I shouted to my mother that I'm going out for a bit. I took the keys and opened the door, taking the first step in a long time to the place that we used to treasure together, a place that I used to still and will always treasure in my heart for the rest of my life. With out thinking, my feet started taking the path so familiar to me. And after almost 10 minutes of walking, the familiar spot that I used to go with him  came into view. That place. The placed that held many beautiful memories of us and also a placed that kept the memories I wanted to forget..........and never remember of ever again........

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