“I have to,” I said as though it excused my actions. “This could mean my big break. Don’t you understand? Please understand for me.” The last sentence was a murmer but she heard it anyway.

Her eyes grew cold and her voice knocked the wind from me as though she had punched me instead of simply saying, “I understand all right. It doesn’t matter you’re leaving your best friend as long as your dream might come true.” She turned her back and walked away without so much as a hint of sadness in her eyes.

‘I’m accepted into a performing arts school in New York! But she can’t be happy for me. All she can think about is that she won’t have anyone to shop with or to talk to. It’s called a phone.’ I tried to comfort myself by thinking that it was for my own good. That I’m making the right choice.

I slid into the cab and he pulled away from the curb. I looked out the window and saw her running back to where were arguing and stopping with a sad and hurt expression. ‘You’ll make new friends. Right?’

“Stop!”