A Lost Friendship

The heavy rain poured down mercilessly on the city of New York. I was late for school. Dragging my heavy school bag behind me, I grabbed my mackintosh and rushed out of my house. I hurried to the taxi-stand and waited impatiently for the cab. Luckily, a taxi appeared in the twinkling of an eye, and I flagged it down immediately. Lady Luck was definitely on my side!
Just as I were about to board it, I heard my name being called. It was not very faint, but somehow, I just couldn’t make out who was calling me in the heavy downpour.

As I glanced at my watch from the corner of my eye, I was already fifteen minutes late for school! I would have to face the music! I scrambled into the cab. However, I could hear the distinct voice calling me over and over again. This time, I turned my head hesitantly, and caught sight of a misty figure. The mysterious figure was waving his arms frantically at me and trying to catch my attention. “Who could it be?” I wondered.

At that moment, the taxi was about to leave the taxi-stand. I stopped the driver, who was beginning to get frustrated. I was afraid he might blow his top, so I muttered a series of apologies and got out of the taxi, afraid that I might take up his precious time. The driver drove off in a flurry, with the taxi splashing muddy water from the road at me.

At this juncture, I heard my name being called out again. This time, I could hear it almost quite clearly. I looked up and saw the figure getting closer and closer. Wild thoughts raced through my terrified mind. Could it be a ghost? I wasn’t sure.

Almost immediately, I could make out a smiling face of the figure. All of a sudden, I stammered,”Don’t… tell…me!” Although I could not recognize his voice, I could recognize his face anywhere I go. Before I knew it, the figure was standing right before me. I cried, “I thought you really had left me!” Without second thoughts, I flung my arms around him. That ‘him’, was my ex-best friend many years ago.

Darren was one of the most loyal friends I’ve ever had. However, a quarrel brought a full stop to our friendship. We had quarreled over a rare coin we had found. I had lost it, and Darren, who had thought that the coin might have been paid to the bus conductor by mistake, was seeing red. He wanted me to retrieve it back, which I had stubbornly refused to do.

Not long after, Darren moved away with his family out of hatred and anger, and then, not only did we lose a most treasured friendship, but also contact.

And then at that moment, there was Darren right in front of my eyes! He was the misty figure I had seen! The fog had made everything look misty, and to think I thought he was a ghost!
“Darren… I… was…” I couldn’t get the words out of my mouth. Darren gave a little sign, and said,” I know. We were both wrong in one way or another. We had been silly!” He gave a laugh, and I laughed too. I was relieved that he was not furious with me anymore.

Given the opportunity that he was there, I asked for his contact number, which he gladly gave me. After all, opportunity only knocks once at our door. I should answer it, shouldn’t I? I then waved goodbye and hurried off to school.

Although I was late, and was reprimanded severely by the head-mistress, I was still in the cheerful mood to joke and talk. I had not only found a lost friendship, I had also found a treasure in Darren. I knew he would be the generous soul he always was, and a forgiving one too.

Darren was a bit harsh on me because of that incident, by moving away and all that, but he had forgiven me. Have you ever heard of these words of wisdom? A best friend runs the race with you regardless whether you’re winning or losing. Darren is not angry with me anymore, and we’re in contact now. Forever.