The sun hammered on my face like it gave birth to it. I could feel myself running out of breath but I had to keep going, either that or...
"Don't die on me Sueda. You wouldn't want me killing you for that."
...this who happens to be my best friend and tormentor at the same time.
"Why for the love of God would you decide to walk a hill on a Tuesday? A rocky one at that? How are you even still going?" I leaned against a tree with one hand, the other on my knee. I feel her burning gaze on me before she speaks,
"I keep telling you to start exercising. Just look at you. It's not even be thirty minutes." Her hands are on her hips in an imposing manner. She always pulls that off because of her athletic figure.
"What? It can't be. We've been walking for hours." I cry. As a response, she shows me her timer and...it has been only fifteen minutes.
"This is so wrong. I can't take it anymore Tomrys. Go ahead without me. I'll wait till you get back. I'm not cut out for this."
And I mean it. To prove my point, I sit beneath the tree. I'm so done walking.
"Ugh! So lazy. How are we even friends?" She's laughing now.
"Ask yourself that question. I never got to understand why you wanted to be my friend. We're polar opposites Tom."
She comes to sit beside me, taking off her boots, she crosses her leg in the very flexible meditation style. Not only is she a workout freak, she does yoga as well.
"Maybe that was why I liked you in the first place. You were very odd– still are–"
"Why thank you..." I deadpan
"...but you're one amazing friend Sueda. I promise."
I look at the friend I had made over three years ago. Like I said, we're polar opposites. While she's active and social, I'm a couch potato and obnoxious. She has smooth, long silky hair while I'm left with a tangled barbwire that seems to enjoy punishing me. I wear large, thick lensed glasses because of poor eyesight, but she's just perfect with those sea greens.
"Fine whatever. Let's get going. I hate it when you talk to me like this." I get to my feet. She laughs and stands as well putting her shoes back on.
"When would you ever stop disliking it?" She's beside me in a few seconds, her hair swaying a little with the wind.
"When heaven falls and the Angels tell me I'm Jesus."
She laughs and I have to admit, one thing I love about my friend is her beautiful personality. It's like she just makes up for whatever it is I'm lacking and while we have so many things we don't share in common, the few we have is what keeps us together. And the fact that she's willing to try out things I like... I admit, she's a beautiful person.
We keep going with her leading the way. Our conversation borders from home and our annoying siblings to school and it's toxic environment.
Tomrys can easily blend, infact she's popular in a weird way at school but she prefers to sit with me, the nerd. She's outgoing and kind and doesn't step on others rather she defends the weak. I remember when Mahmod, a real dork was being bullied by Mustafa and his group, she stood up for him and even went as far as kneeing someone... Yeah. I nearly fist pumped in the air because she was on fire.
"So what are your plans for college?" We had arrived to some lake. The setting was just serene and had this chill vibe to it. This is somewhere I'd like to come alone but my classmates would think it's the best place for a hangout where they parade their skinny bodies and flaunt their underwear.
"I don't know. I guess It's getting in." I tell her, slapping my feet against the water. She gives me the stink eye.
"You've got to be kidding. What do you plan to study?"
"Physiology?" I can hear the uncertainty in my own voice. She gapes at me.
"Dude, graduation is like one more year away and you have no idea what you're going to do in college? Are you nuts?"
"No. I'm more of not interested." I am tempted to swim but no... I didn't bring any swimming trunks. Not me getting caught butt naked. Tomrys on the other hand is only in her bra and a weird looking underwear with strings and butterfly wings?
"What is that?" I point to her crotch. She looks at it and then back to me.
"A vagi–"
"No! Not that. Geez. What are you wearing?"
"A thong. You like it?" She turns to give me a display of her exposed derriere.
"You should really stop buying weird stuff. How are you even comfortable wearing that?"
"I only wear it when I'm in the mood. It's not like it's always." She shrugs and walks back to her clothes. I guess she's no longer swimming.
Few minutes later we are at a high end, surrounded by trees and nature. Whoa! The place looks like a cliff but not too steep neither is it too far from the ground. You'd only break a leg or two if you fall or maybe your spine...
The wind is stronger here but it's the silence and the view...
"Oh my God. This is beautiful. Just perfect for a bonfire night." She speaks my thought but bonfire? I look at her like she's crazy.
"With who? Our classmates? Who'd end up bringing booze and get wasted only to end right down there?", I point to the cliff which we are a few feets from, "I don't think so young lady." I say with all the seriousness I could muster.
Then she begins to move towards the danger zone.
"What are you doing?" I move to hold her but she's faster.
"Chillax mom. Whew. I'm just going to peep."
I let her and immediately wish I didn't because right as her feet gets to the edge... It crumbles!
My own screams echo in my ears as i stand there in shock. My heart is racing wildly and my blood is frozen cold. She's gone!
She fell, oh my God, she fell! What do I do? What do I say? How do I–
"Goddamnit Sueda! Stop being a chicken and come help me." The voice is commanding.
It's like a switch flipped and I'm running, throwing all caution to the wind. On all fours, I spot my friend hanging onto a vine. Thank God she's within arms length so I extend my hand and my goodness, as skinny as she is, she packs some muscle.
"What the hell do you eat? You're overweight." I complain
"Stop whining and pull harder. Geez. How are you so weak?"
You'd think she didn't just have a near death experience. But that's my friend for you, really strong.
After few grunts and I think some bruises, She's safely by my side. While we pant for breath, my body and mind moves on their own and I embrace her. Then I feel hot liquid pouring down my face... I hardly cry, even when I'm being bullied, even when my favorite aunt died, I never cried.
She embraces me too. "Don't ever scare me like that again." I moan as I hug her tighter.
"I won't. I'm sorry. Never again." She replies, gently stroking me.
Soon, after much chastisement and warnings from me to stay away from dangerous places, we are back at my house where she picked me from. My parents aren't home– luckily, neither are my brothers– so we just decide to eat a sandwich after cleaning our bruises.
"So, when is our next adventure?" She asked this while I'm covering the bread with butter. I think by the way I hold the butter knife and glare at her, she understands we wouldn't be on any adventure anytime soon because she says,
"Oh-kay Mama."