Her Best Friend

It was yet a few days later, since Olivia had been diagnosed with severe depression, and had even been given anti-depressants, and been appointed regular check-ups. Olivia, in a way was relieved, in a way she could depend on something to make the pain go away, even just for a little while.
When helping out with clearing out Anna and Jacob’s two bedroom house, a lot of things had been put up for sale, used, or given to family and friends. Anna’s laptop, in particular was given to Olivia. And just recently she had it taken to the shop, so the password was taken off, so Olivia could look in. Today was the day she had collected it back.
Now, as Olivia sat cross-legged on her bed, Lula was fast asleep beside her. She was looking through her laptop, not much, except when she clicked on the photos. Olivia took deep breath as she clicked on a folder reading: Old and New. When Olivia double clicked, about two hundred pictures came up. There were pictures of when Olivia and Anna were just sixteen years old, and they had a sleepover at Anna’s house, and took silly, random pictures on the webcam. At the time, it was hysterical. Now, it was sad to see, all the fun times they had, were gone. However, again it was happy to see her smiling face. They did cross-eyes, weird shapes with their mouths, and when she came right at the end. She saw it, the one photo that summed Anna’s life up, with a beautiful, elegant smile on her face, their heads touching slightly. Anna’s poker straight brunette hair, Olivia’s bright blonde curls, cascading down her shoulders, her fringe pinned back by a pretty grip, Olivia was smiling widely, just like Anna and it had to be said the two girls were beautiful.
Yet, Olivia now wondered who the blonde girl was beside her dead best friend, because right now, she didn’t recognise her.
After looking through each photo, and then finding some more, of more recent times. Anna’s twentieth birthday and just been before the accident, Olivia took her out for dinner and they had a picture together. Anna was laughing, and Olivia was laughing also, half covering her mouth to prevent letting the wine burst out. It was a beautiful photo.
After looking through most of them, pictures of when Lula was born, some of Anna half asleep feeding the baby, Jacob feeding Lula, Jacob kissing Lula, than kissing Anna. It was adorable, and it made Olivia just missed them more. It wasn’t till she clicked on videos, on a random file when she found it. The video of when Anna and Olivia were probably about six years old, and they are pedalling on bikes…
“Wait for me….” Anna cried, after the little blonde who had just sped off down the road. Anna was jealous actually, because Olivia had got a new bike. But it was okay, because Olivia let Anna have a few goes on it.
“C’mon Annie! We need to find Bobby!” Olivia shouted. Bobby was their imaginary dog, that they had invented together and unfortunately he had ran away. They were on a mission, to find Bobby. Anna pedalled faster, the sound of the wheels echoed on the concrete, and then the little tinkle of Olivia’s bike was heard.
“Bobby!” Anna shouted, and Olivia copied.
“Girls, be careful!” the voice of Ted called, zooming in after the two girls, as they rode down the road.
“We will Daddy!” Olivia cried.
“We will Teddy!” Anna called after.
Teddy recorded the two girls, as they rode side by side. Anna’s plait waving in the wind, and Olivia’s blonde tight curls dancing wildly. You could hear their laughter all the way, as they disappeared around the corner. They wouldn’t go far…
Ted was right, as about thirty seconds later, the two girls reappeared, with huge grins on their faces, Anna was now in the lead, but Ted soon realized as why as Olivia had one hand outreached, fist scrunched up, as if she was holding something.
“Did you find him?” Ted called, and Anna cheered.
“He was there!” she called excitedly, and pedalled faster, before slowing to a halt in front of Ted, waving to the camera.
“Livvy, come show Bobby!” Anna called, and Olivia soon caught up before she got off, and led Bobby to the camera. They grinned proudly, and Ted chuckled.
“Well done girls…you know Bobby looks hungry. I think inside there is some ice-cream-” the girls went running off squealing, Bobby in tow. Then seconds later, with Ted’s laughter as an outro, before the camera went fuzzy and the video ended.

Olivia smiled to herself, proud she didn’t cry. Instead, she smiled softly to herself as the bittersweet memory. Her heart swelled for her best friend again, and to ease it slightly, she looked down on Lula, fast asleep. She leaned and kissed her warm head.
“Your Mummy was the best friend ever Lula, honest.” Olivia whispered, before turning the laptop off, and the lamp, before falling asleep, but still for only part of the night.