The Amity Pact

The Wild One

I didn't want to move. I didn't want to pack up my bags and drive halfway across the country to a minuscule town that didn't hold much more than 1,000 people. I was only ten years old, but I was positive my life was ending. Who in their right mind would ever move from Chicago to Brinnon, Washington. That's like marrying Brad Pitt and then divorcing him to be with Larry the Cable Guy. Needless to say, I was not excited.

I had never been stared at so intently as I was on that first day of fifth grade. Sure, I wasn't a "loser" at my old school, but I wasn't anything special there either. I would never tell any of the kids in Brinnon that, though. They all acted as if I was the best thing since go-gurt.

I knew from that very first day that I wanted to be friends with Addilyn and Delilah. They had something I had never been close to attaining - a true friendship. In the version of the story that has always been told, I picked them. But the truth is, they were the ones that already had the bond. All I could do was hope that they would accept me as a part of it.

And that's how it all began. The years of laughter, tears, fights, and secrets. We were all so different, yet we were perfect for each other. I've always thought that we balanced each other out. They know my ins and outs, my ups and (many many) downs, and they accept all of me. No one else has ever been able to do that.

And now it seems as if it's all ending. I'm not the sentimental one, but I'm nervous and scared. Addilyn and Delilah are the only real friends I've ever had. They've been there for me through thick and thin, and I still can't picture my future without them. I was relieved that Addilyn thought of the letter idea. She was always good at coming up with great ideas. I don't think either of them realized how important keeping in touch meant to me. They were the ones going off to do grand and exciting things, getting an education and living their dreams. I was the free spirit stuck in the small town.

I can't even remember the last time I cried, but I did when they left. The sleepover (another one of Addilyn's excellent ideas) was the perfect ending to our journey together thus far. We watched our favorite movies, ate our favorite junk foods, and reminisced about our days together. We talked about the time Delilah broke her ankle walking down the steps at school. The time Addilyn talked back to a teacher and shocked the living daylights out of everyone (I always knew that girl was fierce). The time I was caught stealing from the local grocery store. There were countless times to talk about, and we stayed up until five in the morning. As soon as we woke up the next day, our feet were in the sand. The lake was a prominent place in the story of our friendship, and it was the perfect place to say our goodbyes.

When they were both gone, the reality hit me. I was going to have to survive in this town without my two best friends. I already knew there was going to be plenty to write about.