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We sat in a place of sadness. Me and my best friend Kady. We sat there and said nothing, did nothing, looked at nothing. Eventually Kady moaned.
'I thought we were friends. I thought we were best friends.'
I sighed. I was fed up with Kady's complaining.
'We are best friends,' I said. 'We've been best friends since we were five.'
'Then why did you do it?' Kady demanded. 'Why are you going out with him?'
I sighed again.
'Kady, give me a break, I'm not going out with him. Chris and I are just friends. We've been to the cinema together and he makes me laugh. We're friends. Besides, you went out with him first and forgot I existed.'
'You took care of that didn't you?' Kady replied bitterly. I sighed again, wondering why I even bothered to lie to her about Chris and me if she was going to be so bitter.
'You know I had to Kady,' I said wearily and then got to my feet.
'Don't go!' Kady cried, 'I'm sorry, I won't say anything else about Chris. I promise.'
I sat back down again on the hard brick wall that surrounded Kady's home and she offered me a timid smile.
'So what did you do today?' she asked. I shrugged.
'Nothing much. Went to school, went home, got changed, and came to see you''
Kady smiled. I could see that had really made her day.
'How about you?' I asked, trying to sound interested.
'Oh nothing much. I chatted to Mr Smith. He's just moved in next to me. He's alright. It was depression that made him do it. Move on I mean. His wife left him.'
'That's a shame,' I said, but there was no feeling behind it. Kady noticed.
'Sometimes you're so cruel!' she cried. 'Its your fault that I'm stuck here, there's no one my own age, no one to talk to or confide in-except you and you don't even come and visit me like you promised you would. All I have every single day is this loneliness and the worst bit is that I can't even walk away from it! I hate you! Go away and leave me alone.'
'Kady'' I started but she cut me off.
'Go away!' she screamed. So I did.
All the way home I wondered what I could do for Kady. How I could make her less lonely, because'after all' it was my fault she was stuck there, even though she brought it on herself by going out with Chris and forgetting all about me. I decided I would try and help her. I might even get her a companion. I would just have to wait and see'
***
The next day, Chris met me after school. I smiled at him, but he didn't return the smile. My smile quickly turned to a frown as I approached him.
'What's wrong?' I asked when I drew up next to him.
'I need to talk to you,' he said, his beautiful brown eyes troubled.
'Sure,' I said, 'Talk away.'
'Alone,' he clarified and my eyes widened with surprise.
'Ok'' I said hesitantly and we walked off together, towards the river.
There was a minute's silence as I tried to work out what was wrong with Chris and he tried to get his thoughts in order. Eventually he turned to me.
'Emma,' he started, but then stopped. I waited patiently, mystified about what he was going to say.
'I really, really like you Emma, you're great fun, but I think'I think it's better if we are just friends from now on rather than, you know, boyfriend and girlfriend.'
I froze and stared at him.
'You're dumping me?' I asked incredulously.
'Not dumping you exactly'' Chris said uncomfortably.
'You're dumping me!' I repeated, my voice shrill. 'I can't believe it!'
We'd reached the middle of the bridge over the river. I couldn't take my eyes off Chris. Couldn't take in what he was saying to me. Then I had an idea.
'Goodbye kiss?' I whispered and stepped in close. His arms accepted me, but I didn't accept him. Instead I gave him a hard shove so he stumbled back and tripped over my expertly placed foot. I watched the surprise in his eyes as he hit the wall of the bridge and kept on going, tumbling down into the water below. I wondered if he'd come back up again like Kady did when I had pushed her. She came up and floated along the river, crying pathetically for my help. I hadn't helped her.
Chris didn't come back up. He must have hit his head. I turned and walked away.
***
They found his body four days later. I know because I was visiting Kady.
'Hi Kady!' I greeted.
'Hi Emma,' she replied. I turned towards the other person sitting on the wall.
'Hi Chris,' I said. He turned away from me, his eyes wide, his face bitter.
I rolled my eyes. He'd get over it eventually. After all, what was I supposed to have done? He had wanted to desert me, just like Kady had when they had first got together. At least Kady had some one to talk to now.
Because apart from him and some other boring oldies in the cemetery, who else was there to talk to?