My grandfather usually says: "If one door closes, two more open." Now let's go, let's begin.
After Kaori and I stopped talking for good—since even though she still approached me and I tried to give in, my conversation with her friend Rubí made me completely drop the idea of a reconciliation—I decided to focus on school and on my new friends, Briana and Melany, whom I was just getting to know.
When I met them, it was precisely the moment I had lost the friendship of Kaori, a valuable person to me, but at the same time, Melany felt like a solution to that problem or the start of something new.
It was a Wednesday night. Two weeks had passed since Rubí, Kaori's friend, had said all those hurtful words to me. During those two weeks, I spent my time reflecting.
One part of me—my "bad" side—said: "It's already passed, leave it be, why would you even try to reconcile? She's just another friend in the crowd, besides, she's only from church; outside you have more, there are Sayuri and Dina from kindergarten, whom you see almost every week, while you only see Kaori once a week."
But another part of me—my "good" side—said: "No, Ángel, try to reconcile, you still can, if possible ask your parents for help; but think about it, it's the best option, you've been friends for years."
BAD ME: —You've only known each other from when you were 3 until now that you're 6, it's very little time.
GOOD ME: —Even so, Ángel, stop thinking about the bad, you were very good friends.
At the end of those arguments inside my mind, the "bad" side won. The first week I was determined to leave it at that, to treat each other like strangers. I remember that Saturday, to avoid going to church, I told my parents I was sick.
MOTHER: —Ángel, it's time to go.
ME: —Ma, I feel bad, my head hurts and I'm tired.
MOTHER: —Let's see, son, oh my, you're warm, you have a fever.
(What actually happened was that I slept with polar fleece blankets, which gave off a lot of heat, and the Chiclayo summer was the perfect, foolproof excuse).
That day my family didn't come back in the afternoon. It was four o'clock and I started to worry.
ME: Are they okay? What could have happened to them? Should I go? But if I go, who watches the house?
ME: And I don't know where they kept the keys; if I leave and they come back, we won't get in.
ME: —What if they don't come back!
ME: —No, Ángel, don't think negatively... better yet, don't think at all, stop talking to yourself.
I decided to fall asleep since I was starting to get hungry and, since I didn't know how to cook, I went to sleep after finding some bread. Hours later, I woke up and it was already nighttime, around 6 or 7. When I went downstairs to the second floor, they knocked on the door.
MOTHER: —Ángel, open up!
(I open it)
ME: —Ma, why did you take so long?
MOTHER: —They had provided food. I sent your brother at 11 to bring you food, but you didn't open, and he went back. Then I sent him again at 3 and nothing; you sleep way too much.
ME: —Ah, it's just that...
MOTHER: —Kaori asked about you.
ME: —Ah, what did she say?
MOTHER: —She asked why you didn't come.
After eating, I started watching TV and got sleepy. At 10 P.M. I went to bed and started thinking:
ME: What if I had gone? Maybe we would have reconciled.
ME: —Yes, Ángel, that's the attitude, don't think about anything else, seek forgiveness.
ME: —No, what am I talking about, act like what you heard never happened, besides why ask for forgiveness if she was the guilty one.
ME: —No, I should stop thinking in a good or bad way, maybe I should just let it happen and act if necessary.
After that week, I went to church on Wednesday. I saw Kaori's dad's motorcycle, so I assumed she came. I went out to the patio and found her looking kind of sad. Since we used to be friends, I felt she was doing badly. I walked over.
KAORI: (Looks at me without emotion).
ME: —You're...
RUBÍ: —Kaori, what happened to you? Tell me. (Hands her some candy).
She grabbed her by the shoulder and led her away; they didn't even turn to look at me. I noticed Kaori stopped looking at me and started looking at Rubí. They started talking and that made me feel ignored.
(For the first time I felt what it was like to be ignored, and no, it was not pleasant at all).
That was the straw that broke the camel's back. I was going to ask her for forgiveness, but seeing how she ignored me while I was worried about her, I felt like she threw years of friendship down the drain.
ME: —Ka... o... ri. (Whisper).
POSITIVE THOUGHT: — Oh, it looks like... She despised you.
ME: —But it's still possible, maybe if I do this or that it will work... (Whisper).
NEGATIVE THOUGHT: —Don't you see what she did, what more proof do you want?
THOUGHT: I gave you my friendship plus you rejected it.
ME: Until never... Ka... o... ri. (Whisper full of anger).
Just when I threw away our friendship that night, I met a girl named Briana.
BRIANA: —Wow, I think she ignored you... that hurts.
ME: —What are you talking about, she's not my friend.
BRIANA: —Ah, see, I thought you guys were.
ME: —No, we weren't... hey, you're new, I'd never seen you here.
BUSY/BRIANA: —You hadn't seen me because I'm the pastor's daughter and we just arrived here.
ME: —Wow, the pastor's daughter? Yeah, right, sure. (Sarcasm) And where are you from? Little pastor's daughter?
BRIANA: —From here, just from another nearby church. And don't make fun, I really am the pastor's daughter.
ME: —Well fine... Oh... right, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Ángel and I'm 6 years old, what's your name?
BRIANA: —That's true, my name is Briana and I'm 6 years old.
ME: —Oh, we're the same age!
BRIANA: —Yes, you're right. But seriously, I am the new pastor's daughter.
ME: —How do we prove it?
BRIANA: —Today she introduces herself, let's go inside and you'll see.
WHEN WE WENT INSIDE A FEW MINUTES AFTER THE PROGRAM STARTED, THE PASTOR INTRODUCED HERSELF AND PRESENTED HER FAMILY.
ME: Wow, I didn't think you really were the pastor's daughter.
BRIANA: See... you owe me a lollipop.
ME: Come on, what's that about?
BRIANA: If you become my friend, I won't charge you.
ME: Oh well, whatever... let's be friends.
BRIANA: Yay, yippee!
BRIANA: And do you have more friends besides me?
ME: Yes, at school.
NAV/BRIANA: No, I meant at church.
ME: Yes.
BRIANA: Who?
ME: I have you.
BRIANA: Then I'm your only friend?
ME: Yes.
BRIANA: Then you'll do whatever I say since now I'm your only and best friend.
ME: Well alright... friend. (Deep voice).
BRIANA: Ahh better... call me by my name.
ME: Why?
BRIANA: Your voice is so special. (Nervous voice).
THOUGHT: What the heck, if it's just my voice.
ME: Well alright, BRITANY.
BRIANA: That's not my name! (Serious).
ME: What, isn't your name Britany, Stefany?
BRIANA: My name is BRIANA, come here!
ME: I was just joking! (I run).
BRIANA: I'm going to tickle you... you'll see!
ME: Anything but that!
(SHE CATCHES ME)
ME: Ha ha ha... that wasn't part of the deal!
BRIANA: For being a joker!
SISTER: Kids, go to the classroom, the Bible class is about to start.
BOTH OF US: Yes, sister.
ME: Saved by the bell.
BRIANA: You'll see when it ends.
ME: Oh no.
I started hanging out with Briana. Later, during a mid-week prayer service, I met Melany.
BRIANA: —Ángel, come here.
ME: —WHAT?
BRIANA: —I present to you Melany.
MELANY: —Hello.
ME: —Hello... where did you guys meet? I don't think you just met right now.
BRIANA: —Oh, you guessed it, we know each other from another church I used to go to and I ran into her.
MELANY: —Yes, we just ran into each other, what a surprise! But I had already seen you before, Ángel, with Kaori. I saw that you were always together in singing, contests and stuff, since I already attended here because of my mother, but I used to go with my father to the other church.
ME: —I hadn't seen you much, so I didn't recognize you. (Awkward).
When we finished playing, we made a promise:
BRIANA, MELANY AND I: —From now on we are best friends forever.
Weeks passed. Since I saw Melany more often, we talked more and I became her best friend. I remember once her cousin Camila came. She was very attached to me, something Melany didn't like very much; it showed when they took a picture of us.
GRANDFATHER: —Stand in the middle of both of them. (Camila clung to my arm, Melany noticed it).
MELANY: —I want to stand next to my cousin. (She pulled me and got in the middle; her cousin wanted to switch, but she said: "No, stay there").
Months passed, I forgot about Kaori and only concentrated on Melany. One Wednesday there was a baby shower for Melany's aunt and she made me sweep the whole field.
MELANY: —Fast, sweep, you're almost done.
ME: —I haven't even reached halfway, how do you expect me to sweep the whole thing? You're a witch!
MELANY: —What did you say? (Starts chasing me). What did you say, I'm going to kill you!
ME: —No, Melany, I said it as a joke, don't get upset. (I saw Briana). Briana, help, she wants to kill me!
BRIANA: —Leave him alone already.
MELANY: —He said you and I are witches.
BRIANA: —WHAT? Now you'll see.
In the end, they caught me and tickled me. In the distance, I saw Kaori and our eyes met. I remembered that before, the two of us used to play like that. But that little spark of nostalgia vanished as fast as it arrived. I couldn't imagine that this game of laughter and running would soon turn into the scene of an accident that would mark my face and my life forever.