This is it… I thought as I tried to keep my breathing steady. I clenched and unclenched my hands that were already sweating from the sweltering May heat. I looked out into the seats that had been set up on the school’s front lawn, and relaxed a bit when I saw my mom’s reassuring smile. I don’t know why I was so nervous to graduate from middle school. Maybe it was the fact that since my mom’s recent promotion had transferred her, and ultimately me, to New York City, this was the last week I would ever spend in the place where I grew up. Maybe it was the fear of starting high school without any friends, especially in a strange city on the opposite side of the country. It’s not like I had much of a social life here anyway, but I was devastated to hear that I was going to have to leave my best friend, Harold Styles. Harold and I had been friends ever since he had moved here from England in the third grade. Because we were both a little shy, Harold and I spent most of our time studying or hanging out at each other’s houses. As a pair, we were practically invisible to the rest of the school, but I didn’t mind. His family was my family, and mine was his. And that made it all so much harder to leave.

“Lily O’Reilly.” A loud voice broke me out of my trance, and I watched as one of my classmates walked across the stage to shake hands with the principal. I swallowed nervously, knowing what was coming next. “Macy Phillips.” I stood up reluctantly and made my way across the stage. As Mr. Foster’s strong hand gripped mine, I looked for the familiar head of brown curls that would identify my best friend, and smiled when his green eyes met my blue ones. When it was Harold’s turn, he smoothed back his wild hair that he always tried to control with excessive amounts of product. He pushed up his thick glasses and tugged on his collar as he made the same walk that I had just a minute before. I beamed at him reassuringly, trying not to think about the plane to New York that I would be boarding in just a week.

After the ceremony, my mom found me in the crowd and hugged me so hard that I couldn’t breathe. Luckily, Harold saved me by grabbing my hand and asking me to take a walk with him. We strolled in comfortable silence around the field in the back of school, and stopped under the shade of a tree grove after a few minutes. “So I was thinking that maybe you could come over tonight and help me pack?” I said hurriedly, knowing that he wasn’t too excited for me moving away either. “I still have loads of stuff to do, and my mom keeps nagging me about getting all my clothes into boxes and-“

“Macy,” he said sighing. “I don’t want to talk about that right now. I have something I need to tell you.” I waited patiently and leaned up against a tree. Harold walked to me so that our faces were inches apart, but he looked at the ground nervously.

“I probably would never have the courage to do this if you weren’t leaving in a week, but…” he took in a short, ragged breath. “I’m in love with you.” I could feel my face turn into a shocked expression, and I was speechless. Harold? In love with me? Before I could process everything he had just said, Harold leaned in and desperately pressed his lips against mine. I realized I was having my first kiss, but something about it felt wrong. I didn’t feel that way about Harold. He was like a brother to me, and I pushed him away as soon as I caught my breath. Harold’s face flushed and he returned to staring at the ground.

“What the hell was that?” I said, still feeling shocked. Harry didn’t respond. “You know that you’re like a sibling to me, Harold. And I am going to miss you so much but-“

“But what, Macy?” Harold cut me off sharply. I could see the anger in his eyes as he looked up at me. “I don’t even want to hear it. I put myself out there, and you clearly don’t care about me. You can leave now” I could feel myself start to get irritated too, and I snapped at him.

“Are you serious?” I shouted angrily. “You’re just mad because I get to go experience new things and you’re stuck here alone. Well guess what? You will be alone because I am your only friend!”

“Macy you are so frustrating!” Harold yelled in my face. “I spent all that time with you because I thought we were friends, but you obviously just held on to me because of your stupid fear of meeting new people!” I screamed with frustration, and stormed away from him before he could see the tears brimming in my eyes. “Hey Macy!” I heard my ex-best friend scream. “Don’t even bother calling me from New York! I wouldn't want to intrude on your ‘new experiences,’” Harold said sarcastically. Done. I thought as I walked away from the one person I thought I could trust the most.

That whole week I waited for Harold to come see me, but I didn't even get a text. Before I knew it our house was packed into boxes and I was boarding a plane that would take me to my new life. I didn’t even get to tell him goodbye.

Notes

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--loveisallyouneed--