Finding My Way

Chapter Three

My Best friend

"There's the birthday girl."
I almost jumped out of my skin when a raspy deep voice boomed from my bed.

"You should really stop breaking in my bedroom. You gave me a fright." I said, giving the culprit a warning looking. Liam was sitting on my bed stroking my teddy bear. I held my itchy hands back, not liking that he was stroking Mr. Foodles. Yes, I named my teddy bear Mr. Foodles. I was five when I got him.

"Your window was wide open. And I wanted to be the first to wish you a happy birthday."

"Too late. Mama woke me up early with breakfast in bed for me." I said, still tasting the delicious chocolate syrup in my mouth. Mama had woken me up with the old traditional birthday song with breakfast on a tray. Pancakes drowned in chocolate syrup and hot milk, my favorite.

"That sucks. Well, happy birthday. One more year to join me in the teenage world. Maybe you'll stop sleeping with dolls"

"Thank you, looser. Now if you excuse me, I need to dress." I was holding my towel tightly. The last thing I wanted was it to drop and Liam seeing me naked.

"Wear a swim suit. We are going to the lake. I'll be waiting outside."
I held the door open for him to let him pass through but he jumped through my window and went away, Silly Liam. Silliam, silly Liam, I'm a genius.

I put on my swimming attire under my white shorts and my save the koalas t-shirts. I went through the stairs to the kitchen to get some packed sandwich. Today was the last day of summer, we would definitely spend the whole day around the lake.

"Mama, I'm going to the lake with Liam."

"Ok honey. Have fun"

"Sandwich?"

"No sandwich today. I need you home by lunch time."

I walked out meeting Liam outside his house and we headed to what had become our special spot, the lake. Mr. White's car was not around so that meant he was at work. He worked in the town bank as an accountant. Shortly after moving in our town three years ago, we quickly found out that Mr. White had been a rich man but went bankrupt due to his drunken habits. He would hit the bar every night after work till late at night. Liam mostly ate at our house.

Although Mr. White was a mean man, he let Liam hang out with me. Since the day Liam first spoke to me, we became inseparable. We would do almost everything together. He definitely talked more with me right now.

He also talked to my parents. To other strangers, he would be mute Liam. Some people in school would call him mutey. He didn't mind though. He always said he didn't need fake people in his life.

" Are you going to say something or keep on staring at the tree" his voice cut my thoughts. How did we get here?

I noticed my mum's checked blanket on the grass beside the lake with the picnic basket on the side. He had made us a picnic? Liam knew me too well. I let out an excited shrill and ran towards the basket. Inside was a flask of cold fresh juice, strawberry fruits and pie. I loved pie. We sat on the blanket and Liam put the pie between us. He put a candle stick and lit it. He croaked his version of a birthday song and I blew out the candle.

"You stole my tradition.! I complained after I had a piece of that delicious pie.

" No I didn't. You always do this with a cake. I brought pie. And I made you this." he gave me a small kaki envelope. I already knew what it was. A beaded jewelry. Every holiday and birthdays, he would make me a new beaded jewelry. He was getting better at making it every time. I opened the envelope and took the beautiful necklace. He had used sapphire blue beads with some small silver ones.

There was a silver heart shaped thing hanging on it that had writing on it. ' My bestfriend'

"Aaaw thank you Silliam"

"Silliam?

"Silly Liam"

"Huh? Silly Liam? I'm not silly. I'm awesome. You should be grateful you have an awesome best friend."

We swam for a while, splashing each other with water and trying to see who can hold his breath much longer. By the time we got out of the water, it was late.

"Oh God Liam, I completely forgot. Mama told me to be home for lunch."

"That was just to stop you from carrying lunch. We should be home before dinner. Hey Lisa, bring me my shorts. I don't want to walk with this wet ones"

I went for his shorts, a photograph fell down. I picked the photograph and gave Liam his shorts. There were two very pretty young women in the photo. They must have been twins. They looked so much alike. Hey Liam, who are these?"

"That's my mum and my aunty."

"You've never talked about your mum, where is she."

"She died. It was a car accident. I was barely one when it happened. My mum and dad both died that day. I'm the only one who survived.

"Oh? Mr. White isn't your dad?"

"No. he's my uncle. Aunt Lucky's husband. They adopted me after my parents died. Aunt lucky and mum were twin sisters. Aunt died four months before we moved here. She died when giving birth. We moved here to start afresh."

"That's why you look different from Mr. White.

"Yep, my parents were Italians. It's getting late, let's go get some birthday cake." I knew that was the end of the conversation. Liam didn't talk much about his life, but when he did, I always felt special.
...........
"That was good cake. Your mum should open a bakery."

"She's a teacher, Liam. She can't have two jobs"

"Speaking of teachers, you excited for school?" "Don't remind me! I'll be all alone. Who will I sit with at lunch?"

"Ow come on, you'll be fine. You'll make new friends and well hang out every day after school. Just two more years, then you'll join me"

"Those are 731 days to go. You are so not helping. How about you stay behind so that we'll be together."

"Sorry kid, I like you, but not that much."

I playfully pouted at him. We had had each other's back in school for the last three years. It would be strange with him not around. I scooted aside on my bed making room for Liam. He would sometimes sleep over.
..........
I walked in the double doors of doom dreading this day. I had fallen asleep on my bestfriend's arms last night after talking about everything and nothing. He left this morning to get ready for his ' grown up classes'. I looked at the several students hugging their friends and catching up on their summer. I walked to my locker feeling gloomy. These were going to be long gloomy 731 days.

I bumped on a girl who looked like she was my age, cold juice splashed on my new cream top. Yep, very long gloomy days.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, it was totally my fault. I wasn't looking where I was going. I'm trying to find my way to my locker using this map. It's not really helpfull."

"It's ok, I always carry an extra shirt. Hey, I'm Lisa, what's your name?" Liam always made me carry an extra shirt because ' I was too clumsy.'

"I'm Jill Lee. I'm new here."

"Hey Jill lee. Let's go to the bathroom and get this removed. And then I'll show you your locker."

Hmmm.... Maybe this wasn't going to be bad after all. I had made a new friend.