The Lost and found Friendship
Chapter 1: An Unexpected Message
Emma had just finished another exhausting day at work. The clock read 11:47 PM as she sank onto her couch, scrolling through her phone, mindlessly checking notifications.
Then she saw it.
A friend request from Liam Carter.
The name sent a jolt through her. Liam. Her best friend from school. The person she had once spent every waking moment with. The boy who knew all her secrets, her fears, her dreams. The same Liam who had disappeared from her life without warning almost ten years ago.
Her finger hovered over the "Accept" button. A part of her wanted to ignore it. After all, what was the point? If he cared, he wouldn’t have let their friendship die.
But another part of her—one that still missed the boy who used to make her laugh until she cried—needed to know why.
She accepted the request.
Ping!
A message popped up almost instantly.
Liam: Hey, Emma. It’s been a long time. How have you been?
She hesitated. Then, before she could overthink it, she typed back.
Emma: Hey, Liam! Wow, yeah. It really has. I’m good. You?
Seconds later, another message appeared.
Liam: I’m in town for the weekend. Want to catch up?
Her heart pounded. Did she?
Emma: Sure. How about that coffee shop near our old school?
Liam: Sounds perfect. Tomorrow at 10?
Emma: See you then.
She stared at her screen long after the conversation ended. Was she ready for this?
Only one way to find out.
---
Chapter 2: Coffee and Memories
The next morning, Emma arrived at the café ten minutes early. The place hadn’t changed much—wooden tables, warm lighting, the comforting smell of coffee.
She glanced at the door every few seconds, nervous energy making her fidget with her cup.
And then, there he was.
Liam.
He had changed. Taller, broader, a little stubble lining his jaw. But his eyes—the same bright green she remembered—still had that spark.
"Emma," he said, stepping toward her with a hesitant smile.
"Liam," she breathed, feeling like she had traveled back in time.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then he pulled her into a hug. It felt familiar. Strange, but familiar.
They sat down, their coffees between them.
"You still drink caramel lattes?" Liam asked, smirking.
Emma laughed. "And you still take your coffee black, no sugar?"
He shook his head. "Some things never change."
At first, their conversation stayed on safe topics—work, family, life updates. But eventually, old memories surfaced.
"Remember when we tried to break into the school library at night to look for that ghost?" Liam chuckled.
Emma snorted. "And we got caught by the janitor? I thought we were done for."
They laughed, and for a moment, it felt like nothing had changed.
But then, silence settled between them. The weight of unspoken words hung heavy in the air.
Liam sighed. "Emma… I need to say something."
She set down her cup. "Go ahead."
His eyes darkened. "I regret losing touch with you."
---
Chapter 3: The Pain of the Past
Emma stared at him, surprised. She had waited years to hear those words.
Liam ran a hand through his hair. "After high school… everything just changed so fast. My dad got sick, and I was so overwhelmed. I stopped replying, and after a while, it felt too late to fix things."
Emma swallowed. "I thought you didn’t want me in your life anymore."
"Never," Liam said quickly. "I just… didn’t know how to talk about it. And when you left for college, I figured maybe you had outgrown me."
Emma shook her head. "I never outgrew you, Liam. I just thought you needed space. But then months turned into years, and—" She sighed. "I guess I convinced myself you didn’t care anymore."
Liam’s jaw clenched. "I did care. I still do."
For the first time in years, Emma felt the walls between them start to crack.
---
Chapter 4: A Walk Through the Past
After finishing their coffee, they walked through their old neighborhood. The school, the park, the streets where they used to ride their bikes. Everything was the same, yet different.
"You know," Emma said, "I used to check your Facebook sometimes. Just to see if you were doing okay."
Liam smiled sadly. "Yeah? I used to do the same."
They reached their old treehouse—a wooden structure in the park where they had spent countless afternoons hiding from the world. It was broken now, half-collapsed from years of neglect.
"Kind of like us," Emma muttered.
Liam glanced at her. "But it’s still standing."
She looked at him, and in that moment, she knew.
Some friendships weren’t meant to fade.
---
Chapter 5: The Future
As they stood there, Liam turned to her. "Emma… do you think we could fix this?"
She thought for a moment. "Friendship isn’t about never losing touch. It’s about finding your way back."
His face lit up. "So… we’re okay?"
Emma smiled. "Yeah. We’re okay."
As they walked back, laughing about old memories, Emma realized something.
Some friendships don’t fade. They just wait for the right moment to be found again.
The End
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