Losing Katie

Katie and I were best friends. People say we were like sisters, but we were closer than that. I had a sister, and Katie and I were closer than I’d ever been with her. We’d met at school; having the same last name, we were always next to each other when doing anything alphabetically and quickly developed a strong friendship. We worked on school assignments, and, when were older, worked at a donut shop together. I called her ‘KK’, and we were inseparable. I spent nights and weekends at her house, and she’d come to mine, too, but rarely slept over. My family liked her a lot, and she even went to a Sound of Music sing-a-long show with all of us. I felt very lucky to have a friend like her. I’d been an outcast for so long, having a real friendship was something I recognized as a true blessing.

After a few years, Katie left to go to New York. To this day, I have no idea what called her out there. But, when she came back, she had a girl with her – Rita. Rita was straight from the Bronx. She had a tough attitude and was gorgeous as could be, with a dazzling smile. Katie thought she was a delight; I was not so convinced. To say I was intimidated by her was an understatement. Especially when I realized Rita had, essentially and for all intents and purposes, replaced me as Katie’s best friend. I quickly became irrelevant in Katie’s life, and I felt the loss like a dagger to my heart. Katie had always been more outgoing and popular than I was. She was my best friend, but she had tons of others – I did not. I’m not sure if Katie ever even considered the ramifications of her actions. Not that staying friends with me was an obligation of any kind, or that she wasn’t allowed to make new friends. But, with how close were, one wonders if the thought of losing our friendship ever came to mind, and why she was ready to give it up so casually…

At first, I blamed Rita. She was a bad influence, I thought. She was someone who couldn’t find friends of her own where she was, so she latched onto an outsider and followed her home. She seemed controlling and domineering. It may have just been my perception of her as a friendship-pirate, but she definitely gave off bad-girl vibes.

We stayed in touch over the years, but the friendship is a shell of what it had once been. We’re now both mothers and wives, and I’d love to rekindle that relationship, but everything is different now. We’re both totally changed from our 16/17 year-old selves. Sometimes, I wish I could turn back the clock and somehow stop Katie from going to New York all those years ago. But, it’s in the past. These days, I have a close-knit group of a few really great friends. I’m very grateful for them and try to make sure they know how much I appreciate having them in my life. I don’t really think about Katie that often anymore, but when I do, there’s still a sad sort of feeling in my chest. She’s still a great person, and I wish nothing but the best for her life and future happiness.

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Today’s word prompts come from:
_{FOWC with Fandango — Delight
Your Daily Word Prompt— Pirate
Ragtag Daily Prompt— Assignment
Word of the Day Challenge— Dazzling
Pensitivity’s Three Things Challenge #477 – Past, Few, Chest}