The Other Side (Part One)

New York Times

September 16, 2011

“Speak now or forever hold your peace” –Somebody speaks!

The Other side to the Story…

It’s amazing what can happen so fast. Your worst enemies, the girls that you avoided your entire life could suddenly become your best friend. In matter of a fact it happened so fast you didn’t even notice what was happening until it was too late. Things were great for a few months, you even befriended her best friends and somehow became a part of the group you were always dying to be apart of, but never imagine you would be in. You underestimated yourself, until that boy, the one that every girl liked at least once in their life, and he liked who else but you.

Months later you look back and think, “How stupid was I to think that a guy like him would like me. Of course he would go for my best friends.” You look at all of your mistakes and how much drama you brought to the group. Maybe you were right in thinking you would never be to their level. When a big change happened, it was a terrible loss to you and your best friend, although life continues on, and that’s what it did.

Slowly a friendship grew on the other side of town, a friendship that within less than a year would become more… then less. When she broke it off, he had quickly agreed with no regrets, and all too soon you realized something everyone else could see, you were as good as her, if not better. You got what she couldn’t keep.

 Incase you were all wondering, I did find Charlie. She made it all the way home, back to where it all began, in Bowling Green, Ohio. She just happened to be back home for a little bit right before school started back up for our younger siblings. It was a cool September Sunday morning. We were both sitting with our families. It was sort of weird knowing the last time we sat in this room, during a Sunday morning service, we were together, and we sat in the youth section and there was a whole row of Us. Those were some good times, oh freshman year…

But we sat separately this time, and that’s where I was able to stop her and get the whole story… her side, and just as I assumed, it started with that phone call. That afternoon Charlie had visited Liam at his house, and they had spent the whole day catching up, since they had both been in college they hadn’t talked as much as they used to. Halfway through the day there was a knock on the door and old friend just got home from a family trip and he was coming to surprise Liam, he had a ton of things to tell him, starting off with the proposal, but as Liam swung the door open there stood a familiar face behind him, and it was not his older sister.

Charlie gave a wave, and the two guys went in for a hug. Liam invited Dustin in and they all stood in a circle and talked. “Man, I have so much to tell you, it went perfectly!”

“What went perfectly?” Charlie asked, but Dustin kept going. Liam evidentially knew what Dustin was talking about, so Charlie listened in trying to pick up some clues to what they were talking about.

“So it was a yes?”

“Of course, but I mean… it was the perfect timing, and it was while I was on my trip.”

“Wait what? On your trip?”

“Yeah after three weeks she came and visited, we spent my entire free day together, and that’s when I asked her.”

All the tiny pieces started to be put together in Charlie’s mind. “Her,” and “yes,” and “that’s what I asked her.” Charlie’s head started to spin. Dustin had been back from his trip for three days. Amber had been back from visiting him in Australia for three weeks, but wait, there was no ring on her finger the day she got off of the plain. Charlie had been there with me, Vanessa, and so nothing they were saying made sense to Charlie. Amber would have at least told Vanessa… right.

That’s when the “God Speaking” ringtone went off, it was Amber. Why was she calling, it’s not like she had anything to tell Charlie? Charlie took a deep breath in, walked away from the guys as they were talking about something that happened while Dustin was in Australia. After taking a quick breather and on the phones last ring Charlie answered and Amber’s cute little voice echoed through the phone.

“Charlie, it’s Amber.”

Trying not to sound like she may possibly be mad, she answered back as happy as she could sound. “Hey! It’s been forever!”

“It’s only been a few weeks, but I have something to ask you…” Amber paused, “well it’s more of an announcement.” An announcement, Charlie’s suspicions had been right, Dustin proposed to Amber in Australia and Amber never told her, but she began to speak again trying to sound curious.

“Well spit it out girl.”

“Dustin proposed… and I was wondering if you would like to be one of my bride’s maids?” Charlie let out a burst of excitement. Although she was upset her best friend hadn’t told her the minute it had happened, there was an overwhelming shock that she had been right and that Amber was getting married. She couldn’t help but be happy for her in the moment.

“Of course I will, yes! When’s the wedding?”

“It’s July 24, it’s a Sunday.”

Charlie looked at her schedule on her phone, “Ahh, yeah I can make it… and if I couldn’t I would cancel everything because my Amber is getting married!” She smiled and they said their goodbyes as she hung up the phone, but the happiness was gone, she had spent the whole day with Liam, and he never told her Dustin was planning on asking her and he obviously knew, and they were talking about it, but not telling her anything.

“Hey Liam, I have to go.” She gave him a hug and she looked at Dustin, and gave a smile, “it was good seeing you.” Liam waved goodbye as Charlie opened the door and closed it without looking back. How could this have happened? Nobody told her that the biggest day of her best friends life was coming up, that it had already been scheduled, wasn’t she supposed to be a part of the scheduling?