All My Life

  Just like every other day, I have to go to work. My life is such a mess. I mean, I haven't even picked a career, and I don't even have a car. Well, today I'm taking the bus. I don't know why but it's very crowded than usual. 

"Hey, excuse me, can I take that seat?" I asked politely. 

"No can do. I am too tired," the red-headed man said. 

"Well, I don't care. I'm tired too!" I yelled. 

"Sorry. Here take my seat," the man said, frightened. 

I squeezed my way through the crowd of people and slumped down into the rough leather seat. 

Living in a little apartment wasn't helping me either. Going to sleep at 3 am just because I can't fall asleep was killing me. With only 4 hours of sleep, I fell asleep on the bus. I felt the bus stop, and abruptly I woke up. 

"Why did we stop?" I asked. 

"Sorry, ma'am, but the bus has broken down. It's going to take ages to get it moving again," the bus driver said. 

So angry I stomped off the bus. I walked and walked and walked and walked. It was like the world was never-ending. The agony and the anger I was feeling weren't going away. 

Knowing I was never going to work today, I kept on walking and walking and walking. Suddenly, I reached a waterfall. 

"Wow, there's so many people. Since I'm not going to work, I might as well do something," I said to myself. 

I walked up to the lady who was giving out the pamphlets. 

"Hello, um, excuse me, is there an entrance fee?" I asked. 

"Is there anyone else with you?" the lady asked. 

"Nope, just me," I replied. 

"Oh, ok, then that would be fifteen dollars," the lady said. 

"Ok," I replied. 

I rummaged through my purse and found fifteen dollars. 

"Here," I said as I gave the lady fifteen dollars. 

"Umm, can I have one of those pamphlets?" I asked kindly. 

"Oh, sorry, I forgot. Here," the kind lady said. 

"Thank you," I said as I took the pamphlet. 

"Have fun," the lady said. 

I opened the pamphlet, started reading, and walked to the waterfalls. 

"Ouch," I said. 

I tripped over the branches of one of the trees when I was looking at the pamphlet. Someone held out their hand to me. I looked up, and I saw a lady looking down at me. 

"Hey do you need a hand?" she asked. 

"Yes, thanks," I replied. 

I took her hand, and she pulled me up. 

"Hey, what's your name," she asked. 

"My name is Isabel," I said. 

"My name is Gabriella," she said. 

"Well, nice to meet you," I said.

"Are you here by yourself?" Gabriella asked.

"Yeah," I replied.

"Me too. Do you want to go together?" Gabriella asked,

"Sure, I don't know how to read this map," I said.

"I'm good with maps. Give it to me." Gabriella said.

I gave Gabriella the map, and she looked at it slowly.

"I thought that you're good with maps, Gabriella," I laughed.

"Ok, first of all, maps take a lot of time to inspect, and also please call me Gabi. I never really liked the name Gabriella," she said.

"Well… Gabi, hurry up if you keep on reading this slow. We're gonna be here at night," I said.

"Ok, first, let's get food," Gabi said. 

"OMG, they have food here?" I asked excitedly.

"Yeah, you didn't know?" Gabi asked. 

"No! Let's go," I said excitedly.

Gabi led the way, and we ran to the food vendors. We stood in line for the hot dogs and hamburgers.

"So, what do you want?" Gabi asked me.

"Hmm… I think I want a hamburger without tomatoes, chili and cheese fries, and a Sprite," I said.

"That's delicious. You have good taste." Gabi said.

"Thanks. What are you getting?" I asked Gabriella. 

"I think I'm going to get a hot dog with ketchup, curly fries, and a Coke," Gabi replied. 

"Excuse ladies can I have your order?" the chef asked.

"What if you say my order and I say yours," Gabi said. 

"Ok," I replied.

"I want a hamburger without the tomatoes, chili and cheese fries, and a Sprite," Gabi said to the chef.

"And you ma'am?" the chef asked politely. 

"I want a hotdog with ketchup, curly fries, and a Coke," I said.

"Before you two go, what are your names?" the chef asked.

"It's Isabel and Gabriella," Gabi said.

"Ok, can you both please wait for your order?" the chef asked.

"Ok," we both said in unison.

We both found a table to sit down on to wait for our food. I pulled my phone out of my purse and put in my passcode.

"Do you want to exchange numbers?" I asked.

"Of course," Gabi replied as she smiled. 

She brought out her phone and gave it to me. I did the same and gave mine to her.

"Here I put my phone number," Gabi said.

"Me too," I replied.

"Ok, try to call me," Gabi said.

I tapped the phone button, and Gabi's phone was ringing instantly.

"Ok, now call me," I said.

Gabi called me from her phone, and mine started to instantly ring.

"Isabel and Gabriella, your food is ready!" we heard the chef yelled.

"Come on, let's get out food," I said.

Gabi and I got up from the table and went to get our food.

"Here is your hamburger without tomatoes, chili and cheese fries, and your Sprite," the chef said to Gabi.

"Also, here is your hotdog with ketchup, curly fries, and your Coke," the chef said to me.

"Thank you," we said.

"Now, which one of you is paying?" the chef asked.

Gabi and I looked at each other.

"I can pay," Gabi said.

"No, I can pay," I insisted.

"Actually... excuse me, what's the price of our order?" Gabi asked the chef.

"Weirdly, it's precisely 40 dollars," the chef replied.

"We can split the price," I said.

I gave the chef a 20 dollar bill from my purse while Gabi did the same. We went back to the same table. Then, we switched our meals.

"Here is your food, madam," I said jokingly.

"Here is your food, ma'am," Gabi said jokingly.

Together we ate our food.

"I'm so full," I said.

"You said it. I think we grabbed too much food," Gabi said.

"Well, I'm gonna throw the rest of my food in the trash," I said.

"I'm right behind you," Gabi said. 

We threw our food in the trash and picked up our purses from the table. 

Let's go to the waterfall," I said. 

We walked and walked and walked until we reached the beautiful waterful. By then, the sun was setting.

"Let's take a selfie in front of the waterfall," I said.

"Ok, let's use my phone," Gabi said.

We took the selfie together.

"Send the picture to me," I said.

"I already did," Gabi said.

Seconds later, my phone dinged. I took my phone out of my purse and checked it.

"This selfie looks spectacular," I said.

"Let's go up there so we can watch the sunset," Gabi said.

"Ok," I said. 

We both climbed up the hill to see the sunset. The sun dipped below the horizon, the last gasp of beauty before the death of the day.

"Look at how beautiful it is," Gabi said.

"I never really looked so intently at the sun setting before. I never really cared," I said.

"Thanks for this day. It's been so fun. What I know is that we're going to be best friends forever and ever," Gabi said.

"Of course we are," I replied.

I never really knew it, but meeting Gabi changed my life forever.