The Sun and The Moon

Submitted into Contest #104 in response to: Write about an introvert and an extrovert who are best friends.... view prompt

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Fiction Adventure Happy

Two girls were friends ever since kindergarten, and their names were Lucy and Selena. When the two girls first met, they weren't as close, due to their obvious differences in personality. Lucy was the girl who would walk up to random kids in school and make new friends. She would share some of her food (no questions asked) if she saw that your parents couldn't pay your monthly school lunch plan. Popping tie-dye patterns that would capture your attention when she walked past you was her signature fashion item. Selena was the more subdued personality, and she preferred to remain unknown amongst her peers. She would only eat in the school bathroom out of fear that her classmates would notice that she only ate beans and rice. Selena's family was poor, so it was hard for them to get much food for Selena to take to school. This also influenced her fashion sense, with her sticking to cheap looking, coffee brown shirts and pants or black robes.


Selena was eyeing the school cafeteria from left to right, trying to figure out if today was the day she stopped caring about other people's opinions of her. She looked down at her neatly packed rice and beans in her lunchbox, frowning as she quietly shook her head, and went to hide in the bathroom. Lucy was talking to some friends of hers, laughing at a joke made by her friend Sasha about how red Mr. Rodriguez's face was when he saw her mimicking him. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that a black robed girl was heading out of the cafeteria. She gently shook Sasha's shoulder as if to signal that she was heading out of the cafeteria. Sasha pouted in annoyance and huffed, "Why are you leaving? It's not like you have to go to the bathroom or anything." Selena simply laughed, as if she was unaware of how annoyed Sasha was.


"Maybe I do and you don't know it! I'll be back." Lucy didn't want to say what she was going to say, since she really didn't know why that girl left. She also didn't want to spill any business of the black robed girl to Sasha. As she headed out of the bustling cafeteria, she went to the girl's bathroom and heard delicate clinking sounds. It was as if the sounds were purposefully being muffled by someone. "It's coming from the biggest bathroom? Hm...I wonder who it is." She knocked on the door in an upbeat manner, knocking to the beat of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Lucy said outloud to the girl, "Hey! Why are you eating in here? The cafeteria is bigger!" A small gasp could be heard from the other side of the bathroom door. The sound of a lunchbox zipper rapidly sliding back and being closed up could also be heard. Selena grumbled and spoke in a cold tone, "What do you care...? I don't even know you...Let me eat in peace and leave."


Lucy gulped a bit, "Maybe that came off a bit rude? I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like that. I was legit wondering why you were eating in here. I saw you leaving the cafeteria so suddenly...It's not like there were no seats left." Tension filled the girl's bathroom for what felt like decades. The silence made the interaction between the two girls come to a halt. Lucy didn't let that stop her, since her optimism was that strong to counteract an anti-social person. Plus, she felt bad that this girl was eating in HERE out of all places. Lucy calmly told her, "Well, I can stand out here and talk with you! It'll be a little fun to have a mysterious friend." Out of nowhere, Selena felt cold chills up her body as she questioned this random girl's intent. 'Why is she still trying with me? I just want to eat in peace...Maybe if I tell her this once that she can stay with me for a bit, then she'll leave me alone...'


Selena sighed, "Fine, we can talk for a bit. I don't want you to see me though...not until I'm ready." Lucy jumped up and down, the soles of her shoes lighting up with every jumped. "Yay, thank you! So...do you like tie-dye-" Lucy covered her mouth as she spoke, remembering that it was rude for her to not ask this girl's name. "Actually, before you answer that, what's YOUR name? Mine is Lucy!" Selena was quiet for a minute, "...It's Selena...and not really? I guess I like brown and black colors more..." This amazed Lucy, seeing that she never met anyone that preferred dull colors. "Wow, so you're really big into the mother nature scene yeah?" Selena sighed and spoke back, with audible annoyance in her voice. "No...my mother and father get these clothes for me. I don't really have a choice."


Lucy felt bad, as she yet again came off as rude without trying. "I'm so sorry!!! That wasn't what I meant. Tell you what? You and I can find more clothes you like at the store. Let me make it up to you!" The bathroom got quiet yet again, this time, Selena felt more awkward. "Why are you trying to be nice to me? I bet you're tired of it. Drop the nice act. Everyone else is mean to me. I'm fine with being a loner." Lucy was confused, did this girl really think she was faking her kindness. 'Then again...I'm pretty well liked at this school, so, I haven't experienced what she says she has...Maybe time and dedication would show her that I'm serious...' Lucy gently leaned against the bathroom door, whispering to her in case someone walked in. "It's fine Selena. I get it if you don't trust me right now. I'll come back in the future. Same time, same place, okay?" Selena didn't say a word, which to Lucy that was an, "Okay."


Every day school lunch was active, Lucy would head over to the girl's bathroom. She would slowly bring over food like toasted tarts, half of a ham and mayo sandwich, and even a small chicken leg. Naturally, Selena was cautious to these small gifts. "Is this some sort of sick joke...? If it is, at least it tastes good..." Lucy reassured her with gusto, "No way!!! I wouldn't give out food like this unless I really wanted to." Selena giggled, questioning whether she could trust this girl. 'It's hard enough to come out of this shell...Maybe with her I can do it.' Weeks would pass by, and eventually, Selena would come out of the bathroom. Lucy didn't seem phased by her cheap looking khaki pants, and brown t-shirt. "Finally, I get to meet you! Lets go eat in the cafeteria now!" Lucy grabbed Selena's wrist and pulled her into the cafeteria with brute force. "...! Hey!!! Not so soon!"


Sasha saw who Lucy was with, and spat out her fizzy water. "LUCY! You're so funny! Being friends with her!? Look at her!" Selena looked down, furrowing her brows with tears starting to shed. Lucy didn't like that one bit, and went up to Sasha's face. "Hey quit it! She just wants to eat with me! You've been acting weird every time I went to the bathroom. I always spend time with you anyways!" Sasha rebutted, "No you haven't! You've been spending time with her instead. She isn't better than me. She's poor! How could you not notice!?" Selena's tears kept pouring down during the summer rain, with her feeling like it wouldn't stop. Lucy took a look at Selena, her gaze returning to Sasha, "That doesn't matter to me. I didn't even notice that she was poor! I just like making new friends. You KNOW this..." Lucy clenched her fists, "If you're gonna act like this...We're done being friends." Lucy pulled Selena away, "Let's go. She's lame anyways..." Selena worked up enough strength to swallow back the tears. "...I don't get it...but thanks?"


Years later, Selena and Lucy were inseparable. They would make sure to text each other whenever possible. They would attend each other's birthday parties, and Lucy would once in a while try to get Selena out of her shell. It wouldn't always work since she was still notoriously shy even in high school. Selena would try to get Lucy to calm down with taking her outside so often. Sometimes it would work, but other times she would take her outside to a bookstore or movie cinema instead. It was a nicer alternative than going to a loud, brightly lit concert. Selena and Lucy were like the Sun and the Moon: different as can be, but still necessary to each other.

July 28, 2021 03:30

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1 comment

Crystal Lewis
15:41 Aug 02, 2021

Very sweet that they became friends. :) Lucy is definitely the sun!

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