Two Strangers

   As always, Claire stopped by her favourite café to get her morning coffee. When she gets into the café, she thinks she saw a familiar figure. She was sure it was him, even though his back was turned to her. She wished she was wrong, that her mind was playing games to her, but then he turned around and their eyes met. She would recognize those eyes anywhere she saw them. That was really Marcus. After all these years she never thought they would meet again, but here he was right in front of her. She stood there for a while not daring to move a finger. They looked at each other then Marcus slowly walked towards her. She thought maybe he would talk to her, but he passed her by and get out of the café. She brushed it off and ordered her coffee.

   Claire was disappointed when Marcus didn’t talk to her at the café, but now she was angry with him and also with herself. She was angry with him because years ago he pushed her away without any reason. He distanced himself until they were two strangers. She tried so hard to save their friendship, but the more she tried the more he distanced himself. After a long time, Claire got tired of being the only person who tries to save their friendship and she gave up on him. She was angry with herself because even after years she still wanted him to be her friend again. Even after everything he had done, she still cared for him. She felt so stupid for thinking he would talk to her.

   She wondered what had gone wrong between them. They were close friends once. They met at school. Both of them had different friend groups, but somehow, they got close. What brought them closer was that both of them hid behind their masks when they were with their friends. They drove each other mad, teased each other, and told each other things that they told anyone. She can spot him anywhere even in the crowd. They were two peas in a pod. It was impossible to see them apart from each other. She believed they will always be friends, but now she knew it wasn’t true.

   Claire wondered every day after the end of their friendship, if he thought about the times, they were friends. Did he miss her like she missed him? Did their friendship mean anything to him? He was the one who ended their friendship without any explanation. Maybe, he didn’t care about her at all or their friendship. Whenever this thought come to her mind, she brushed it off. That can’t be true. They have shared their deepest darkest secrets. Why would he tell her the things he hid from everyone if he didn’t care about her. Since the day he started to ignore her, she was driving herself insane. She was lost in her mind, and that didn’t change even now.

  Sometimes she wished they never met because if they never met, she wouldn’t be hurt and confused. She hated him for ignoring her and distancing himself from her. She hated even after all this time she still loved him. She hated being able to spot him anywhere she saw him. She hated everything about him. But that was a lie, and she knew that. No matter how many times she said she hates him, she still loved him and missed their friendship more than anything.

   It was unfair when she was so broken, he continued his life like nothing happened. Every time after that day, she saw him, he looked so unaffected by the end of their friendship. It was still like that. He broke something in her and it didn’t heal. Even now she was still broken. He moved on but she didn’t. How could she? It was easy for him. He was the one who ended their friendship. He made up his mind and that was it. But it was different for her. One day the person she can tell anything, started to ignore her and treated her like a stranger. It was hard for her to accept he didn’t want to be her friend anymore. Why did he stop talking with her? Did she do something wrong? Was he just using her? There were a million questions on her mind, and she couldn’t answer any of them. There was one person who can answer them, and he didn’t say a word to her. The question she wanted to know the answer was why? That was the question that drove her mad. The only question she never had been able to answer. She hated that question, but also, she wanted the answer to that question.

  Claire left all of this in the past. Now she had a good life. She was doing her dream job. She had a nice place and good friends. After years she was really happy, and everything was great in her life. She never thought about Marcus until this morning. Out of the blue, her past decided to haunt her. Seeing Marcus brought old memories back. The memories started to fade away.

  Isn’t it strange sometimes the person you loved most and who you thought will always be there for you becomes the person who hurts you most and leaves you all alone when you need them, she thought. When Marcus came into her life, he made her happy and helped her to be proud of every part of her. When he walked out of her life it broke her. Claire thought she will never be happy, but she put herself together. She took every part of her life and put it together. She still loved Marcus and missed him, which she will probably always do, but she realized she didn’t need him, and she will never need him in her life. She was thankful for the good times they had. She knew they will never be friends again, and that was okay. They weren’t meant to be friends. She would never forget him like he would never forget her.

Sometimes the beginning and the end are the same.

You start as two strangers and end up as two strangers.