Chapter 70:

LXX | Friendship

The Rowan Tree


'What's up?' Ming asks.

We're alone now,

sitting on a park bench
under a street lamp.

It's almost

midnight.

The rest have gone home.

We should too,
before the last bus.

Insects dance
before the yellow light,
in no particular direction—
like they're drunk.

'My parents are getting divorced,'
I say.

Ming doesn't look
surprised.

I'm not surprised
he's not surprised.

We're neighbours after all,
so i'm sure he's heard
the loud fights that happen.

'That's rough.'

I shrug.
Just like with Brient.
We both think it,
but we don't say it out.

I knew it was going to happen someday.

The chameleon cat
purrs,

the first sound of affection
I've heard from it.

'That's not all that happened though,'
it says.

I don't know
how to tell him.

So, shut up.
Go catch rats or something.

It narrows bright green eyes
and slinks into a bush.

'I miss the good old days,'
I say.

'Secondary school
'was pretty good,' Ming says.

I make a noncommittal sound.

Secondary school
was messy.

We went to the

same
secondary school together,

We were in same class
for four years.

Even though
no one
can ever replace Brient,

Ming was
my best buddy.

We have good memories.

We didn't fight
or cause trouble

like Brient and I did.

Ming was a
good kid
whose parents made him attend

lots of tuition.

So I tagged along
when I was bored.

After tuition,
we'd play soccer
with the neighbourhood boys.

We spent a lot of time
together,

but I don't think
we talked
much.

When it was
the three of us (including Brient),

Brient and I
were always the ones

talking.

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