A Pact of Friendship

The last rays of sun stretched long across my bedroom floor, painting stripes of orange and pink on the rug. Katie was sprawled on her back, her bright pink pajamas a stark contrast to the deepening twilight outside. We’d finally finished demolishing the pizza, and the movie was paused mid-scene, forgotten in the quiet hum of our late-night conversation. The air, which had crackled with tension earlier, now felt soft and settled, like a warm blanket.

“I’m really glad we talked, Soph,” Katie said, her voice a little husky. She tucked a stray strand of blonde hair behind her ear, her eyes, usually so bright and full of mischief, were soft and thoughtful.

I nodded, pulling my knees to my chest. “Me too, Kay. It felt… yucky, keeping things bottled up like that. Especially when it was about us.”