New Beginings

• Caroline Mosey, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2011

I watched the rain drops drip down the car window, gliding down the glass pane together, joining together at certain times. Boredom. My life for the past two days.
Anna gazed out the window, thinking of nothing, all her thoughts expired. She had already memorised every feature, crease, hair on Arabella’s face. All she had to hang on to…….
She didn’t know when she was going to see her best friend again. The only person she had ever confided her deepest, darkest secret in. Anna had not even told her twin sister, Sophie, whom she had experienced a special connection with since birth.
Sophie was fidgeting making it even more difficult for Anna to fall asleep. Not to mention the numerous thoughts, memories, and regrets whirling around in her mind. Her emotions were changing like the wind, going from a yearning to screaming at her Dad to stop the car and turn back, to excitement for the adventure that awaited her.
She wondered if she would ever meet another person like Arabella,. someone who continually amazed and inspired her.
They hadn’t always been that close. All through primary school Anna had been in a different group to Arabella, each with their own interests. When they started high school the two girls had been the only students from their year to be accepted to the performing arts school, and hour and a half by train from where they lived. On her first day of Year Seven, Anna remembered standing at the train station, feeling sick with angst and nerves. As she glanced around the platform having a look at the other kids she noticed Arabella. She felt a wave of relief was over her. How reassuring it was to see a familiar face! Arabella had an expression on her face that Anna imagined was much the same as her own. Anna walked over to Arabella and the grin that lit up Arabella’s face when she saw Anna made Anna certain that they’d be friends.
From that exchange of grins the two young girls had become increasingly close, to the point of being inseparable.
Now in Year Ten, Anna and Arabella had done the unthinkable, they’d separated. Anna thought back to the heart wrenching ordeal, both girls blubbering uncontrollably. Anna wondered if she could follow her dream without Arabella.
Anna looked down at her beeping phone, it was a text message from Arabella:
“Hello Gorgeous!
I miss you so much already! Remember to follow our dreams. I’ll ring you tonight and I’ve posted on your Facebook wall. I’ll always be here for you!
Love you to the moon and back,
Arabella
P.S You’ll wow them all tomorrow!”
I knew as I saw the signposts to Melbourne that I would never share my secret with anyone else...