In the Sidelines » Damian Lillard

05.

Eight months later; April 2009

"IMPRESSIVE FIRST SEASON for you, from the highlights I've seen online." I sat cross-legged on the bed in my dorm room and held my phone to my ear.

It was nine at night in California and ten in Utah, where Damian went to school. This was usually around the time we were finally able to call each other on the phone. We didn't get to talk much because of our busy schedules; only at night was when we both had free time.

I recalled his achievements in his first year playing for Weber State. "Freshman of the year in your conference and a starter for the majority of the season. I think this whole basketball thing might be working out for you," I joked, hoping to get a laugh from him.

I didn't get the response I wanted, though. "Yeah. Maybe it is," Dame replied dully. I frowned at how distracted he sounded. "So how's Stanford holding up?"

I bit my cheek. How is Stanford was the only thing Damian asked me recently. He seemed so distant whenever I talked to him that sometimes I even regretted calling in the first place.

"Well, recently it's been great," I began cautiously. "At the start of this month I got..." I faltered when some music started blasting on the other end, interrupting me. "Who's playing the music over there?"

"Uh, sorry. I have to go."

"Again? Wait," I said quickly. "I needed to ask if you were coming back to California during the break so we could—"

"My friends are over, I need to go now." Damian cut me off.

Before he ended the call, I heard a voice yell his name and ask who he was calling. I nearly broke my phone in half when I heard Damian's reply.

"Oh, it's no one important."

Then he hung up without even saying goodbye.

"See you later, too," I angrily muttered to myself, tossing my phone on the carpet floor. I glared at the phone screen with the words CALL ENDED taunting me.

I was still trying to calm myself down when I heard some footsteps enter my room.

I looked over at the door to see my dorm mate, Sydney Kearse. We had become really close friends over our first year in college. When we first discovered we would be roommates, we immediately clicked and the rest was history.

"Boy troubles?" Sydney questioned. She pulled her wavy brown hair into a ponytail as she walked over to me.

Syd was jokingly called a 'boy magnet' by me because her beauty never went unnoticed for long. I'd come to the conclusion long ago that the only reason guys flirted with me was because I was friends with Sydney.

But I trusted my life with her, even if I had just known her for less than a year. I was able to talk about anything or anyone with her. The last person I had that much trust in...was Damian.

"No, it's more like 'my best friend is ignoring me again' troubles," I scoffed. I'd already told her about my past with Damian so she knew who I was referring to. "I was asking if he wanted to meet up over spring break and he hung up on me."

She gave a sympathetic look and sat down beside me. "Arabel, that's been the fifth time he's hung up on you. And that's only counting these past three months," she cried out. "I remember at the start of the school year when you two would have phone calls for hours. Now they barely even last five minutes. You used to be so happy after calling him, and after you talk to him now..." she trailed off.

Now, I'd get sad. Disappointed, angry. Because our phone calls kept getting shorter and shorter. And my best friend since childhood was becoming more like a stranger every day.

Sydney gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. "Are you sure you want to keep on calling him? Because from what I've observed, it's just been you calling him, never the other way around. Maybe you should take a break from him for a while. It seems like he doesn't even care about you any more."

She widened her eyes when she realized what she had just said. She attempted to backtrack, but her words made my heart sink. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to say it in that way. Of course Damian cares about you. He's your best friend, after all."

"Some best friend, isn't he," I snapped.

There was a lot truth to her words, even though I didn't want to accept it. Lots of promises we made before were long gone, even ones that we thought would never be forgotten. February was the last month that Damian gave me good-morning phone calls. It was something we had promised to do every morning, throughout the year. Now, I wasn't even sure if he remembered about it.

Our friendship was slipping away, right in front of my eyes. And it felt like there was nothing I could do to stop it.

I chewed on my lip. "Syd, it's okay. I think you're right about stepping away from Dame." Although I was speaking to her, I was trying to assure myself too. Damian and I weren't going to stay best friends after all. I didn't want to accept it, but it didn't seem like he was too worried himself.

I sighed and shook my head. I couldn't believe that there would be a day that I would decide to distance myself away from my best friend. All it took was eight months to end almost nine years of our friendship.

Maybe there'd be a day that we'd become close friends again. I wasn't sure. But after months of Damian being so distant, I knew it would be for the best for both of us.

"If Damian doesn't need me in his life, then I guess I don't want him in mine."

---

Things are getting tough for Arabel and Damian! It killed me to write this because I love their friendship so much.

What are your thoughts Ara and Dame? Do you like Ara's new friend Sydney?