Through Thick and Thin

4

"Hi, I'm Miranda," she introduced herself softly.

The girl looked up, a friendly smile forming on her lips. "Hey, Miranda, I'm Lily. Nice to meet you."

"Where are you from?" Miranda asked.

"New York, my mom got a huge job opportunity here," Lilly elaborated.

The two quickly struck up another conversation, discovering their shared love for music and their fascination with science fiction. Lily was outgoing and had a passion for playing the saxophone. Miranda, on the other hand, had a deep interest in science fiction novels,  movies, and anatomy.

The next class change, they navigated the hallways together, sharing stories and laughter. Lily's vivaciousness balanced Miranda's timidity, and they found comfort in each other's company.

Ben walked through the familiar halls. He spotted his friends Danny and Michael near their lockers, their laughter echoing through the corridor. He smiled, walking over. Foot ball  had brought these goof balls into his life. They formed a bond that extended beyond the field, and other than Miranda, he was glad to have met them.

"Hey," Ben greeted, slapping Danny on the back and giving Michael a playful punch on the arm. "Ready for senior year?"

"Oh yeah, bring on the girls," Danny smirked, licking his lips.

"Of course, that's all you think about. That kind of thinking is why you almost didn't pass 11th grade."

"I'm going to be better this year."

"Yes, this year we take serious. School work is done, and we dominate on the field. We gotta make this one count." Ben encouraged.

They continued to talk back and forth before Ben's mind wandered to Miranda. She had been his best friend for as long as he could remember, but lately, his thoughts about her had taken a different turn. He couldn't help but notice how pretty she looked, how her smile lit up a room. But confessing his feelings carried the weight of risking their friendship, and he wasn't sure if he was ready for that.

Lost in his thoughts, Ben made his way to his math class. As he entered, he noticed a girl sitting alone, glancing around nervously. Their eyes met briefly, and Ben couldn't help but notice the spark of interest in her gaze. It was as if she saw something in him that intrigued her.

Feeling a mix of curiosity and flattery, Ben took a seat next to her. The girl turned to him, a shy smile on her face. "Hi, I'm Emily. Are you new here?"

Ben shook his head, returning her smile. "No, I've been here since freshman year. I'm Ben. Nice to meet you, Emily."

Their conversation flowed effortlessly as they discussed their shared interests and classes. Ben found himself drawn to Emily's easygoing nature and her genuine interest in getting to know him. It was refreshing and took his mind off the complicated feelings he had for Miranda.

Class eventually ended, and Emily stood collecting her things. "Can I have your house number. Maybe I could call you tonight, or we can hang out sometime."

"Yeah, of course here," Ben replied, taking his pencil. He grabbed her notebook and wrote his number down.

"Have a good day," he told her before walking out.

Ben walked into the busy cafeteria, and he looked around for his friends. He spotted them in the back, but also to his left, he caught the sight of Miranda.

Walking over, he pulled up a chair. "Hey Miranda,"

"Hello Benjamin,"

Miranda turned and faced Lily again. "Ben, this is lily from my band class. She's new here. Lily, this is Ben, my best friend since forever."