Seen Not Heard || BOOK 1

A Perfect Fit

Chapter Seven ~ Idina

Tap. Tap. Maya and Riley gently pitter with the tips of their fingers against my window. I look up from my desk and turn my wheelie chair towards them. They motion for me to come, and I walk over and open my window up. They crawl through, and sit on the bench attached to the window.

"Hey, you have a bay window, like me!" Riley squeals. She and Maya sit on either side of me.

"Can you come over to our bay window?" Maya asks.

"I don't know," I say, pretending to be torn between staying or going with them, "What's in it for me?

"A sleepover!" Riley shouts, then she and Maya tackle me to the ground.

"We're not leaving without you!" Maya shouts playfully. I laugh, and my mother walks right in on the two tackling me.

"Who are they Idina?" Mom asks.

"Friends from school, Mom this is Riley," I introduce using my free arm to point to Riles, "and that's Maya. Riley lives in the apartment two down. Can I sleep over tonight? Please, please, please?" I ask. The girls get off me to put their hands together along with me in a begging fashion, making puppy dog eyes.

"Alright, but make sure to be back before school for breakfast," Mom says, she comes over to me and kisses me on the cheek, "Goodnight baby."

"Night Mom," I say before the girls drag me out the window. I turn to lock it behind me with my key, then put it in my purse pocket. I crawl over the fire escape to Riley's wide open window. She plops in, then Maya, then me, who closes the window.

"So, what have you called me here for tonight ladies?" I ask. They both look at each other, then back at me.

"This is a very special place to us, Idina," Riley begins.

"This is where Riley and I figure out our most important stuff," Maya ends, "and now you shall too." Riley goes over to her light purple dresser and pulls out two little boxes. She opens the first one to reveal two rings identical to her's and Maya's, carved in it reads Best Friends. She hands Maya the other still closed box.

"You have been called here for a very important ceremony. It has always been Maya and me since we were 5 years old, since the first day she came through my window," Riley proclaims, "our ring power is our most sacred vow of true friendship. Tonight, we ask you to take that vow."

"I take the most sacred vow of true friendship," I say, putting right hand over my heart. With that, Riley slips the two rings onto my left hand's middle finger, as they have it. I look down to see the first ring is silver and says Best; the second one is bronze with a hint of a pink tint and says, Friends. 

"I think the silver one is Maya," I begin, still looking down at the rings, "She's solid, dark but light in a way. She's like the best, even though no one can truly really be the best because she is a sister and friend wrapped into one. She is so strong and has been through everything to the moon and back. Silver is shining, and it's moment to shine is always, like Maya." I look up at Maya and see her smiling, still holding the other box. I look at Riley and smile. I hold up my hand and point to the bronze ring.

"The bronze one is Riley. With a hint of pink, she is always so happy, bright, and carefree. It says, friends because she will always stand by her friends, and always has them. She will protect you no matter what, and light up your light with a hint of color when you need it the most."

"Profound words," Riley says, "we knew you would say something like that. Congratulations, you passed the test of true friendship. Now it's time for your reward." Maya opens the box to reveal three golden rings that say Forever.