Rebecca and Candy had been friends for what seemed like forever. They had gone to the same preschool when they were only four. They’d gone to the same elementary school and now the same high school. They had even been in band and choir together until last year. Rebecca played the trumpet; Candy played the sax. For a long time, it seemed like nothing could get between them.
That was, until they entered high school. Candy joined band and choir with Rebecca as usual but quit halfway through the school year. She said that band was for losers. Some girls had told her she should become a cheerleader instead. After that, everything started going downhill.
Slowly, Rebecca hung out with Candy less and less. By their tenth grade year, Rebecca only saw Candy at school. Sure, Candy would make plans with her for the weekend, but then she would flake out at the last minute with some excuse. It was always how she “had to” go to so-and-so’s party because it was going to be such a blast.
Not only did she blow off Rebecca for parties, but she rarely invited her oldest friend along with her.
Rebecca felt even worse when Candy started being actively mean in front of Rebecca’s new friends. Sometimes, Candy would even push her around a little.
Rebecca knew what Candy and her new friends thought of her. She had seen them snickering at her when she made simple mistakes. It was like everything was an inside joke between them and she was never invited to be part of it.
One morning before homeroom, she heard them talking about her at Candy’s locker. They didn’t know she was just around the corner.
Stacy said, “I can’t believe you even still hang out with her. All she wants to talk about is band and books.”
Stacy made a gagging noise.
Then came Candy’s voice, saying, “Oh, like you’re one to talk? I know you’ve hung out with that dorky ginger neighbor of yours.”
“That is totally different. My mom makes me,” Stacy said. “Seriously though, Becca needs to get a clue. You can’t tell me you actually like spending time with her? What do you two do anyway? Braid each other’s hair while watching Disney movies?”
The other girls in the group laughed. Rebecca wished she could fold herself deep into her locker and hide there. She thought everyone liked Disney movies…
Candy sighed. Her locker slammed shut. “We don’t even really hang out anymore,” she said. “I just don’t want to hurt her feelings. She’s my oldest friend.”
Rebecca felt like crying. She knew her and Candy had been drifting apart, but the idea that her best friend was only talking to her so she didn’t hurt her feelings? That was unbearable, a betrayal beyond words.
Rebecca held back her tears. She wiped her eyes on her coat sleeve and took a deep breath. Candy wanted to hang out with Stacy and the other mean popular girls? Fine. She didn’t need Candy if that’s the kind of friend she was going to be. She didn’t need anyone’s pity.
She didn’t make any effort to talk to Candy for the rest of the day. It wasn’t surprising that Candy never once attempted to talk to her, but Rebecca couldn’t help feeling disappointed. She secretly hoped that Candy had been acting in front of her friends to keep them happy.
But now she knew the truth.
It went on like that for an entire week. Rebecca figured it was over. An eleven-year friendship gone out the door. Yeah, Rebecca was sad, but not about losing someone who only faked being her friend. She missed the old Candy, the one who she had spent all those summers with. The one she sang songs with down at the park as they ran around the playground. The girl she had cried with over boys and who had cried back at her own heartaches.
She was mourning a person who would never exist again. Another person wore Candy’s face and clothes, but her friend was gone.
It was almost freeing.
After that first week was over, Rebecca was shocked to find Candy walking up to her in between classes.
“Hey, Becs,” Candy said, smiling a perfect smile. “What’ve you been up to?”
Rebecca’s breath caught. She hated the hopeful fluttering that surged her stomach. She was over being Candy’s friend, right? Then why did she feel so excited that she was talking to her?
Rebecca was polite and friendly, as always. She didn’t want to risk a fight. The two made small talk until Rebecca tried to duck out to head to her next class. Candy stopped her, gently holding a hand to her arm.
“Um, Becca, before you go,” Candy said.
The hopeful flutters were back.
Candy said, “Can you lend me twenty bucks?”
Her stomach dropped with a heavy sickness. That’s what this was about?
Rebecca said, “What for?”
Candy tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Oh, Stacy and Hannah want me to go to Club Fantasia with them this weekend. But I’m totally broke.”
“Fantasia? Don’t you have to be twenty-one?”
“Pssh. Hannah’s brother is the bouncer. He’s letting us in. So, think you can spare it till I get paid on Wednesday?”
Rebecca’s face flushed. She was beyond angry! Her friend had talked crap about her and then ignored her for a full week… until she needed money? Oh hell no! Rebecca was tired of playing nice, letting a so-called friend walk all over her.
“Is that a joke?” She glared at Candy. “I heard you and Stacy, and all your other friends laughing and making fun of me last week.”
“You what?” Candy’s face paled.
“I thought we were friends, Candy. But apparently I’m just a bank to you.”
Candy fumbled for words. Finally, she grabbed Rebecca’s hand. “I didn’t mean anything. I was just saying that stuff. I don’t know. I thought I had to agree with them or they’d get upset.”
“Well, now I’m upset instead.” Rebecca continued to glare.
Were those tears in Candy’s eyes?
“They just don’t know you,” Candy said. “Why don’t you come to the club with us?”
Rebecca’s eyes lit up. “W-what?”
“I’ll ask my Dad for an extension on my allowance. I’ll treat. Please, Becs? Give me a chance?”
At only sixteen, she’d never gone to a club before. Her heart raced at the thought of getting into one. Maybe she owed Candy another chance anyway. After all, they had been friends for so long. Maybe Candy was just struggling to fit in like everyone else?
Rebecca sighed and grumbled to hide her excitement. She pulled up as much anger as she could into her voice as she said, “I guess I can try. Text me the details later.”
“Yes,” Candy said. “Absolutely. I promise.”
Rebecca tilted her head up and turned on her heel, leaving Candy behind and hoping that her best friend didn’t see the bounce in her stride.
Good to her word, Candy followed through.
It was Friday night, and Rebecca had dressed herself up as cute as she could. She had done her hair and even applied makeup, which was rare for her. She could barely contain herself; she didn’t know many girls her age who had been to a club before.
She told her parents she was staying with Candy and some other friends that night, so they didn’t suspect a thing when the girls arrived in a yellow Camaro to pick her up.
“I’ll be home in the morning!” She waved to her parents and her sister, Chelsea, who was sitting at the computer, home from college for the weekend.
When she got in the car, the girls were already snickering. They tried to quit as soon as they saw her but simultaneously burst into laughter.
Stacy said to Rebecca, “That’s what you’re wearing? You look like a librarian!”
Candy couldn’t even stifle her laughter.
Already, this fun night out had started off badly.
They arrived at the club, and sure enough, Hannah’s brother met them at the door to lead them in. He had eyed Rebecca up and down, whispering loudly to Hannah, “What is she? Twelve?”
Rebecca’s self-esteem was suffering while the people she was with acted like nothing was wrong. She faked a smile and hoped things would get better once they were inside.
Though Candy had said she’d cover them both for the door charge, Rebecca ended up giving Candy twenty dollars anyway. To spend on drinks.
“You need to buy me one, too,” she added as she handed over the bill.
“What do you want?”
Rebecca didn’t know the first thing about liquor. Finally she said, “Something that tastes good.”
Candy grinned. “I know just the thing!”
When she came back, Candy carried a glass filled with blue liquid. Rebecca was so nervous. She chugged it down, hoping it would help.
She tried to join in the group’s conversations. As soon as she would say something, they’d turn away and start talking to each other again.
Rebecca had Candy buy her another drink. She chugged that one, too.
What a mistake! She started feeling ill; her stomach seemed angry with her. Rebecca stood up and frantically looked around for a restroom sign. She spotted one on the opposite side of the room but, before she could even start walking, she puked on the floor.
The girls jumped back and stared at her, disgusted. Then they started laughing.
Between giggles, Stacy said, “Oh my god! She’s had two drinks and is already vomiting!”
Hannah said, “This is a mess. She’s going to get us caught! And my brother fired!”
Stacy rolled her eyes. “Candy, take your friend to the bathroom.”
Candy grabbed Rebecca immediately and pulled her all the way to the restroom. Once they were in there, Candy laid into her.
“Becca, what the hell are you doing?”
Rebecca swayed. She grabbed the sink for support.
Candy said, “You were supposed to impress them tonight. I practically had to beg to let you come. This is how you repay me?”
Rebecca lunged for the nearest stall. She bent down and gagged, vomiting into the toilet.
Behind her, she heard Candy. “God! You are so embarrassing. I can’t even deal with this right now.”
Candy walked out the door while Rebecca continued to be sick in the toilet.
She didn’t know where her ‘friend’ had gone, but she didn’t really care either. All she knew was that she needed to get this vile stuff out of her stomach, and then she could go apologize to everyone.
After almost an hour, she started feeling better. Rebecca wiped off her face and headed back to where the girls had been sitting.
No one was there.
She sat down, hoping she’d see them in the crowd. No such luck.
She decided to head to the dance floor to scout them out. Several songs later, she still couldn’t see them.
Rebecca’s stomach tightened, but not from the alcohol this time. She grabbed her phone from her pocket and called Candy, hoping she would feel her phone vibrate or something.
There was a text message on her phone from Candy. All it said was, “Can’t do it. Had to leave.”
Rebecca’s heart dropped. They had left her there. She was downtown at a club all by herself! She was dead meat and she knew it. Her parents were going to freak out!
She had to call someone. But who? The few girls she hung out with were probably asleep by now. And if one of them was willing, Rebecca could never see someone’s parents would let them out at this hour.
Then it dawned on her. Chelsea, her sister. She had always said she’d come get her if she ever was in trouble. Rebecca had never expected to have to call her. Still, she decided rather get a lecture from her sister than from her parents.
She called up Chelsea and explained the situation in between tears. It was less than ten minutes later that she saw Chelsea’s silver Honda pull into the parking lot.
“I’m so sorry, Becca,” Chelsea said as she stepped out of the car to hug Rebecca.
“Thank you for picking me up. I don’t mean to be a pain.”
“I’m just glad you’re okay. I won’t tell Mom and Dad, but you cannot do something like this again.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I just wanted Candy to like me again. I wanted to fit in with her new friends.”
“What those girls did to you was beyond wrong. They’re stuck in their little bubbles with their fantasies about how life after high school actually works.” Chelsea held her sister even tighter. “Hey! I have an idea. Want to toilet paper their houses?”
Rebecca laughed, a little sad. She knew her sister was trying hard to cheer her up. “I just want to go home,” she said. “I still feel sick.”
“Yeah, let’s get you home. How about we fix this night, spend the rest of it watching horror movies?”
Rebecca agreed and began to feel much, much better. When they got home, they crept inside silently and hung out in Chelsea’s room all night. Chelsea talked to Rebecca about her problems with Candy. Over and over, Rebecca was so glad to hear the words, “You don’t need Candy.”
And when Chelsea told her what a great girl she was, Rebecca couldn’t help but tear up.
Chelsea hugged her as she said, “Please don’t ever be so desperate for friends that you settle for terrible ones, Becca. You don’t need to do that.”
She nodded.
Chelsea continued. “You’re smart, funny, and pretty. You’re too good for them. I tell you what; why don’t you take the train up to visit me next weekend? We’ll hang out with some of my friends. We’re not too wild. I mean we sit and drink coffee and discuss whatever’s on our minds, so it’s up to you.”
The thought of this lit a smile across Rebecca’s face.
All the things with Candy, who had traded in being a real friend for whatever it was that she had with Stacy’s crew, didn’t seem to hurt so badly. She didn’t need friends like Candy. People like her were no friends at all.