Best Friends, Broken Roads

### **Chapter 1: The Inseparable Duo**

Lena and Mira had been best friends since third grade, when Lena had defended Mira from a bully who stole her lunch. From that day on, they were inseparable—two halves of a whole. They shared everything: secrets, dreams, even the same worn-out copy of *The Secret Garden*, which they read under the oak tree in Lena’s backyard.

Their bond was unshakable—until life started pulling them in different directions.

High school changed things. Lena, the artistic dreamer, lost herself in sketches and poetry, while Mira, the pragmatic planner, buried herself in textbooks and college prep. They still laughed together, still whispered late into the night, but something was shifting beneath the surface.

Then came *the argument*.

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### **Chapter 2: The Crack in the Foundation**

It started over something stupid—a missed birthday party.

Lena had spent weeks planning Mira’s surprise celebration, but Mira canceled last minute for a study group. *"It’s just one party,"* Mira had said. *"You know how much this scholarship means to me."*

Lena forced a smile. *"Yeah, of course. No big deal."*

But it *was* a big deal. Because it wasn’t just the party. It was the skipped movie nights, the rushed phone calls, the way Mira’s eyes glazed over whenever Lena talked about her art.

The resentment simmered.

Then, one rainy afternoon, it exploded.

*"You’ve changed,"* Lena blurted out in the middle of Mira’s calculus explanation. *"You don’t care about anything but your future."*

Mira’s face hardened. *"And you’re still stuck in the past. Not all of us can afford to just *dream*, Lena."*

The words hung between them like a blade.

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### **Chapter 3: The Wrong Turn**

They didn’t speak for weeks.

Lena buried herself in her sketchbook, drawing angry, jagged lines where Mira’s face used to appear. Mira drowned in textbooks, refusing to admit how much she missed Lena’s laugh.

Then came the accident.

Lena’s mom called Mira in a panic—Lena had been hit by a car while biking home in the rain. *"She kept saying your name,"* her mom whispered.

Mira ran to the hospital, her heart pounding. But when she got there, Lena turned away.

*"I don’t need you,"* Lena muttered, her voice hoarse. *"You made it clear where your priorities are."*

Mira’s hands shook. *"That’s not fair."*

*"Neither is leaving me behind."*

The silence that followed was louder than any scream.

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### **Chapter 4: The Road Apart**

Years passed.

Mira got her scholarship, moved to the city, became a lawyer. Lena stayed in their hometown, selling her art at a local café. They existed in parallel worlds, close enough to touch but miles apart in every way that mattered.

Then, one winter, Mira’s father passed away.

At the funeral, she stood alone, gripping the program with numb fingers—until a familiar hand slipped into hers.

Lena.

No words. Just warmth.

Later, over coffee, they talked—really talked—for the first time in years.

*"I’m sorry,"* Mira whispered. *"I didn’t know how to be there for you and chase my future at the same time."*

Lena sighed. *"And I was too proud to admit I needed you."*

A pause. Then, a small, hesitant smile.

*"Maybe some roads can lead back."*

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### **Epilogue: The Mended Path**

They weren’t the same people. Too much had happened, too many wounds had scarred over.

But as they sat there, two cups of cooling coffee between them, something flickered—not the fiery bond of childhood, but something quieter. Stronger.

Because maybe broken roads didn’t have to mean the end.

Maybe they just meant a different way forward.

**Together.**

*Moral:* Holding onto anger hurts more than letting go. Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting—it means choosing the relationship over the pain.