Forgive? Sounds good. Forget? I’m not sure I could.
“Hi.”
Joella looked up in surprise when Kimberly Colqueran appeared in the doorway of her bedroom. She didn’t respond immediately, not sure how she should. Kimmy and Ali weren’t together anymore and she’d well and truly moved on from him so what was holding her back from smiling and greeting her oldest friend now?
“Can I come in?” Kimmy asked. It was clear from this request that Kimmy hadn’t been expecting a warm reception.
“Yeah,” Joella nodded, tossing aside the copy of Quidditch Investor she’d been leafing through.
Kimmy entered the room and pulled up a chair. It was strange to see her act so cautiously in a room she used to bound into without invitation like it were her own.
“What are you doing here?” Joella couldn’t pretend to be pleased to see her.
An almost-sad looked flicked across Kimmy’s face at the greeting (or lack thereof) she received. “My dad was coming to see yours so I came along,” she replied simply.
Joella wished her dad would’ve told her that Kimmy’s dad was coming over but given that they were friends and did business together, he was quite a frequent guest and often unannounced so she knew it was unfair to expect this of him.
“I wanted to see you,” Kimmy said. “It’s been too long, Joella.” Joella bit her lip. She didn’t have anything to say to her ex best friend. It was all Kimmy’s fault that they hadn’t seen each other in so long.
“I’m sorry,” Kimmy sounded genuine, a pleading sort of look in her blue eyes. It was clear that she understood the mistake she’d made.
“I don’t think you would be if he hadn’t ended things,” Joella challenged her.
“I would,” Kimmy insisted but it wasn’t all that convincing. “I know I screwed up, and if I could go back and change things I would. But I can’t, so all I can do is say sorry.”
“Why did you do it?” Joella asked. She was still far more hurt about the whole thing than she realised and seeing Kimmy again for the first time in a while was bringing it all back.
“I don’t know,” Kimmy shook her head. “I guess I got caught up in… It’s inexcusable.”
“We’ve been best friends our entire lives,” Joella reminded her. “But you still chose him?”
“I didn’t choose him,” Kimmy protested. “By the time I realised I had to choose, it was too late. Of course I would have chosen you, Joella, but you wouldn’t let me.”
“You went behind my back. I don’t know how it didn’t occur to you that this was something you should mention to me!” Joella felt exasperated but she didn’t want to have the fight all over again.
“Please, Joella, please just give me a second chance?” Kimmy pleaded. “I know I’ve been an awful friend but you’re worth more to me than any boy.”
Kimmy was her oldest friend so when she’d gone behind her back and started dating Alistair without telling her, it was only to be expected that Joella had felt betrayed. She wasn’t foolish enough to believe that Kimmy hadn’t known that what she was doing was wrong at the time and had only been thinking about herself, but perhaps it was time to let things go. Alistair wasn’t a part of her life anymore and even though this wasn’t really about him but about Kimmy being a bad friend, if she could let him go then surely she could let this feud go too? As hurt as she was by what Kimmy had done, it didn’t change the fact that she loved her friend and she wanted her back.
Joella paused for a moment before nodding slowly. It had never been her intention to cut Kimmy out of her life completely. She’d just needed time and an apology and now that she had both then perhaps things could begin to return to the way they’d used to be.
“Friends?” Kimmy’s voice was hopeful.
“Best friends,” Joella confirmed, finally allowing herself to smile.
Kimmy hugged her. “I missed you.”
“Me too,” Joella admitted. She was surprised at herself, for forgiving so easily, but she felt happier for it. Perhaps there were some good things that came from acting like a grown up. “But you owe me, so you can come help me muck out Snorri’s stall.”
Kimmy laughed and the two old friends left the room arm in arm.