𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 3: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗯𝘆𝗲

                                    

                                          
Nya flipped through the pages of their old scrapbook, the faint scent of glue and paper filling the quiet room. Each page was a memory-photos of school events, doodles, and ridiculous inside jokes. She chuckled, pointing at a picture. "Look at this! You went headfirst into the cake at my birthday. Classic Amy!"
Amy didn't smile.
Nya's laughter faltered. She glanced up, noticing the way Amy fidgeted with the hem of her hoodie, her gaze glued to the floor. There was a tension in the air, thick and unspoken.
"Amy?" Nya closed the scrapbook slowly. "What's going on? You've been off all day."
Amy's lips parted, but the words seemed to catch in her throat. She took a deep breath, her voice barely audible when she finally spoke. "I'm moving."
The world seemed to tilt for a moment. Nya blinked, not sure she'd heard right. "What do you mean, moving? Where? When?"
"My dad's job," Amy said, her hands clenching into fists. "He got transferred. We're leaving... at the end of the week."
"The end of the week?" Nya repeated, her voice sharp and filled with disbelief. "Amy, that's in a few days! How could you not tell me until now?"
"I didn't know how," Amy admitted, her voice trembling. "I didn't want to hurt you."
Nya stood, pacing across the room. "You didn't want to hurt me? You think dropping this on me last minute hurts any less? You're my best friend, Amy. How am I supposed to deal with this?"
Amy's eyes brimmed with tears as she whispered, "You think it's easy for me? I don't want to leave, Nya. But I don't have a choice!"
The raw emotion in her voice stopped Nya mid-step. The frustration drained from her face, replaced by the ache of impending loss. She walked over and hugged Amy tightly, her own tears spilling now.
"We'll figure it out," Nya murmured, her voice breaking. "We have to."
But even as she said it, the reality of goodbye loomed, heavy and inevitable.
The autumn wind was sharp as Nya stood in the middle of Amy's empty room, her heart heavy with unspoken words. The walls, once covered in posters of their favorite bands and doodles of inside jokes, were now bare, leaving only faint traces of their shared memories. Amy's suitcase sat by the door, a silent reminder that time was running out.
"I can't believe this is really happening," Nya said, her voice trembling as she hugged herself tightly. She looked at Amy, who was folding the last of her clothes with a forced smile.
"I didn't think it would happen so soon either," Amy replied, avoiding Nya's gaze. "One moment we're planning next summer, and the next, my dad's getting transferred to a whole new city. It's... surreal."
Nya felt a lump rise in her throat. "What about us? What about everything we've been through? You're just going to leave?"
Amy finally turned to face her. "You think I want this? Nya, you're my best friend. Leaving you behind is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. But I don't have a choice!"
The weight of those words crushed Nya. She wanted to scream, to beg Amy to stay, but she knew it was futile. Instead, she whispered, "Then promise me you won't forget. Promise me we'll stay connected, no matter what."
Amy stepped closer, gripping Nya's hands tightly. "I swear, Nya. You're not just my best friend-you're my sister. No distance can change that."
They both blinked back tears as a honk from outside shattered the moment. Amy's father was waiting in the car, his impatience evident.