The Day Friendship Crumbled

Ollie and Tom had been inseparable for as long as anyone could remember. They shared everything, from their favourite comics to their hopes and dreams. But today was different. Today, the air between them was heavy with words left unsaid and feelings misunderstood.

The argument had started over Millie, the new girl in class with a bright smile and an infectious laugh. Both Ollie and Tom had taken a liking to her, but instead of talking about it, jealousy brewed silently until it could no longer be contained.

"You always think you're better than me, Tom! Just because you're good at football doesn't mean you can have everything!" Ollie shouted, his voice trembling.

Tom clenched his fists, his face flushed. "That's not true, Ollie! You know I would never try to compete with you over something like this!"

But Ollie wasn't listening. In a moment of frustration, he grabbed a packet of hobnobs from his lunchbox and hurled it at Tom. Crumbs scattered across the playground, a sad reminder of their shattered friendship.

"Fine! If Millie means more to you than our friendship, then maybe we shouldn't be friends at all!" Tom yelled back, his eyes glistening with tears he refused to let fall.

The bell rang, signalling the end of lunch, but the boys remained frozen in place, their hearts heavy. The playground felt emptier than ever before, as if the laughter and joy had been swept away with the wind.

As Ollie turned to leave, he glanced back at Tom, hoping for a sign that things would be okay. But Tom was already walking away, his shoulders slumped and his head bowed low. Ollie felt a pang of regret, wishing he could turn back time and mend what had been broken.

The days that followed were tinged with a deep sense of loss. Ollie missed his friend terribly, but pride kept him from reaching out. Tom, too, felt the void, but neither could find the courage to bridge the gap.

Weeks passed, and though they sat in the same classroom, an invisible wall stood between them. It wasn't until they saw Millie laughing with a group of other friends that they realised how much they had let slip away.

In the end, it wasn't Millie's friendship they had truly wanted; it was each other's. But sometimes, lessons are learnt too late, and words spoken in anger leave scars that take time to heal.