The Beginning And The Friend Novels & Stories

“Small is manageable. Small is cozy. Small means your enemies can’t find you as easily.” I blinked. “My. What?” Bailey waved a hand. “Metaphorical enemies. Like, like debt. Or raccoons.” I stared at her, then found myself laughing. It slipped out unexpectedly, thin at first and then real. Bailey clapped once. “Yes! Okay. We’re going to be friends.” “Is that how it works?” I asked, amusement and discomfort tangled together. “In my experience,” Bailey said solemnly, “friendship is ninety per cent deciding it’s happening and ten per cent snacks.”

Thin, continuous pain registered belatedly. Originally I would not have been so upset, I told myself it was just a betrayal by a friend and that it was no big deal. But the line called friendship was the one Lena had chosen to cross first. The day we decided to transfer schools together, she pulled me to a bar to drink and celebrate our liberation. Ambiguous lights lingered around us, and I watched the person I had quietly liked for years and felt a little dazed.

Clara nestled into his arms, pretending to be timid. "Dan, do you think this is—" Daniel cut her off, running his hand through her hair with a look full of affection. "After everything you've been through, this little lesson is nothing." Everyone around them fell silent, afraid to make a sound. I glared at Daniel, speaking each word like a blade. "Ten years of friendship… Does that mean nothing to you? Daniel, let go of me. I'm willing to forgive and forget. But if you don't, you'll regret it."

Matt It’s great starting a business with my buddy and best friend, Tony. We’ve been talking about doing this since we were in high school. Now that we’ve graduated we could finally get our business off the ground. Or so we thought. Tony’s father was supposed to give us the seed money we needed to purchase the products for our e-commerce sporting goods company, but he fell through. I was depending on that money, even though Tony told me not to bank on him coming through. It was a great offer as a graduation present but he really hasn’t been in contact with Tony throughout his life so it was definitely a long shot.

ELLE Rule number one: Best friends don't keep secrets from each other. Rule number two: Best friends come first before anyone else. Rule number three: Best friends must always have each other’s backs. Rule number four: Best friends must attend important events together. Rule number five: Best friends will not ditch each other for popularity. Rule number six: Your best friend's brother is your brother, not your lover. Rule number seven: Best friends must celebrate birthdays together — always. Rule number eight: You must support your best friend's dreams and ambitions. Rule number nine: No lies - no matter what.

I push down on the throttle of the ATV, racing after my best friend. Her squeal of laughter rings through the air as I try to close in on her. She cuts through another mud pit to avoid me, knowing I won’t follow her into it. She loves to get filthy in the mud when we go riding, I don’t mind it, but I won’t do it on purpose either. Cade’s friend, Brendan, pulls up next to me and we both come to a stop. He flips the visor up on his helmet. “Not going to follow her in?”

“Sorry—just a sec.” He swiped to answer. “Nathaniel!” Maya’s eyes widened. Nathaniel. She hadn’t heard that name in years. Ethan’s childhood best friend. The boy who was always glued to Ethan’s side during summers, dragging him into endless soccer matches and wild lake swims. She took a careful step back, grabbing the chance to slip away. “Yeah, I just got in,” she heard Ethan say behind her as she slipped into her room. “What? You’re coming down too? That’s awesome!”

"Oh, honey, you are. Now crawl back to whatever slimy rock you came from." “Back off you nosy slut.” “I will not tolerate you speaking to my friend in that manner.” “Sorry, but you could do better. This bitch is no friend of yours.” Lily scoffs, "Oh please, spare me the lecture, asshole. You wouldn’t know a real friend if they slapped you in the face." “Can you honestly say you’re –” “Enough. You have five minutes, Tristan. That’s it." I stood, my shoulders stiff. “What—”

I felt like a joke. I opened my phone, scrolling through the list of contacts. Not a single one of my friends had told me. Were they really unaware? I remembered their strange behavior when they found out I'd returned to the country. I reached out to Duncan Pauley, the one who was closest to Chandler, and sent him a message. [How much do you know about Chandler's affair?] It didn't take long for a reply to pop up. [You found out already? I knew this wouldn't stay hidden for long.]

We began to hold regular gatherings, where we shared stories, laughter, and dreams for the future. With each passing day, the pain of the past began to heal, replaced by the warmth of connection. I found solace in my growing bond with Roy and Jax, our friendship blossoming into something deeper. There were moments where our eyes would meet, where the unspoken words lingered, and I felt a spark igniting between us.