Krystal let out a faint smile as she finally saw Amber sitting on the grass at the riverside, staring at the waters as it turns from yellow to orange. She slowly approach the short haired girl from the back while looking at the small ripples in the water as Amber continuous to throw some small stones that she can find near her. She sighed before sitting beside her. Amber felt Krystal’s presence but she remains to stare at the scenery in front of them.

Krystal turns her head to see Amber’s side profile. She noticed that her eyes are bit red and puffy; it is not the usual eyes that she remembered when she is looking at her. She bit her lower lip and thought that it was because of one of those many nights that her best friend’s strong facade had been pulled down; showing what is really the Amber inside. Krystal’s eyes speaks about what she is feeling right now. Those eyes are full of concern.  

Amber saw from her side vision what Krystal is doing. She let out a soft chuckle before throwing another stone into the river. “I might melt any minute now if you will continue to stare at me.” She said still looking at the river.

Krystal nudges Amber at her side. She let out a smile but later on faded. Amber can still manage to put up jokes despite of what’s happening. Krystal found a stone and immediately picks it up. “Do you miss him?” She said before throwing the stone.

Amber lower’s her head down. She didn’t reply straightaway, instead she plays the small stone in her hand for awhile. She shot her head up and looks at the river. She throws the stone into the river adding more power into it causing the stone to make bigger ripples appear in the surface of the water. “Yeah. Everyday.”

Amber looks at Krystal and smiled. Seeing Amber smiled, Krystal heavily sighed. She knew that it was the opposite because Amber loves her dad so much and right know only her grandparents are the ones who are taking care of her. “Don’t worry, toothpick is fine. So you hippo, you don’t have to worry okay?” she patted her head like a kid.

Krystal gently nodded. She knew that Amber didn’t want someone worrying about her and she never let anyone see the vulnerable side of her. Krystal understands it. She hugs Amber’s arm and positioned her head on Amber’s shoulder. “Arraseo.” She said. She run her fingers into Amber’s arm, occasionally drawing some patterns.

“How about you... do you miss him?” Amber asked.

“Huh?” Krystal didn’t quite get it.

Amber pulled away and pointed at the pendant of the necklace. “Him.”

 “Ohh...” Krystal holds the pendant and caresses it with her thumb. “Yeah. I miss him.”

“It’s been a long time huh? Time flies really fast.” Krystal hummed in response. Amber stood up and dusts off some small grass on her shorts. She stretches her arms and let out a deep breath. Krystal stood up also. “Come on, let’s go home.” Amber offers her hand for Krystal to take. The latter smiled and as soon as she grab a hold on her hands, Amber spun around and squats down, taking Krystal’s both hands and place it on her neck and lifts the girl on her back.

Krystal squealed at the sudden lift. “Atleast you should give me a warning first!” and smacked playfully Amber’s head.

“Nah.” Amber grinned and run off causing her and Krystal to laugh.

“Okay put me down.” Krystal breathlessly and tapped Amber’s back. The latter obeyed cautiously putting Krystal down on her feet.

“That’s one hell of a run... and a good exercise too.” Amber places her hands on her knees and began to take some large amounts of air.

Krystal smacked Amber’s head making the other girl loses her balance and plops her on the floor. “You always keep doing that! I told you to tell me first if you will piggyback me.”

Amber scratched her head to the area where Krystal smacked her. “Yah. I’ve been doing that to you for how many years now. We are in middle school back then and now we are in highschool. You should’ve used to it.” Amber stood up and picks up her bag on the floor.

Krystal glared her but deep inside she liked being piggyback by Amber because she always feel that they are kids again who is playing around everytime. She just doesn’t want Amber to lift her without notice. “Okay. I’ll never do that again.” Amber said swinging her bag on her shoulders and began to walk away.

“YAH!” Krystal shouted.

“What?” Amber turns around.

Krystal lifts her two hands in the air signalling Amber to piggyback her again. Amber stared at her for a while and pokes her tongue out. She ran fast leaving Krystal behind. “YAH. Wait for me!”

Krystal and Amber’s friendship bond didn’t break over the years. They are always there for each other, especially helping each other’s problems. When they are in middle school, Amber signed up for the school’s publication as a photographer and layout artist. She wasn’t that thin kid anymore. Ever since she became a black belter in taekwondo, and began to play basketball for the school’s varsity – her body became toned. She decided to cut her hair short causing many girls to have a crush on her but she didn’t mind them all. Krystal changed also; she is not a hippo anymore. Her body became slim. But she still eats a lot, she just don’t get fat anymore. She praises herself for that. She is also a member the school’s publication as a news writer.

Today is Krystal’s tryouts for the cheering quad. Amber is supporting her by sitting at the bleachers. When it was Krystal’s turn, she scans for Amber at the crowd and when she finally saw her, Amber mouthed ‘fighthing!’ and Krystal smiled and nodded.

 Amber wowed at her bestfriend’s performance, she really danced gracefully. She quickly snaps some photos of Krystal while dancing at the stage. A smile unconsciously appears from her face and a funny feeling inside her stomach is starting to build up also. But she shrugged it off. Amber immediately claps her hands after Krystal’s performance.

“I thought they will make you a lifter.” Amber said as they saw Krystal’s name at the list. Krystal slaps Amber’s arm playfully. “Yah that hurts!” she said after pulling out the lollipop in . Krystal rolled her eyes “Congratulations, hippo.” Amber said and puts back the lollipop inside and place it on right side of her cheek.

Krystal flips her hair “You don’t have too. I know I am great.”

Amber scoffed. “Yeah yeah whatever.”

“I wish he saw that too.” Krystal whispered but loud enough for Amber to hear it. She turns her head towards Krystal and saw her playing with the pendant in between her fingers. Amber immediately looked away and she didn’t know why. “Come on, you have to buy me food!” Krystal nudges her which makes her back from her trance.

“O-okay.” it was all Amber had said. Krystal skips happily to the cafeteria but Amber remains unmoved on her spot. She was confused on what’s happening in herself. She unconsciously places her hand on her chest and clutches her uniform tightly. She immediately shook her head forgetting what’s happening and she didn’t want to think about it anymore.

When she was about to catch up on Krystal, she went back on the bulletin board and snaps a photo of the list where Krystal’s name is on it. She then smiled as she looks at the photo on her camera.

“You really did a good job out there, hippo... I mean,  Krystal.”