A Misunderstanding II

Another take on a misunderstanding.

A Misunderstanding II

‘What!’ My exclamation pierced the silence in the library. Heads swivelled towards me and the librarian threw me a disapproving glare. I blushed and lowered my head in embarrassment, my mind still reeling from the astounding news I had just received.

It was a sweltering afternoon and I had taken refuge in the school’s library while waiting for my CCA session to begin. I was enjoying the air-conditioned bliss when Susan, my second-best friend after my best friend Amy, came in to look for me. She told me that she had seen my pure gold pen – a family heirloom – at the bottom of Amy’s bag when she was rummaging through it to borrow a book. I had lost the pen months ago. When I lost it, I had asked Amy and Susan if they had seen it and they shook their heads. I did not dare to tell my family about the loss, fearing that they would reprimand me as it was invaluable. It took me months to get over the guilt of losing it, and now, I found out that my best friend had stolen it!

I could hardly believe my ears. Amy and I had been best friends since Primary 1. We joined the same CCA, hung out together and studied together. We were closer than sisters. When she needed money, I would give her the cash with no question asked. When she needed a shoulder to cry on, I would be there. How could she do this to me? I was so fuming mad that I could not contain the molten rage within me.

I stormed to her usual haunt – the corner of the library. She looked at me with a welcoming smile. I exploded at her, ‘Why did you steal my pen?’ I asked.

‘Pen? What pen?’ She tried to sound innocent. I dragged her to her bag and took out the gold pen. I glared at her.

‘I…I didn’t!’ she denied my accusation. She told me that her father had bought the pen from America and it was coated with gold, not pure gold. I raised my eyebrows, part of me wanting to believe her, but I could not dispute the evidence in front of me. ‘If you want it, you may take it,’ she added softly. I called her a thief and a liar before taking the pen back, and tried to ignore the shimmering wet line that ran down her cheek vertically from the corner of her eye.

There was no homework that day so when I reached home, I decided to tidy up my room which was in a messy state. I opened a drawer and started sorting out a stack of worksheets and assessment books. Just then, something golden tumbled out of a Mathematics assessment book. I picked it up. It was the gold pen! I took Amy’s pen out from my bag. The image of a single tear rolling down her cheek when I accused of her being a thief and a liar flashed across my mind. A wave of remorse swept over me. I examined the two pens. There were minute differences between them but I had been too angry earlier on to notice them.

I returned the pen to Amy the second day and apologised to her. Fortunately, she forgave me. I regretted jumping to conclusions and accusing her falsely. I almost lost my best friend because of my foolish act.

Huang Xinyi (P6)

Chongfu Primary School