The day I met Nathan was etched in my mind like a movie scene. We were destined to become the closest of friends, even if our introduction was anything but ordinary.
I was sitting in the library, surrounded by towers of books and the quiet murmur of diligent students. My eyes were lost in the pages of a novel when a loud crash echoed through the silence, followed by a series of frantic apologies. Annoyed but curious, I looked up to see a boy sprawled on the floor, a toppled bookshelf beside him.
I apologise once more. He mumbled as he stumbled to his feet and tried to reorganize the books that had fallen. The librarian arrived, her look a mixture of frustration and rage, her harsh glare cutting through the air.
Are you in need of assistance? Startled by my own curiosity, I got up and approached him. He raised his head, a sigh of relief spreading across his ashamed features. "Thank you, that would be fantastic." I found out his name was Nathan as we collaborated to clean up the mess. Our easygoing talk began with his awkwardness and ended with me offering unexpected assistance. Before long, we were chatting along like old friends.
Nathan then failed to show up for our scheduled library session one day. I dismissed it, thinking he was either busy or had forgotten. But I became concerned when he skipped our subsequent meetings. I tried messaging and calling, but nobody answered. I was worried and looked around to see if anyone knew where he was.
At last, I received the much-feared news: Nathan's father's job transfer had forced the family to relocate suddenly. There was no time to say farewell. With a heavy heart, I held onto the book he had lent me as a keepsake of our fleeting yet close connection.
Life moved on and years passed, but I never forgot Nathan. The recollection of our time spent together served as a bittersweet reminder of how ephemeral but powerful certain relationships can be. I was waiting for my delayed train at a busy train station one evening. An unexpected ruckus broke through the general hurry and bustle around me. I turned to find out that is was Nathan
Alex?" he asked, acknowledgment lighting up his face. We ran to one another and gave each other a strong hug. It seemed as though very little time had gone. We caught up for hours, telling each other about the turns our lives had taken since we had first met. Just like I had kept mine, Nathan had held onto the book I had lent him all those years ago.
I turned to look at the recently engaged couple as we left the station together. I had a silent thought, "I kind of wish that was us." Nathan realised exactly what I meant when he laughed. "Me too," he replied, and we both chuckled, realising that our reunion constituted a happy ending in and of itself.
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