by Writing Shark
A changed friend
The sun on this hot summer morning is doing its best to usher in the coming day with its hot rays, even though it is not even high in the sky. Maya Tanaka gets out of her chic white car, stretches and breathes in the warm and dry air before letting her gaze glide over the wide grounds of the university where she is starting her second semester today. She is already excited and her stomach is tingling with anticipation as she adjusts her outfit. Her knee-length, tight-fitting jeans and the long white shirt that hide her petite figure clearly show that Maya is no longer a silly freshman but wants to be accepted into the ranks of the respected scholars that her university produces.
Her white sneakers carry her happily along the path to the main building. On the way she greets her acquaintances but Maya lets her eyes look for a certain person.
“Maya!” The voice conjures a smile on the Asian girl’s lips and she looks for the source, her best friend Susan. “Hey girl!”
“Hey girl!” Maya finds her quirky nerdy friend next to the main entrance, a little off to the side, in the shadow of some pillars. The shy red-haired girl waves her Asian friend over while she is still talking to a boy who is standing a little nervously next to her. “In the first break,” says Susan as Maya comes to her, pats the boy hard on the shoulders and then turns to Maya. The two best friends since kindergarten fall into each other’s arms and embrace like there wasn’t a semester break between them. “I missed you sooo much!” Susan squeals happily, high-pitched.
“And I missed you,” says Maya and steps back from Susan. “And you’ve… my oh my… you’ve changed.”
Susan, who has always been withdrawn, has swapped her otherwise telltale nerdy clothes for a cheeky shirt, a blue, riskily short skirt and knee-length black socks. Her eyes are highlighted with make-up and her lipstick glitters in the sun while her hair falls down her back in a ponytail. “You’ve really changed.”
“For real,” Susan giggles happily and hugs Susan again, who is still a little in shock. She doesn’t know Susan like this at all, but the girl, who is a few years younger than her, seems happy and so Maya is happy for her. “Sooo much happened during the holidays and I have to tell you everything!” Maya watches in amazement as Susan pulls her into the building, very confident and attracting attention. Maya spent the semester break studying for university, continuing her education and gaining experience that will help her in her future job. Susan, on the other hand, seems to have undergone a transformation and it is as if a stranger is standing in front of Maya.
“It’s nice to see that you’ve developed so well,” she finally says as the two students go to their first lecture.
“Oh, you won’t guess what happened to me during the holidays,” grins Susan as she sits down next to Maya in an empty row of seats. While the Asian student unpacks her things for class, her red-haired friend shows no interest in the teacher. “I have a boyfriend now!” explains the girl who usually follows the class so dutifully. Maya’s eyes widen.
“For real?” And Susan nods eagerly, her teeth bared and an eager grin on her face.
“Yes! It’s so beautiful. He’s so incredible!” she tells her friend as the lecture begins. Maya’s attention is torn. On the one hand, she is happy for her friend. If anyone deserves a nice boyfriend, it’s the shy, reserved, polite and quiet Susan. On the other hand, Maya also wants to follow the class, just like her otherwise hard-working friend does. But Susan decides this question for both girls. “He’s just perfect!” she continues to rave without paying any attention to her surroundings. “He’s big and strong and powerful.” Now Susan sounds like her old self again as she describes her knight in shining armor. But her description has changed. “He’s so confident and takes what he wants. It’s so exhilarating to watch him conquer life and shape the world the way he wants it.”
“Yes? Susan, that sounds…” Maya doesn’t know what to say, she has a bad feeling in her stomach. But Susan doesn’t feel the same.
“And he knows so much! He’s really smart. I feel safe and secure with him. It’s fantastic!”
“Okay… cool…” At least Susan has good feelings about the man who gets an unusual description from her. Up until now, Susan’s ideas have always been extremely romantic. The girl reads a lot and raves about the typical men in her fantasy books.
“And his muscles!” Her red hair falls over her hands as she hides her face and giggles wildly. Then she looks intently at Maya. “He’s so muscular and masculine! Maya, you just have to see that! He looks so fantastic!”
“And does he have a good character?” The question comes out harder than Maya actually intended. “Susan, I’m happy for you, but don’t you think you’re only talking about his appearance? Does his character match yours?” In fact, the lecture is forgotten while Maya tries to find out what Susan sees in her mysterious lover.
“Oh, of course,” the girl nods eagerly. “We met at the beginning of the holidays and at first I didn’t like him at all.”
“Figures,” the Asian student murmurs, but Susan doesn’t listen to her.
“But then I saw what kind of person he really is, inside. And he also sees me as I really am.” Maya has to swallow. Susan now sounds really in love. “He brings out the best in me, more than I could have ever dreamed. And he knows me so well! He knows exactly what I need and he gives it to me better than anyone else!”
“Okay,” Maya nods and looks meaningfully at the teacher to give Susan a silent request. “I’m really happy for you. Then let’s cencentrate…”
“And he fucks me sooo gooood!”
“Susan!” Maya bursts out and presses her hand to her mouth. But her friend’s panicked expression only makes Susan giggle, a sound that Maya perceives as childish and naive. But luckily Susan leaves it at that one slip-up and Maya can finally concentrate on the lesson.
Everything goes well for several minutes, then Maya notices movement out of the corner of her eye. She glances over and sees Susan on her cell phone.
“Stop that,” she demands.
“But he wants to chat with me,” says Susan without looking up from her cell phone. She sounds transfixed and her eyes are completely fixed on the screen while her mouth stretches into a loving grin. Maya quickly sees that Susan is head over heels in love and she will definitely have to talk to her friend. During the break, not now. The lesson is important and Maya can understand that the innocent, shy girl is overwhelmed with a sudden boyfriend. She makes notes that Susan can copy during the break, didn’t she even unpack her own things and…
“Susan?” Maya glances over again but Susan doesn’t answer.
Maya’s eyes widen.
Susan sits on her chair, her face turned downwards. Her legs are slightly spread and with one hand she is holding up her much too short skirt while her other hand is holding her cell phone…
Maya looks straight ahead again and clenches her jaw so tightly that it hurts. What’s happening here? But Maya knows. Her friend is taking a photo of the area between her legs. The world around her starts to spin faster while Maya gets dizzy.
The rest of the lesson passes without Maya or Susan hearing a single word from the professor.
Writing Shark 