The other day, I was busy wandering in my thoughts. At some point, I picked up my phone and scrolled through the gallery. I was going through my memories and suddenly I found a photo of us - a moment frozen in time. I looked at it for a while and my thoughts wandered again. What about her? Would we've met in another universe? Would we laugh at the same things, finish each other's sentences, and understand each other without a single word?
The room around me blurred as my mind wandered. What if there's a version of her out there, in another universe, where we're exactly as we are now? I picture her parallel self; it feels so familiar, like looking at her through a slightly different lens.
Maybe in another universe, we are friends too. We’re still the same, just like we’ve always been, laughing over the same silly things and sharing the same understanding without needing words. Maybe there too she doesn't see my messages either. It’s as if nothing ever changed, and everything stayed just as it is now, strong and easy, no matter the world around us. Perhaps both of us moved into the purple apartment that we wanted like Monica and Rachel, we became each other's bridesmaids and we grew old together, just like we promised. Maybe we did everything we always dreamed about.
The thought drifts in, and suddenly, I can see her. Sitting by the window, she was there, completely focused on the Rubik’s cube in her hands. Her fingers moved quickly, turning the pieces like she was in her own little world. Her face looked so serious, her eyebrows drawn together, just like she always did when solving one. It was the same funny expression that had made me laugh so many times before. I used to tease her about it, and yet here she was, doing the exact same thing in this universe. I smiled softly, watching her. Some things never change. It was like no matter the universe, there would always be something about her that stayed the same.
I stepped closer, and she looked up from her Rubik's cube, her fingers still twisting the colors into place.
''Took you long enough to say hi,'' she said, a small grin forming.
''You looked pretty serious there,'' I said, sitting across from her and nodding at the cube. ''Didn't want to disturb your groundbreaking Rubik's cube strategies.''
She snorted. ''Groundbreaking? I've been stuck on this one side for five minutes. If this is genius, I'm in trouble.''
''Some things never change,'' I teased. ''You still make that weirdly intense face when you're solving those things.''
''At least now you don't scold me for not replying to your messages,
lol.''
I looked around, letting it all sink in. ''It's exactly what we always talked about. It even looks like Monica's apartment. And the Harry Potter stuff? That shelf is giving Hogwarts Library vibes.''
She laughed, the sound so familiar it tugged at my heart. ''Well, we promised ourselves we'd live like this one day. And look at us - twelve years of friendship and still going strong.''
''Twelve years,'' I echoed, shaking my head with a smile. ''Who knew we'd actually make it this far? In this universe, we really pulled it off.''
She nudged me playfully. ''In this universe? What's going on in the other one?''
I sighed, the thought hitting a bit too close. ''There, she doesn't like herself much. She's always thinking about how things should've been different. Always so disappointed in herself.''
Her face softened, her teasing tone gone. ''I used to be like that too, you know. But we can't change the past. And honestly, the things we think went 'wrong' often lead to the best parts of our lives. Tell her that. Tell her to trust herself a little more.''
I smiled faintly. ''She'd probably roll her eyes and say, 'Easy for you to say.' ''
''And I’d tell her, 'Hey, I’m not perfect either.' But look around - this apartment, this life? It’s not about being perfect. It’s about living in the moment. Enjoying what you have.''
''She worries too much,'' I admitted.
Her gaze met mine, steady and kind. ''Then remind her she's not alone. She's got you. And one day, she'll realize she’s been enough all along.''
I leaned back on the couch, the cozy apartment glowing around us. ''We always said we'd live together. Be each other's bridesmaids. Grow old together.''
''And we will,'' she said firmly, a spark of humor returning to her voice. ''Both here and there. We're too stubborn not to.''
Kiko’s meow broke through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present. I looked up and found myself staring at the soft glow of my laptop screen once again. I just sat there for a second, smiling to myself at the thought of it all. Even though we noticed each other on the very first day, we didn’t talk right away. It wasn’t until the 13th of January, during a random seat shuffle, that we finally spoke. Maybe that’s how it works with the most special people in your life - you don't meet them all at once. It happens at the right moment, just when it's meant to.
A buzz from my phone snapped me out of it. It was her. I couldn't help but laugh quietly. ''Bet you're making that cube face right now,'' I muttered, shaking my head. I leaned back in my chair, the thought of her still fresh in my mind.
Honestly, she's not just "people" to me—she's my person. With her, it's ride or die, no questions asked. Spending time with her feels like hanging out with a part of me. It is okay if she doesn't see how amazing she is in this world, but I do. I hope someday she'll see it, too.
