Regine left the group “4ever friends”.
You’re no longer a participant in this group.
Growing up, everyone keeps changing their mind.
Regine is one of my classmates from form 2 to form 6. A pretty girl with black long hair, round shiny nut-brown eyes, tidily dressed in a pile blue uniform. It’s my first impression for Regine. She is nice and optimistic. She loves to laugh. I feel relax staying with her. We became good friends and we formed a group of four. Still remember that Yuki, Christie, Regine and I once went to the information day of the Hong Kong University and talked about our dreams. We had a nice day with knowing more about each other. I found that we always came up with similar ideas and decisions maybe because our thoughts and viewpoints were quite alike.
After the HKDSE, we graduated from our secondary school. Going to different schools did not affect our close relationship. Chit chat for at least 2 hours on phone, go karaoke and have meals together every 2 weeks. At that time, I thought nothing could change our friendship. They would always be my best friends. Our sons and daughters could be brothers and sisters and play together happily after ten to twenty years.
But things changed within a half year. We were year 2 that time. Originally, we had gathering which was confirmed two days before as usual. So in that morning, we were discussing where to go in our Whatsapp group.
‘What about go shopping in Prince Edward? What do you think, Regine?’, I asked for Regine’s opinion in purpose, as she did not even reply a single word although she read the messages.
‘Sorry girls, I cannot come tonight, as I have to finish my group project at school.’ Regine replied an hour before our gathering.
I was disappointed but still I understood school work was more important. We could simply come up with another gathering “very soon”. The gathering on that day was at last cancelled. While I was having dinner with my parents, I saw a post on Regine’s Instagram. She was hugging her new boyfriend and smiling happily in the photograph. She was not doing project at school as she claimed! Okay. Fine. Maybe she and her boyfriend had dinner together after her project. Maybe she posted picture took before. Or maybe she did her project with her boyfriend. I thought out a lot of excuses for her. I did not get angry with her as I believed we were important to her.
After that time, we all became busier, less time to spend with others. We met others every 2 – 3 months. Regine was also no-show for half of our gatherings. Every time she showed up, she was arguing with her boyfriend. I finally realized that her boyfriend was more important than us inside her heart. I felt disappointed. It was like a stranger took away my candy.
The friendship between us kept worsening. It was as weak and fragile as a cup made up of glass. And I was the one who broke this glass cup right after the last New Year holiday. We were thinking to hang out a few more times as we were all in holiday. More than a hundred double blue ticked messages, which means all participants in the group received and read the messages, were sent out and discussed about our gatherings. Regine kept silent. We had no idea what could we do. The vacation ended. A total of three gatherings happened. However, only three meal sets were ordered in all those three dates.
‘Wondering when will be our four-girl date?’ a message suddenly interrupted my time for homework. It’s from Regine.
‘Hey! Will you guys be free in the coming week? I feel so upset that Nick (her boyfriend) and I have just broken up!’ she continued.
‘Someone finally shows up!’ I replied with anger.
‘It is so sorry that our holiday comes to the end. Everyone is going back to our busy school life! No one is going to comfort you, Regine. It is because you did not respect us.’ I sent the message out together with a few emoji rolling its eyes.
Regine claimed she went mainland that she could not reply our messages. Being such angry at that time, I could not understand her reason and saw it as an excuse.
‘It doesn’t matter anymore, Regine. All of us know that we are such unimportant to you! You will only find us only when you are having conflict with your boyfriend…’ I replied in an impolite way. Yuki and Christie tried to say something to ease the atmosphere. However, for me, it’s hard to accept that my friend’s heart and her time were totally stolen by a boy. I placed my friends in the first few places in my heart, but why I could not be treated as the same.
Regine left the group “4ever friends”.
You’re no longer a participant in this group.
I left the group as well after Regine quitted the group. That day, our friendship broke. I tried to stick back those fragments of memory, but useless. Scars in our heart and in our friendship can never be recovered. Did I do it wrongly? I asked this question for more than a thousand times after that night. I feel sad that I have loss a good friend. Maybe years after, when I already have my own child playing alone in the playground, I will regret what I have typed that day. However, at least at this time, I know that Regine and I have changed our thought about friends. We have changed our minds. Our viewpoints may not be the same anymore.