Savannah and Chloe

Savannah and Chloe

Have you ever watched a friendship fall apart? It’s an interesting thing to experience. What’s truly amazing is that there are obvious signs, but few people recognize them in time to stop it. This is what happened to me. This is the friendship that I watched slide through the cracks. This is my story.

Savannah and I had been friends since the second grade. We lived next door to each other. We were in the choir together. We walked home from school together. We were inseparable. We were often referred to as one person. We were no longer individuals. Like Mary-Kate and Ashley, we became Savannah and Chloe.

I remember those years well. Savannah would be outside with her sister, and without a second thought would run through our front door to grab something to eat or go to the bathroom. The same privileges were given to me. I would charge through her front door without a moment’s hesitation. This was just the way we lived our lives. It was expected of us. After all, we were Savannah and Chloe.

This plot continued through elementary school and into the summer before our sixth grade year. Our lives had been relatively simple until that time. School. Choir. Friendship. That was all we had to worry about. That is, until that fateful day when my mother told me that she had met someone. It had always been just her and me. So once Jack came into the picture, life took on a completely different aura. Not only did I acquire a new stepfather, but two stepsisters as well. This sudden multiplication of people created chaos. I began spending more time with my family, getting to know the newest members. Savannah quickly became friends with my step siblings. We all spent time together ...

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... since that night. She got married in April of 2004. I wasn't there. I couldn't bring myself to watch from the outside. Since the moment we met, we had based our relationship on all or nothing. I couldn't be just another face in the crowd.

I've heard that Savannah is living a happy life with Mark. They bought a house and are planning on starting a family. There have been times that I've wanted to call her, but I know our relationship would never be the same. She is a different person now and so am I. I've grown up. I've realized that relationships aren't always durable. I've learned that the people you love the most can hurt you the most. I’ve learned that sometimes you wake up and friendships are over. You are no longer a part of their life. You are now a part of their past. A fond memory. A distant thought. Whatever you call it, it is the past.