I walked into the doors of my old school; the same school that I had been going to for all my life. It was our school reunion. It had only been 3 years since I had graduated and I was turning 21. We (me and my classmates) all had each other as friends on Facebook, but not once did we bother to ask what the other was up to. We were not friends anymore, just different people with a past. We all came at the right time; I believe, just as me, my classmates were interested to see how the others' lives had turned. Maybe we came to compare our life's to others, maybe just to say "I told you so", or simply to see how the others' lives were. Some of us had a past of 14 years, and some less but all of us had a past; a past that we had forgotten. Or at least I had been cut from their past. I was no better than them though, I had done the same; I had never once bothered to check on my old friends, my close friends, or anyone. Time passed by and I went along with it, never once to look back. But today I was kind of surprised to see all my old classmates here. I had suspected none would come.
It was just another day for me, but looking at my old classmates, I melted. They had changed. Gone were the innocent smiles, the fist bumps and the familiar looks. They seemed so different. I couldn't help but regret the fact that I hadn't talked to a single one of them. They seemed older; not kids anymore, not the careless teenagers they once were. 'Maybe I shouldn't judge them by their looks' I thought. But a person's image tells you a lot about them, and they looked different. But then again, never judge a book by its cover. I thought back and looked at myself. How different I used to be.
I looked at my classmates and we began warming up to each other. It had been about 15 minutes and all we had done was give the people we disliked looks and give our old friends awkward hugs. 'What's happened to them?' I thought as I looked at everyone. 'I don't even know these people anymore'. I was disappointed in them, greatly. It had been three years, and it seemed like a lifetime away, yet we still held to our ancient disagreements, and our year old grudges. How strange people can be... holding childish arguments for the rest of our lives. Who knew... what if we never met each other again? Would we still use our childish agreements and not attend the other's funerals? Even though I was greatly disappointed in them, I was even more disappointed in myself. I had known these people for so long. How had I just walked away from them, and out of their lives? What if they had ever needed me?
Thirty minutes had passed and we had just begun warming up to each other. People were asking each other what they were up to. I myself began to talk. Memories came flooding back to my mind. And I began to wish I had spent more time with them in school, and kept in touch with them all these years. They were all talking by now. We were laughing and joking around like we had when we were teenagers. It hit me hard; how much I missed them. They had changed; some were quieter, some louder; some seemed insecure and uncomfortable, while others burst with self esteem.
A sudden thought struck me. I looked at all my old classmates repeatedly a few times, and I realized it. I couldn't look into the eyes of some. Old friends looked at me, and their eyes were asking me questions. I was talking to them, and laughing, but I could not look a single one in the eye. My brain was yelling at me, my mind astray. My thoughts hit like torpedoes directed to my heart. My religion was questioning me. Why hadn't I kept in touch? What if they had needed me?
Fourteen years of school together, and it turned to nothing; four years of friendship blown down by the wind. People were smiling and joking around like they still met every day. To the point where I just had to ask. "When was the last time any of us met? When was the last time you met a person from this school?"
They looked down for a second and then began making all kinds of excuses, just as I thought they would. Soon the conversation turned around and we were back to our lighthearted moods. I forget the question I had ever asked and soon enough it was time to leave. Many of us said we were busy and had places to go; gone were the days where we just children and had nothing to do. Just about everyone said that they had to get their work ready for college for the following day. I was one of the last ones to leave.
As I stepped into my car, I was happy. It had been a good day, and people had changed. But the truth is people always change, I told myself. I just wish they all had changed for the better and not for the worse. These classmates were like siblings to me, and I couldn't bear knowing that one was ruining his or her life. Given that we may not have been best friends years ago, but that doesn't mean you stop caring. I was busy lecturing myself, when I suddenly realized that no one had said anything about meeting up again.
The thought that hit me harder is that they didn't really care. They didn't want to keep in touch. They had moved on, just like me. They all had different lives and had no time for old friends. A harsh reality of life it may be, but everyone moves on. Sometimes you have to move on and leave the past behind to change for the better. These people had moved on and didn't want to look back. You can't stay stuck in the past. And sometimes you can't always care. Distance and time force you to overcome things and that's what we had all done. It didn't have to be done. It wasn't written in stone. We could have lived our lives and stayed in touch, but it was easier to leave old friends in old times and forget about them. Why? Because it was easier to change when old friends weren't there to smack the past in your face. We didn't care about each other, we simply cared about ourselves. I was disgusted, but I couldn't alter things.
And just as I had concluded, that's how things went. For a few weeks after our reunion, we all hit each other up and talked. But after about a month, things were as they had been. Everyone forgot about each other and went to live their lives. I couldn't help but see the loss, a great loss. A forgotten past, forgotten memories, forgotten time; we had lost a part of us. A fourteen year past for some, and for others less, but I couldn't help but think how loose relationships and friendships are. Real friends, friends forever, best friends... how many lies? Now how many people would look at a situation like this and blame distance or time? But is it really distance or time? How do REAL friends forget each other?
My brain was yelling at me, my mind astray. My thoughts hit like torpedoes directed to my heart. My religion was questioning me. Why hadn't I kept in touch? What if they had needed me?
I like what you say here, but the wording could be better, I see room for improvement in this section. I see that you are making a major point, so be as descriptive as you can.
A forgotten past, forgotten memories, forgotten time; we had lost a part of us.
I think that at the end of your paper, you get off-track, and sound quite negative... if you can try to be more positive then it would make your paper sound better, I think that a good, main point for your final paragraph is that basically friends come and go throughout your life, it is not a bad thing and is not usually anyone's fault. I think that as people age and grow, their friends will change too, because a person will usually keep friends that suit them, support them, and share the same interests. Sometimes, people just move away or lose touch and their is no real reason. You don't need to speak of people being fake, selfish or liars- these things do make you sound judgmental. So, in your best interest, I'd put a more positive spin on this story. Good job so far :)
