Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 3 - 2017 | Page 493

Months passed, her being malevolent, me being dismal.
One day Ah Pa pronounced. “Well, this year of 1943 sure has
gone quickly. Since there will be a big festival on New Year's Day, why don’t we go and celebrate at the night market. We can sing,
we can pray, we can eat, we can be joyous!” S ince I needed something to cheer me up after all of the drama that happened over the
past few months, I readily agreed.
As appropriate for the New Year, we all put on our best outfits. Ah Ma rewarded me with
something I had never owned before: my own Cheongsam. The tight fitted dress came just below the knees with short short sleeves,
a high neck and decorated with vivid, jaunty, complex patterns.
We were all giddy with excitement when we strolled through the night market lanes. The smell of sizzling dishes
swamped by senses as we lined up to get some Cheung Fen with dark thick Soy sauce, Prawns, Curry and Broccoli fried with garlic,
my favourite. I found a bench to perch on. I turned to look for my family and found that Liu Yang was right behind me.
She sighed. “I really want to get this over with. I am so sorry about my actions. Zhao Zhao and Zhang Yin mimicked
yesterday some of out interactions, and … well, I realize how mean I was towards you. I confronted them today, and left their group,
and now I am here, here to apologize.” Liu Yang glanced at me shyly, fidgeting with her long braid of hair.
alone in that crowded, swirling marketplace.
I looked at her, all
“Of course, I forgive you with no hesitations.” We embraced and at that moment
I felt that together, we could accomplish anything.
Ah Ma and Ah Pa soon came back with the food. They gave me and Liu Yang half of it and told us to run off and play. We
sprinted toward the bridge and played hop scotch there, looking out over the glittering Bund snaking along the waterfront.
The
moon glowed down on us, the stars winked. I could tell that this friendship was our destiny. The threads of our bond joined only
a few months ago had loosened, but I knew in my heart that they will never fully detach ever again.
“True Friends are never apart, maybe in distance but never in heart.”
~The End~