Best Friends and Maybes
“Alright, Tilda, enough with that cheesy stuff! We’re besties, remember? Hmph! Don’t forget we’re gonna be best friends for life! You better treasure this beautiful friendship! But I’m scared you’ll end up looking down on me… Tilda, you’re just too smart, too amazing, you’re even a world champion! Compared to you, I’m basically trash…”
The more Una talked, the more self-conscious she felt.
Even though she wasn’t lacking in brains or looks herself, next to someone like Tilda, a total freakin' genius, Una felt like a candle flickering next to the sun.
She didn’t stand a chance.
Sometimes she honestly wondered if being friends with someone like Tilda was way out of her league.
No matter how hard she tried to keep up, the truth was, the gap between them only grew wider with time.
Ugh! So frustrating!
“You dummy, I’m never gonna look down on you. You’re life. But… if I were gonna complain about something, well, it’s that you’re not a guy. If you were, we could just date already. No need to let someone else snatch you away,” Tilda said with a grin.
“Ughhh! Don’t say that! That’s like, a critical hit straight to the heart!”
Una was practically in tears.
She seriously resented the fact that her parents hadn’t given her the right parts when she was born.
If she had them, she would’ve been the perfect boyfriend for Tilda, and she wouldn’t have to sit back and watch her beloved bestie get stolen by some random guy.
Not even Jude was good enough!
The two of them joked around for a bit, the mood lightening up considerably.
That’s when Tilda casually brought it up, like it was no big deal, “So, when did you and Alfie get so close?”
“Hmm… I guess it just kinda happened? I mean, thanks to you, I’ve seen him around a bunch, right? He’s not a bad guy, I can tell. He kinda spoils me a bit, so I’ve been a little shameless, hehe. Tilda, do you think I act too bold around Alfie? Like I’m too thick-skinned or something?”
Una scratched the back of her head, looking sheepish.
“So… how do you feel about him?”
“Feel? I guess I feel pretty good about him.”
She gave Tilda a confused look. “Tilda, why are you asking me this all of a sudden?”
“No reason. Just curious.”
Truth was, Tilda was probably overthinking things.
Alfie and Una? If there was anything real there, it wouldn’t happen for a long time.
If they were meant to be, well, who knew? It wasn’t impossible.
Just like how no one ever expected her and Jude to hit it off, and yet here they were.
Still, as Una’s best friend, Tilda felt responsible for her happiness.
Una could be way too innocent sometimes; she thought in straight lines and didn’t always catch the warning signs.
And Tilda really didn’t want Alfie turning out to be some playboy who lost interest after three days and tossed Una aside like she didn’t matter.
If that happened? Tilda would not let him off the hook.
Knock knock-
“You guys ready? I’m about to show you the wonders of this place,” Alfie called out from outside.
“Alright, Tilda. Let’s go,” Una said.
“Mm-hmm,” Tilda nodded.
Since it was January, the path up the mountain had become pretty slippery.
So they all decided to take the cable car instead.
Inside the cable car, Una stared down at the landscape below, her mouth forming a perfect “O.”
“I’ve been to a lot of places, but this scenery… it’s got this indescribable depth to it. It’s like walking through a gallery of nature’s finest paintings,” she said, wide-eyed.
Tilda spoke calmly. “Did the Woodward Group do some landscaping here?”
“Yeah. Turns out my dad knows this geomancy expert, he used to travel all over when he was young. Once he got rich in his forties, he got into the arts. We had him come assess this whole valley. The Woodward Group spent billions bidding on this area. It wasn’t just money thrown into a pit. These days, all the rich folks believe in God and in geometry. Combine that with the natural beauty of the place, and it’s no wonder this became the top resort in all of Slosa.”
“It really is impressive,” Tilda admitted.
The cable car arrived at the summit.
As soon as they got off, Alfie led the way up a winding trail.
“Whoa! Tilda, look!”
Una suddenly lit up, pointing like she’d discovered a hidden treasure.
Tilda followed her gaze and saw it too. A frozen waterfall, mid-cascade, like the head of a wild beast frozen mid-roar, was suspended halfway down the mountain.
Below it, mist pooled like smoke over a white abyss, impossible to see through.
It looked exactly like what ancient poets once described–the Milky Way falling from the heavens.
From the peak, the view stretched out in all directions, revealing the layered beauty of the surrounding valleys. The crisp air and endless horizon filled them with a powerful energy, as if it were flowing through their veins with every heartbeat.
Alfie continued guiding them through more hidden spots across the mountain.
They didn’t head back until the sun dipped low and bathed everything in golden light.
Una was practically glowing with excitement.
“Alfie, I gotta hand it to you, you actually followed through on your promise. This resort is something else. No wonder it made the top travel list for Slosa! No surprise it’s booked out all the time.”
“As long as you liked it,” Alfie said with a small smile.
He was dressed casually in a down jacket and a knit beanie, looking more relaxed and effortlessly charming than ever.