She grimaced, sour faced, as she swallowed around a mouthful of lemonade. “I can’t understand how you drink this stuff Evie.” She said, swishing water in her mouth to clear the taste. Evie only laughed as she took a long drink, savoring the taste as she did. “It's so gross and bitter. It practically burns as you drink it!” Evie just giggled again.

“That's what makes it so good!” Evie replied with a smile, “The bitterness makes the sugar all the more sweet!”

Abby and Evie, Evie and Abby. Childhood friends, practically joined at the hip since they met, you never saw one without the other. They were like night and day. Abby had short, honey hair, and was tall, thin as a stick, and with a mind sharp as a tack. Evie had dark hair, braided to her back, small and sweet, with a million comebacks waiting on her lips. They complimented each other in a way that people never truly understood. Yin and yang, light and dark, defining the other, and never truly existing without. No one got it. Until… Until it was only one of them. All on her own.

“Evieeee” Abby drawled, “This is like the fifth time we’ve stopped by this stupid lemonade stand, can we move on already!” Evie gave her friend a look, before turning back to the stand and ordering a lemonade.

“Come on! You said it was my turn to pick today, and I chose the lemonade stand,” Evie huffed, “If you don’t like it you can leave.” She pouted, turning her head up at Abby, before collecting her order and turning to continue through the park. Abby followed, her voice tinged with humor.

“Fine you chipmunk” Abby giggled at the offended squawk Evie made, “ But can we at least stop somewhere that has something that I like next time?” and then at Evie's glare she added, “That also still has lemonade?” Evie nodded satisfied, taking a swig and smiling at the taste.

“I will consider it. Be grateful, peasant.”

“Is this payback for last we-”

“Up bup bup! That is not how we respond to our rulers now is it?”

“Of course your majesty.” Abby said in her very best court drawl, complete with the most over the top bow, full 90 degrees at the waist and everything. This, along with the exceedingly exasperated looks they were getting from the people around them, finally got the two to break from the seriousness and begin laughing uncontrollably.

“No, no wait!” Evie gasped in between laughs, “You’re gonna make me choke!”

“WHY ARE YOU STILL DRINKING THE LEMONADE!” Abby wheezed,

“IT'S GOOD! SUE ME!” This set off another round of laughter, that made Evie well and truly start coughing after taking another sip of lemonade, eliciting more laughter from Abby as they finished their walk around the park.

Their good mood had lasted through most of the evening, for Abby at least. Evie got some… less enjoyable news.

“What do you mean, we’re not staying!” She yelled, red in the face.

“Exactly what we said,” her mother spat back, “We can’t stay here anymore! Your father got a job in California, and we’re moving in two weeks. This has already been decided months ago, and you didn’t listen.” Those last words were icy, a cutting edge to them that grew in force the more her mother continued. “This isn’t a choice for you. Start packing soon, the movers come in a week.” 

“But-!” 

“No.” Evie was stopped, whatever she was going to say lost, all conversation blocked by her mothers stony silence. “Go to your room.”

“But Mom!”

“Go!” And with the shouted order, her mother stalked off into the kitchen, not to make dinner, but to continue with the packing Evie had caught her doing when she got home.

‘This isn’t fair.’ The thought played on loop in Evie’s head. ‘This ISN’T FAIR’ a cacophony in her ears. ‘WHY DID THIS HAVE TO HAPPEN’ Evie found herself in her room, tears rolling down her face. But no one would wipe them. No one would even see them not until she was gone. She wouldn’t cry, not when she said goodbye. She could do that at least.

Abby had tried. She had tried so, so hard. But she couldn’t find Evie. Evie had stopped answering texts, didn’t respond to calls to mobile or home phones, didn’t answer the door, couldn’t be seen through the window. Couldn’t be found. Abby had tried everything she knew. Nothing worked. Then Evie found her.

Abby had been walking through the park, dejected, stumbling home from another attempt to get someone, anyone, to answer the door, when she thought she heard her name. Whipping around, hope in her heart, Abby saw her. “EVIE!” She yelled, sprinting toward her friend, and tackling her in a hug, the awkward position long since made familiar by repetition, and felt the tears that she had been trying so hard to hold back finally slip free.

“I thought you had left me.” a confession barely above a whisper.

“I’m sorry.” Evie murmured, “I can’t stay either.”

“What?”

“I'm moving. Tomorrow.”

“But that's so soon! You couldn’t have…”

A defeated look crossed Evie's face before being replaced by something gentle, something she felt for her friend. “I know. But, hey!” Evie lifted herself off the ground, pulling Abby with her, “We’re right by that lemonade stand! They should still be open, so let’s go!” Abby gave a shaky grin, wiping the tears from her reddened eyes.

“Y-yeah. Ok.” And Evie pulled Abby to one last day. To one last goodbye.

It’s been a while since Abby had been here. A small stand in the park that sold Evie’s favorite lemonade. Evie was gone, and Abby felt her absence like an aching limb. She didn’t go out as much, and she had avoided the park like the plague. But today, on the year anniversary of her leaving, the day of that last night, she had come back. Abby walked slowly, lost in her reverie, and her feet led her to the stand. And on a whim she ordered what they always had together, one lemonade. She took a sip, and felt the tears that had long since dried begin again. ‘Ah,’ She thought, as tears slipped from her eyes, ‘It’s sweet.’