Ken's Good Friend

Love was never fated to be his. He knew that fact for sure when his adoptive parents revealed the secret of his birth. They found him at a dumpster and didn’t have the heart to leave him to die. So, they took him in and raised him. 

No wonder they had always been so cold, so indifferent towards him. They were never the good, loving parents for him, but they made sure he got shelter, food and education and he knew that there was nothing for him to complain about. He should be grateful that they took him in despite having to live in such a loveless home. He was fine with it.

Ken’s life was dull and boring and meaningless until the fated meeting with a new friend named Eric happened. The boy was just so stubborn that it made Ken felt intrigued to know more about him; to finally reach out to one soul after so long of being alone.

‘Why are you always so cold?’

The boy was the first one to continuously talk to him at that school. For nearly three years he attended that school, no one was ever so determined to speak to him because he always dismissed them with the meanest words he could utter. He had lived like a shadow and he was fine with it.

However, his peaceful days were gone as soon as Eric stepped into his life. Eric was one hell of a talkative person and ridiculously stubborn! That chap just wouldn’t accept NO as an answer. No matter how mean the words he threw at him, no matter how cold he rejected him, Eric would always harassed him with questions about things and sometimes irritated him more with his attempts to share jokes with him. He was confused with his persistence and didn’t know how to dismiss such a guy.

‘Ken, do you want to eat together?’

He glared at him. Eric just grinned like an idiot and repeated the question. After a few minutes of bickering and arguing, Ken finally sighed in defeat and agreed to have lunch with Eric. He smiled triumphantly and arrogantly as Ken followed his footsteps towards the football field.

Eric took out his homemade lunch and put it in front of Ken. It was spaghetti Bolognese and Ken could feel his mouth drooling over the delicious smell from the food. Eric smiled at his friend and shoved a fork to him that Ken accepted gratefully.

‘Don’t be so cold, man. Life’s too short to live like that.’

They were just sitting and watching some students playing football after they finished the food. Eric decided to talk to Ken and shared the words of wisdom that he’d learnt throughout his life.

‘You don’t know me. Why would you care?’

Eric smiled.

‘Because I believe everyone on earth is precious and they are special just the way they are. But, you... the way you behave, dismissing people, shutting yourself off from the world; it just doesn’t feel right. I want you to see that there’s more to life than what you could feel right now.’

‘You talk too much!’

Eric laughed. Irritation was evident on his new friend’s face and he was amused.

‘I know and YOU talk too little. You should open up, loosen yourself and live your life, dude. You never know when it’s going to end.’

Ken looked at Eric’s face. Something about his spoken words felt off and he felt some strange sensations stirred in his heart. However, he was quick to shake the feelings off as he gazed towards the horizon and the blue sky that he loved so much.

‘Let’s go. Lunch time’s over.’

Ken followed Eric to their classroom. His mind was still busy thinking about Eric’s words.