Nine-year-old Stacey Tannell looked over at her best friend and let out a giggle.

“I can’t believe that you did that.” She exclaimed. “That was the best.”

Daniel Stevens just shook his head at her.

“Yeah, well I had to do something to prove that I wasn’t a sissy. You made me do what I did.”

“You didn’t have to jump off of the jungle-jim to prove your ‘manliness’.” Stacey said between giggles. “It was so funny.” Her giggles turned into hilarious laughter.

“At least I didn’t cry.” Daniel almost pouted in response. He then got up from where he had been sitting in the grass and jumped on Stacey. “Say you’re sorry for laughing.”

Stacey just kept on laughing. Daniel’s stern expression didn’t help.

“You know it was funny.” Stacey gasped out. She poked Daniel in the stomach.

“Yeah, I guess it was kinda funny. Who jumps off of a thing like that to prove their ‘manliness’?” He started to giggle.

Soon, they were both rolling in the grass, clutching their sides.

As the laughter died down, Stacey looked over at Daniel. “I’m sorry for laughing.”

“It’s okay,” he replied.

And they both knew that he was right. Ever since kindergarten, when they had been in the same playgroup, they had been friends. Now in fourth grade, they were even closer. They shared every secret, every memory. (Their parents, of course, were looking ahead to the day when they would exchange vows. Both Stacey and Daniel were grossed out by that thought.)

“Hey Daniel?” Stacey asked as she looked at the clouds hovering overhead.

A grunt was her reply.

“We’re friends, right?”

“Duh!” was his answer.

“Do you think we’ll be friends for a long time?”

“No.”

“What?!?”

“I think we’ll be best friends for a long time.” Daniel said glancing at the girl beside him. And then he pointed skyward, “Doesn’t that cloud look like a pig with horns?”

To any other kid playing in the park on that sunny afternoon, Stacey and Daniel would look like two friends identifying the objects portrayed in the sky. But to the two of them lying in the grass, they were the best of friends, ready to travel the highway of life together, side by side.

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A/N> I know that this kind of beginning is common. But bear with me; it’s not the same in later chapters.

Please tell me what you think about it. I can always use help in my writing,

Stay tuned for more.