I'm just at my desk in my room reading letters from last year's exchange students. This had to have been the dullest summer of my life. All the exchange students have been back in their home countries since June. I haven't hung out with anyone other than mom, dad, Jimmy and Jimmy's few remaining high school friends since most of them including Jimmy himself are getting ready for college in a few weeks. For my birthday, me, mom, dad and Jimmy went out to a French restaurant downtown. Just us. I behaved like a total bitch my freshman year. I was so eager to be a part of the international club that O became a snob. My bitchy attitude over the year turned off Nicole and Ivy. I knocked on Ivy's door back in June and it ended with her calling me a snobby bitch and slamming this door in my face. I rang Nicole's doorbell also. I figured she wouldn't be as mad at me since she told about Andy attempting to Rape Melinda in the janitors closet at school. It ended with her saying that she was too busy with her summer sports and that I acted like someone she didn't know and that our friendship was over. I felt completely awful that I alienated two girls who I have known for almost ten years. But that was nothing compared to how awful I felt for how bitchy I was to one girl in particular.

Melinda Sordino. My ex-best friend.

Me(in flashback): Liar! I can't believe you! You're jealous! You're a twisted little freak and you're jealous that I'm popular and going to the prom and so you lie to me like this. And you sent me that note didn't you? You are so sick.

Those words ate me alive the whole summer. I regret saying them so much. Why didn't I believe her when she said the truth? I knew Andy never loved me and only wanted sex the night of the prom when he did what he did to me, but I found out that he was planning to use me as his sex slave that night only when I read the Newspaper about his trial

After he was convicted when Melinda pressed charges. When I saw that in the paper I literally had a fit and started yelling I HATE HIM I HATE HIM. I was proud of myself for having dumped that piece of shit at the prom and bragged about it in school. but to learn just how sick he is still made me mad. I didn't talk to Melinda for two weeks after the prom incident because I was embarrassed to talk to her so soon. But when Nicole called me, I wanted to talk to Melinda and say to her face how Sorry I was, how sorry I still am. I don't blame her for not having called me back, I don't blame her if she doesn't want anything to do with me, let alone;one be my friend again. I spent most of the summer writing letters to last year's exchange students and being at the pool, the lake and the mall by myself. I saw Melinda a few times at those places. She's hanging around with Ivy and some kids from the art club. I also saw her with Nicole and that nerdy boy David Petrakis. He's cute. She seemed to be having a good time though. The day after her birthday, I took a stroll past her house. She must have held a massive Birthday party, because I saw many pizza boxes in the garbage along with a big box that seemed to have been carrying a cake. I spent the night of her birthday writing letters. I honestly can't wait for school to start so I can meet the new exchange students and have friends again. That leaves me wondering though: How will Melinda react to seeing me in school in a few weeks? Will she punch me in the face? I'm too gorgeous to have fake teeth. Will she break my ribs? I hope not. I could get one of my asthma attacks and that could kill me. Will she try to embarass me? She wouldn't do that. Would she? I hear my doorbell ring. I get so startled, I shake my head and hands. Mom and Dad and Jimmy are visiting Syracuse university campus, since Jimmy will be going there in a few weeks so i am in the house alone. I open the door and see Melinda. She looks like the opposite of how she looked like all freshman year. Her lips aren't;t chewed up anymore, they are red-pinkish, the bags under her eyes have lightened, her long hair looks clean and she has a really nice tan.

Melinda: h-h-hey Rachel

Me: Hey

Melinda: Can I come in?

Me: Of Course, come on in.

She comes in, I close the door and we sit in the living room.

Melinda: So..How is everyone?

Me: Good, good, my parents and Jimmy went to Syracuse University since Jimmy will be starting there in a few weeks. They're all okay.

Melinda: So, Syracuse University. That's nice. He won't be too far from home.

Me: Yeah, he'll come home every day.

Melinda: good, good.. So how was your trip to France?

Me: It was great, we went to Paris, Versailles, Marseille, Bourdeaux and Strasbourg.

Melinda: That was a lot of ground to cover for two weeks.

Me: yeah, it was a lot of walking

Melinda: Sorry I didn't call you back.

Me:It's okay, at least you came.

Now my chance to tell her I'm Sorry.

Me: listen, Mel, about last year.

Melinda: Yeah?

Me: I just wanted to.. let you know…

As I'm saying this all the anger at myself and guilt that I have held inside for three months comes flooding.

Me (SHOUTING): THAT I'M SOOO SORRY

I collapse into tears and sobbing.

I look at Melinda through the river in my eyes and I notice her eyes filling with tears.

Me (continuing to bawl and sob): I'm so sorry for everything, teasing you at orientation, telling you i hated you, making you look stupid in algebra, ignoring you in the bathroom, refusing to have anything to do with you after the party when you were r-raped, bringing you to that party in the first place, not believing you about that creep, calling you a jealoud liar and a twisted little freak at the library when you told me the truth, causing that monster to try to hurt you again.

Melinda(in a sad and soft tone eyes blinking with tears in them): Rachel, don't blame yourself for what andy did to me at the party and the closet, you didn't mean for those things to happen and you didn't even know about the rape. Nobody did.

Me (continuing to cry and sob chokingly): All I know is that I've been a horrible bitch to you last year and bitchy to a lot of people. But especially to you, I've probably been the worst friend on earth. I don't blame you if you don't want to be my friend again. But I just wanted to let you know that I'm sorry, I'm really really sorry.

There I said it.

I continue to cry chokingly when I feel a pair of arms wrap around me.

Melinda is hugging me.

Me: Mel?

Melinda: Yes Rachel?

Me: Why are you hugging me?

Melinda: I forgive you.

Me (break away from her and say happily): what really?

Melinda: Yes, and I do want to be your friend again.

I feel so happy. I laugh and hug Melinda tight. She hugs me back.

Melinda: I missed you so much Rachel.

Me: I missed you too.

As we are hugging, mom, dad and Jimmy come home and they see us hugging.

Mom: I see you two are back to normal.

Me: Heck yeah mom, i owe this girl a year worth of love and friendship and right now we are heading to the mall.

We go to the mall together and afterwards, we stop by our houses to get our bathing suits to spend the afternoon at the lake together. She then stops by her house so we can have a two day sleepover. As we walk arm in arm to my house while the sun is setting, I feel happy to have Melinda Sordino back in my life. I'm so happy she's my friend again. Heck, we might even become best friends again, maybe best friends for a long time or maybe just a little while longer.

But for now, I'll just enjoy this moment.