Lost in my thoughts, I looked up when I heard my name. I saw Jerry walking towards me, and with him there was a girl--oh, no....

It was Harmony.

I wanted to run. Or dig a hole and bury myself in there. There was no way I was going to face her. Especially not in front of Jerry.

Jerry. He couldn't stop talking about her. How amazing she was, how nice she was. Really, I didn't care. He just met her. He didn't know her. Or her family.

I did.

But Jerry liked her too much, and I really couldn't do that to the person who had always been there for me, the person I could always depend on. How could I do this to my best friend?

But when Jerry spoke, all these thoughts vanished and I gritted my teeth.

"Liam, Harmony. Look, I'm friends with you both, and you're both very nice people," Jerry began.

Sure, I thought.

He continued, "I don't know why you guys don't like each other, but really, I think we should all be friends."

What in the world was happening? My best friend...wanted ME...to be...FRIENDS...with my worst enemy? The girl who ruined my life, the girl who caused my mother's death. No. No way. I was ready to dart out of this amusement park and run far far away.

Oh. But Jerry knew me all too well. "Liam, you don't understand right now. But you're making a mistake!"

"No," I said. "Good bye."

"Hey!" Jerry said. "What are you waiting for? What do you want?"

I turned around. "What?"

Jerry sighed. "We're best friends--now what? Do you expect me to be here for you for the rest of your life? Who will you depend on when I'm unable to?"

I rolled my eyes. "Such philosophical words. Out of everyone in the world I can be friends with, you choose to force me to befriend...her."

"I don't understand!" Jerry said. "I really don't!!"

"I can't explain," I said, "It's impossible."

I stared at Harmony. Her facial expression betrayed the same emotion I was feeling.

It might as well be the only thing we had in common (besides Jerry and Alvin High) but

We'd both kept our pain a secret for so long...

Maybe too long.

Was now really the time to share it? Not only with Jerry--but with each other?

No, I pledged silently, never.

It's impossible.