I was standing in the forest up the hill of my house with a rough stick in my hand, facing my best friend Sophia who was wielding hers. It was a crisp, cool autumn afternoon when my friends June, Antonio, Sam, Sophia and I were up in the woods practicing our "swordfighting skills". The air smelled of fresh rain although it hadn't rained for days, I remember thinking this was because the trees would save rainwater from previous storms to drink whenever they were thirsty again.
The sun was peeking through the gray clouds just enough to warm our faces and our hands, but not enough to keep the chill air outside our warm coats we were saving for a harsh winter day. It showed in my eyes through the trees as I raised my stick sword, temporarily distracting my vision from what I thought was surely going to be a gallant battle. Jumping around and attempting to stab at each other, we began to duel while circling around and retracing the others steps. Trying to be aware of my surroundings, I turned to my right to view the biker graveyard with the knife shining that stuck out of the ground shining in the afternoon sun. To my left, there stood the opening from the forest onto the street below us down the hill.
In the game we were playing, we were supposedly training one another to sword fight; Sophia and I paired up while Sam, June, and Antonio were out taking advantage of the weather and exploring. I wondered as I fought whether or not they were going to try to explore what we called "The Jungle" neck of the woods. We had been trying for days in a row to break past the barrier of thorns as we usually could easily do, but the thorn bush had proved to be too tough and painful to break past without a fight.
As we continued to fight relentlessly, Sam joined us and decided to try and mentor us in what he felt was "proper swordfighting". He took over from Sophia and trained me first while she watched and picked up the tactics, then traded off with me and took her swing at it. We continued to duel after he left, jabbing at each other playfully and smiling. I can't recall who won but I remember that neither of us could've cared, we were just so happy to be together.
One of the only things that hits me about this memory is how she left. She moved at the end of my fourth grade year, which tore apart the group we had. She told me she would tell me when she was ready to leave, but we had no form of contact besides knocking on each other's doors. I found out she left when I knocked on her door again
Nothing about me is sour or hurt, she left me with some of my most amazing childhood memories. I remember feeling content but suspicious, light on my feet but heavy with my heart, up in the clouds elated but on the ground focused, cool but warm, excited but nervous of failure, but overall so extremely happy to be there in my home with my people. That's something I will never forget as long as I live.