Member-only story
The First Friend I Lost
When I was a child, I had a friend named Bilal. He was the first real friend I ever made.
We were in the same class at school. Every morning, we waited for each other at the gate. He would always share his lunch with me, even if it was just one piece of bread.
Bilal was funny. He could make me laugh even when I was sad. Sometimes, we got in trouble together for talking too much during lessons. But we never blamed each other.
One day, Bilal did not come to school. I thought maybe he was sick. The next day, he was still not there. A week passed, and his seat stayed empty.
I asked the teacher where he was. She looked at me quietly and said, “Bilal’s family had to leave the city.”
I felt like a hole opened inside my chest. He did not even get to say goodbye.
After that, every time I walked to school, I looked around, hoping to see him running toward me with his smile. But he never came.
It was the first time I understood that people you love can leave without warning.
Years later, I still remember Bilal’s voice and his laughter. I still remember the games we played.
He was the first friend I lost. But he also taught me that true friends never really disappear. They stay alive in your memories and your heart.
