Chapter Text
It was a spring Friday afternoon. The band Running in the 60’s, consisting of Cleo, Coco, Yfke, and Zoey, was rehearsing for their end-of-year concert. After spending a few hours fine-tuning their songs, the band leader, Cleo, announced with satisfaction that rehearsal was over.
The girls left the high school music room they had been borrowing and headed for the exit. It was time to enjoy the weekend.
The four friends said goodbye to each other, wishing each other a great two days of rest. Cleo took her bike out from where it had been locked, and Yfke sat behind her. They were going home together.
Zoey, on the other hand, was preparing to leave in the opposite direction. Just as she was about to head off, a voice called out to her :
"Zoey? Would you like to ride home together?"
It was Coco, offering to spend time with Zoey, as usual, radiant and cheerful. Even though it meant taking a detour on her way home, she didn’t mind; she just wanted to hang out with her friend.
The young teenager happily accepted. She liked Coco, just as she liked Cleo and Yfke. She felt comfortable in this group of four, even though she was the quietest of them all. Zoey was an introverted person, but she had learned to accept her nature. She didn’t speak much, but when she did, it was always to say something meaningful. And, after all, something felt missing if she weren’t part of the group.
Coco and Zoey rode together toward Zoey’s house. After a few hundred meters, Coco asked her:
"I haven’t had much time to talk to you lately... but I wanted to know if everything’s okay with you."
Zoey, surprised by her friend’s question, replied:
"Yeah, I’m fine. But I think I should be asking you. It’s been over a month since you’ve been going through a rough patch."
"True, I’ve been through some tough times... but I’m starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I see Maya on weekends, and I feel like I’m seeing progress in her. Last time, I found her more energetic and happier... and apparently, she made a friend there."
Zoey gave a small, shy smile at the reassuring news from her friend, before returning to her neutral, slightly sad expression. She spoke again:
"I’m happy for her... especially if she managed to make a friend..."
A brief silence followed, then Zoey continued:
"Coco... I think I need to tell you this. Sometimes, I think back to the day when Maya tried to join our group, but didn’t succeed. And especially to the moment when she reached out to me. I rejected her, not because I didn’t like her, but because I realized that, in the end, we had nothing in common and nothing to share, despite both of us being reserved. Maybe if I had taken her hand... things might have gone differently."
Coco was surprised by her friend’s confession, but she had expected it. She wanted to understand Zoey’s mindset after her sister’s suicide attempt. After all, the whole class had been shocked by the news. But Coco suspected that the tragedy had affected her close friends the most, who had to deal with her sadness and confusion.
Coco reassured her:
"You know, you don’t have to feel guilty. You can’t get along with everyone. It didn’t work with Maya, and you had your reasons. It’s not a problem. But for me, deep down, I was proud that Maya took the first step toward you. I really hoped she could open up to someone else. It wasn’t that rejection that made her depressed, but a series of events she went through in her life. And now... she’s rebuilding herself. I hope that one day, we can put the pieces together and be united."
Zoey concluded:
"That’s all I wish for you... to be happy together."
Zoey arrived in front of her house a few seconds later. She thanked Coco for listening to her. Coco, in turn, thanked her for letting her speak before they said their goodbyes.
Books were waiting for her in her room; her weekend would be productive. Yet, once inside, she thought again about Maya, then about Coco...
She had an idea, took out her notebook where she wrote all kinds of texts. Zoey decided to compose a song about the reconstruction of her classmate, which she hoped to present to Running in the 60’s with Coco’s permission.