Deranged Marriage Read Online Free PDF Page A

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    I didn’t have an abundance of friends. I was the type of person who put all her eggs in one basket. I always thought that as long as I had one best friend, I wouldn’t need any more. I could be aloof with people who aren’t that important to me. When George left me, he left me a bit short on the friends front, but I barely replenished my supplies. I had Lisa and her boyfriend Max; Freddie, and even my boss Francesca, but that was about it. As for acquaintances, they can’t always be avoided, but they aren’t the same. As far as friends went, no one was the same as George.
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    When we had first met, George was my arch enemy. The reason for his status was that at the age of eleven he was going out with my best friend Samantha. Of course going out was probably the wrong way to describe it because they didn’t really go anywhere. They walked to school together (they lived in the same street), they held hands at lunchtime and they walked home together. It was a typical eleven-year-old’s relationship, and I was the typical jealous best friend. I would look at them covetously as they held hands, standing in the playground. I would trail behind them, scuffing my sensible school shoes, much to my mother’s annoyance. My relationship with George was one of mutual scowl throwing, and not much else. My friendship with Samantha changed beyond all recognition. I was no longer the most important person in her life; I had to share that honour, and in reality, I knew I’d been usurped.
    They lasted for a year, until Samantha informed me tearfully that her family were moving to Australia. I was distraught, George was distraught, Samantha was distraught. I believed that my life was over, I wouldn’t have the requisite best friend any more. George was heartbroken, he declared undying love and even asked his parents if Samantha could live with him. I asked my parents the same. But off she went to the other side of the world leaving two very upset twelve-year-olds who both believed that their lives were over.
    Before she left she had a farewell party. It was a disco in the village hall and nearly everyone from school was invited. Halfway through, I went outside to weep dramatically and found that George had already beaten me to it. Instead of scowling I sort of smiled at him, and through his tears he sort of smiled at me.
    That was it really. When Samantha left we united in our grief and became friends. We were inseparable. At first we talked about how much we missed Samantha, but after a while our conversation diverged a little, then a bit more, until Samantha was no longer the main focus. Our friendship flourished, and it lasted long after our contact with Samantha had tapered off. George became my new best friend and he also became the most important person in my life.
    We lasted in our roles of best friends until we were both twenty-four. It was an incredible friendship.
    The only disappointment was that we didn’t fall in love. Everyone expected it; people would have put money on it. They guessed that at some point after our hormones kicked in we would end up together. But we never so much as shared a kiss. I never wanted to kiss him and he never wanted to kiss me. In fact nothing could have been further from our minds.
    When we finished our A levels, we both decided to travel. We worked to make some money then we went away together for seven months. Even today I remember that time as one of the best of my life; it was magical. I was sharing the most wonderful experiences with the most wonderful person. One day, when we were in a Thai market, I remember looking at him. He was trying to barter for a fake Rolex, and he was so bad at bartering. The price was going up instead of down and I was trying not to laugh at him. I remember looking at him and thinking that this sensible boy, the serious boy that I had known for what felt like all my life was truly the best friend anyone could ask for. I couldn’t imagine life without