Our Friendship After the Team Split

When the local volleyball team divided into two groups, best friends Kim and Laura ended up on different sides. At first, they joked about becoming enemies. Then their first match against each other approached, and the jokes began to feel less comfortable than either expected.

Kim stopped describing her training sessions because she did not want to reveal plans. Laura understood, but she missed their ordinary conversations. On Wednesday, they met for noodles and spent several minutes discussing only the weather. Their friendship suddenly seemed to have lost its usual language completely.

Laura finally put down her chopsticks and suggested a rule. They could avoid discussing team plans, but they did not need to avoid everything connected with their lives. Kim laughed with relief. She wanted to complain about her wet shoes, not share a secret strategy. Laura had a similar story about a broken sports bag.

During Saturday's match, both played seriously. Laura's team won, and Kim needed a few minutes alone afterwards. Laura waited outside rather than following her. When Kim appeared, they walked to the bus stop together. Kim said she was disappointed about losing and happy that Laura had played well. Both feelings could fit into the same conversation, even if she was not ready to joke about the score yet.