Friends forever?

We met in secondary school and were best friends ever since. The five of us. We do everything together. During holidays, we will plan trips together. To go for vacation, go for a movie, hang around in each other's house, eating pizza... Yes, even in the holidays we wish to see each other and spend time together, as if seeing each other everyday during school time is not enough. We share every laughter, every tear, everything... We play sports together in this sports complex. Basketball, badminton... We are a team. We are one... This will last a lifetime! We will be friends forever. Nothing will ever change this... Ever! Right?

It is time for us to further our studies. Two of us have left to study overseas. But they will come back during holidays. We still meet occasionally in this sports complex. Playing sports with all our hearts. Feeling the joy we had when we were younger. It is still the same, except for what we talk about. We tend to talk more about our future now, not the usual fun talk about just everything in the world. Now, we tend to be a bit more serious. We talk about new friends, new environment, plans for the future... What to do? We are growing up, are we not? We cannot help it! But this will only change the way we think. It will not change our close friendship. We will still be friends forever... Right?

I am standing here in the same sports complex. I have lost contact with my friends. They have all gone to set up their career and family, just like me. This sports complex is empty now. It is wearing down now. And I, I am to demolish this building to make way for an office. I look around this place while memories are flashing back in my mind. We were happy here once. We were close to each other once. We were friends once. Yes, were...

Allowing all the fond memories to wrap around me, I start to wonder. When did this all happen? When did we last meet each other? When did we last feel the strong bond between us? When? Time do change a lot of things. We have to move on. I have to move on...

*Boom* There goes the old sports complex, along with my joy, my innocence, my friends...

I am resting on my sofa, watching my child playing innocently with his friends. I walk towards them and pat my son on the head. I want to ask them to treasure their friendship. They say they will and they will be friends forever. But in my heart, I realize the sad truth. One day, they will end up just like me...

That is what time will do to us...