Neighbor's Envy~

Fiction:

Since my best friend shifted to our building complex, I hated her. In school we were inseparable but now after twenty years, she seemed like another person altogether. To make matter worse, she looked ten years my junior. And a few times that our path crossed, in lift or at the car park, she seemed more polite and less friendly.

My jealousy doubled, when my husband informed me that the membership of the in-complex Gym had grown, all because of her. He looked animated.

‘She definitely needs to gym, she is fat’ I said as I gulped my green tea.

 ‘No, she is just well endowed. And at her height, a little meat is desirable’. My husband gave me a quick reason to kill him.

‘Oh…?’

‘Also, strange men come to her at odd hours. That makes her a popular topic’. He was definitely on a trip.

 ‘Did you have her followed?’ I was willing to faint on my chair to show him my shock reaction.

‘Ha! Ha! All the dirt is from the gym. Every little detail is lapped by everyone around. It is a circus out there’.

‘Really, you Jokers have nothing better to discuss’.

‘What could be better? They say at home, she walks around in her undergarments’. He did not know, when to stop.

‘Oh my God..!’

‘The bet is on, to find out her age’.

‘She is my age. She is my best friend from school’ I offered proudly.

‘Are you sure? I do not see you visiting her and she looks younger’. I finally had his undivided attention.   

Soon, I went over to her place.

‘Please come in. High time we old friends met’. She seemed genuinely happy to see me.

‘How are you? You live alone?’ I looked around still riding my high horse.

 ‘Well, my husband is in merchant navy. He is rarely home. I have twin daughters’.

‘That is nice. I have a son’.

‘One of my daughters is a thalassemia patient’. Her transformation in my eyes was instant.

‘I am so sorry to hear that’.

‘Do not worry, she is good’. I noticed, my friend had a fantastic body along with a gorgeous smile.

‘It is exhausting but I manage’. She said.

‘Good’

‘I joined the gym for I was getting tired often. Why do not you join too? You know, you are the only real friend I ever had’

Word count: 400