When we got here to Falls Church VA, we didn’t know anyone. My mom had some contacts, but I didn’t know any of them, so my social life was very sad. One day, we went to the pool with some of our friends from Latvia, when I saw this family sitting across the pool from us. The mom was sitting on the bench talking with some other mom, and her oldest daughter was watching after her younger siblings. There were two young boys no older than seven and two younger sisters. The oldest looked around 10 or so. The youngest sister looked 7 or 8.
Somehow, we didn’t talk at all, that first meeting. Then, come to find out, she and her family were in our ward. The oldest daughter was named Zaya and she was in my young women class and my Sunday school. After that, we knew each other's names and faces. The next Monday, we went to the pool again and we saw them. Also again. After that day, we became friends.
Rhea and Leith were perfect friends for each other. They hung out a lot and played doing science kits, running around Oakwood, playing in their rooms, etc. Because Leith and Zaya were homeschooled, we didn't get to see them at school, but we looked forward to seeing them after school or on weekends.
Some of the things we did together included going to a Wednesday night pool get together with the other youth, game nights, more pool get togethers, and movie nights.
The game nights only happened twice I think? We liked watching movies more. What kind of kid doesn’t? The movie nights were awesome! At first, she invited me over to watch Pirates of the Caribbean. Then asked me to come over and help babysit the young ones. The next thing I knew she was asking to get together again. This time, I insisted it be at our house. So, that Friday night she came over and we watched a movie with pepperoni pizza.
After that, it was every Friday night. Either at her house or at mine. Mostly at mine, and my parents would get pizzas for us and Rhea and Leith, and Thomas and any friends he had over.
Then, we got the news that Zaya (and Leith) was leaving on December 6th. That was one of the saddest days of my life. I thought, “I need to get her something. She has been the most wonderful person I have ever met outside of my family.” So, I put that idea in the back of my mind. And I forgot about it. Then came the day for her to leave, and I still hadn’t done anything, and she came over. Zaya gave me her fish. His name is Jaws, short for Snatched From The Jaws Of Death. But Jaws is better. :)
The "Beehives" all got together after our ward Christmas party to surprise Zaya with a going away party.
In late January, we heard that Zaya and Leith were stopping back in Falls Church before they headed for Chile, so our moms arranged for us to get together for breakfast. After we arrived at their hotel, we talked, went to Starbucks for some breakfast and chatted. We talked about books, writing, and stories. Then, after that, they drove off to the airport.
She also wrote me a note and used my words against me. I had once said that people who leave, remember, and the people who stay forget. She said that if I missed her, just imagine how she must feel. Zaya is also a book lover equal to me (which is hard to do) so she gave me a book. Sense and Sensibility. I haven’t read it yet, but I will. And I will think of her every time I see it or open it.
Now, I have Zaya’s email and we chat about everything from stories, to COVID-19. I just have to thank Zaya, (even though she isn’t reading this), for everything. She has been my best friend, and we even signed up to go to the BYU Young Authors Academy together and we were going to be roommates. Zaya made her flights from Chile to Utah and everything (Update: All BYU camps and activities are canceled because of Covid-19 so now it isn’t going to happen so we might just get together another way). But she has been there when I need to rant about life, and same for me about her. Without my BFF Zaya, this word would be so sad. It would be empty and the ideas she is giving me about my own stories would be lost.
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