Girls From The Block
“Girl. Remember D’Andre, my crush from elementary school?” Kendra asked.
She had loved herself some D’Andre back then. Every recess, every field trip, every class picture, Kendra found a reason to be around him. The crazy part was she never told him how she felt. Rejection had never been something she handled well.
“Let me guess,” Shanice said, rolling her eyes. “You still crushing on him at this big age?”
Kendra stayed quiet.
That silence told Shanice everything she needed to know.
“Oh my God,” Shanice groaned, throwing her head back against the couch. “Kendra, we are pushing thirty. Please tell me you’re not still fantasizing about a boy who used to eat glue and run around the playground with untied sneakers.”
“He did not eat glue,” Kendra defended immediately.
“The fact that you corrected me is concerning.”
Kendra laughed despite herself.
“I just seen him on social media, that’s all.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“And he looks good.”
“Here we go.”
“No, seriously. He got a beard now. Nice job. Own house. No kids.”
Shanice narrowed her eyes.
“You stalked that man.”
“I did not stalk him.”
“You know he got a house and no children. You conducted an investigation.”
Kendra grabbed a pillow and tossed it at her.
“Whatever.”
Shanice laughed.
“Did you at least add him?”
Kendra looked away.
“You added him.”
“Maybe.”
“And?”
“He accepted.”
Shanice sat up.
“Girl!”
“What?”
“Did he message you?”
Kendra bit her lip.
“A little.”
“A little?”
“He said, ‘Hey stranger.’”
Shanice screamed so loud Kendra had to pull the phone away from her ear.
“You’ve been waiting twenty years for this moment!”
“Stop being dramatic.”
“No. You liked that man all through elementary school. Every time he walked past, you forgot how to act.”
Kendra couldn’t help smiling.
Maybe Shanice was right.
After all these years, the butterflies still showed up whenever D’Andre’s name appeared on her screen.
And that scared her more than she’d ever admit.
The summer air was warm as Kendra and Shanice sat on the rooftop of their apartment building. The city lights stretched for miles, and music from someone’s cookout drifted through the night.
For a while, they laughed about old memories.
“Remember when you used to write ‘Mrs. D’Andre’ on your notebook?” Shanice teased.
Kendra covered her face.
“Girl, shut up.”
“No. And remember when he asked to borrow a pencil and you acted like Beyoncé had just spoken to you?”
Kendra burst out laughing.
“I was ten!”
“You were obsessed.”
“I was not.”
“You absolutely were.”
The two women laughed until tears formed in their eyes.
Moments like this were normal for them.
They had grown up together.
Same block.
Same schools.
Same heartbreaks.
Same dreams.
If someone saw one of them, the other wasn’t usually far behind.
The laughter eventually died down.
Shanice stared out at the skyline.
“Kendra.”
Something about her tone made Kendra sit up straighter.
“Hm?”
“I got some news.”
Kendra immediately looked at her.
“What kind of news?”
A smile slowly spread across Shanice’s face.
“The label called.”
Kendra blinked.
“The label?”
Shanice nodded.
“They want me in Los Angeles.”
The words seemed to hang in the air.
For a moment, Kendra didn’t respond.
“What?”
“They heard my demo. They want me to come out there. Not just for a meeting either. They want to develop me.”
Shanice’s eyes were shining.
Years.
She had spent years singing in tiny lounges, recording songs in makeshift studios, and posting clips online hoping someone important would hear her.
And now someone had.
Kendra forced a smile.
“That’s… that’s amazing.”
“It is.”
“When would you leave?”
Shanice hesitated.
“Two months.”
The smile on Kendra’s face instantly faded.
Two months.
That wasn’t far away at all.
The city suddenly felt quieter.
The rooftop suddenly felt smaller.
“Two months?” Kendra repeated.
“Yeah.”
“Oh.”
Shanice looked over.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Kendra.”
“I’m happy for you.”
“But?”
Kendra looked away.
There wasn’t really a way to say it without sounding selfish.
Without sounding like she wanted her best friend to stay stuck.
But the truth was the truth.
Her chest hurt.
Because for the first time in her life, she could see a future where Shanice wasn’t right there beside her.
No random late-night visits.
No rooftop talks.
No running to each other’s apartment over something stupid.
No Sunday breakfasts.
No seeing each other every week.
The thought made her stomach twist.
“What if things change?” Kendra finally asked quietly.
Shanice’s smile softened.
“What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean.”
The city noise hummed beneath them.
“What if you get famous?”
“Kendra.”
“What if you meet new people?”
“Kendra.”
“What if you don’t need me anymore?”
The words came out before she could stop them.
Silence.
Shanice stared at her.
Then she laughed softly.
Not because it was funny.
Because it sounded exactly like something Kendra would say.
“You really think that’s how this works?”
Kendra shrugged.
People changed.
Life changed.
She’d seen it happen.
Friends got married.
Friends had kids.
Friends moved away.
Eventually everybody became strangers.
Shanice reached over and nudged her shoulder.
“You’re my sister.”
Kendra looked down.
“You don’t know that.”
“I do.”
“You can’t promise that.”
“Maybe not.”
That answer surprised her.
Shanice wasn’t sugarcoating it.
Life had a way of doing whatever it wanted.
“We might not talk every day,” Shanice continued. “We might get busy. We might even get on each other’s nerves.”
Kendra laughed weakly.
“But no matter where I go, you’re still family.”
The words helped.
But they didn’t completely erase the fear.
Because as Kendra looked out at the city lights, she realized something.
This rooftop.
This summer.
This chapter of their lives.
It was ending.
And neither of them knew what the next one would look like.
#bestfriend #redditstories #goodreads #apowellbooks #heartbreakingbooks
One of the most touching aspects of the story "Girls From The Block" is how it captures the bittersweet essence of lifelong friendships faced with the inevitability of change. Many of us have experienced that moment when a dear friend gets a major life opportunity, like Shanice getting noticed by a record label and moving to Los Angeles, and the mixed emotions it brings. I’ve had a similar experience where my best friend and I, inseparable since childhood, started drifting apart when her career path took her across the country. Initially, it felt like losing a part of myself—as if those spontaneous late-night talks and weekend visits were permanently behind us. This story really resonated with me because Kendra’s fear of change and losing that close bond is deeply authentic. It’s natural to worry about what will happen when your shared routines end or new people come into your friend’s life. Yet, Shanice’s reassurance — "You’re my sister" — reflects a profound truth about friendship: change might alter how often you connect, but the roots of genuine friendship run deep. The nostalgic moments about D’Andre also remind us how childhood crushes, even if long-held quietly, leave an imprint on who we are. Seeing someone from your past through social media adds a modern twist, showing how technology can reignite old feelings or curiosity. It’s a relatable moment for many who find themselves scrolling through profiles, wondering about the people who shaped their youth. Lastly, the rooftop setting with city lights and distant music beautifully symbolizes a transitional space — a place where past memories blend with an uncertain future. It evokes the universal feeling of standing on the edge of change, both excited and scared. For those navigating such pivotal moments, stories like this offer comfort and remind us that while chapters close, new stories await us.
I cant tell this is gonna be good 🔥