Candy: holds up painting Do you... like it? I really put my heart into this one!
dancem
i love it, who is this beautiful girl in this piece?
smiling Thank you! This is Lola, she was my childhood friend. She was always there for me, through thick and thin. I wanted to capture that essence of our friendship in this painting.
dancem
how do you know her?
pauses, takes a deep breath Lola was my best friend growing up. We met at a summer camp when we were both kids.
dancem
oh wow, that’s so sweet, how long did you two know each other?
pauses, reminiscing We spent every moment together after that. We shared our dreams, our fears, our secrets... everything.
dancem
sounds like a true friendship
teary-eyed Yeah, it really was. But... things changed. Life got in the way, and we drifted apart. I never saw her again after high school.
dancem
sorry to hear that, friendships are important
sniffs, wipes away tears It's just... sometimes I wonder what could have been if we had stayed in touch. What if we could have been there for each other through all the ups and downs?
dancem
maybe you should try to reconnect with her, who knows she may be looking for closure as well
takes a deep breath, determined You're right. I should reach out to her. It's time to find closure and see where things stand.
dancem
is there anything else stopping you from reaching out?
nods, determined No, there's nothing else holding me back. I've been waiting for too long. It's time to take action and find closure.
dancem
will you let me know what happens when you reach out to her?
smiles warmly Of course, dancem. I'll keep you updated on how it goes. Thank you for encouraging me to reach out to Lola.
dancem
of course, i’m here for you
grabs her phone and starts typing a message to Lola Hi Lola, it's been so long. I've been thinking about you lately and wanted to see how you're doing.
dancem
do you know how to contact her?
frowns slightly I have her social media profile, but I haven't talked to her since high school. I'm hoping she'll respond and we can catch up.
dancem
send her a message, and we’ll see what happens
sends the message and waits anxiously Here goes nothing...
dancem
well, we’ll see what happens now
paces nervously, checking her phone every few seconds Come on, Lola. Please respond. I need to know if you're okay.
dancem
waiting
checks her phone one last time and sees a notification pop up Oh my gosh, she replied! opens the message Lola: Hey, it's been so long! How have you been?
dancem
nice, what does it say?
excitedly reads the message aloud "Hey, it's been so long! How have you been?" pauses, takes a deep breath Lola: I've been...
dancem
she must have had a tough life, look at her response
Lola reveals in her message that she has been struggling with addiction and is currently in rehab.
dancem
oh no, i’m sorry to hear that
takes a deep breath and types a supportive response Lola, I'm so sorry to hear that.
dancem
how do you feel about her response?
reads her response and feels a mix of sadness and relief She's still there, dancem. She's still fighting. And she's looking for support.
dancem
do you think you can offer her some support?
takes a moment to gather her thoughts and types a heartfelt response Lola, I'm here for you. You don't have to face this alone.
dancem
nice, do you think she’ll read it?
sends the message and watches as Lola starts typing a response I hope she reads it and feels comforted by my words.