End of a Forever. - By Afrina Saferdeen

Written By: Afrina Saferdeen

Category: Short story

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In the captivating short story "End of a Forever." by Afrina Saferdeen, we are invited to explore the intricate dynamics of friendship and change. As part of the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, this piece delves into the complexities of maintaining deep connections amidst the evolving tides of life. Afrina Saferdeen crafts a narrative that resonates with anyone who has experienced the bittersweet nature of friendships that promise forever but face unforeseen challenges.

About the Work

Afrina Saferdeen's "End of a Forever." is a poignant exploration of friendship, portraying the deep bonds between Ava and Lila. The narrative unfolds with humor and warmth, capturing the essence of shared memories and the subtle cracks that can form over time. Through vivid dialogue and emotional depth, Saferdeen conveys the pain of drifting apart and the enduring impact of cherished connections. The piece is a heartfelt reflection on the complexities of human relationships and the enduring desire to protect what we hold dear.

End of a Forever.

Original Submission by Afrina Saferdeen

End of a Forever.

Afrina Saferdeen.

Everyone leaves a version of themselves behind in the people they love. What happens when none of those versions agree?

If we were ever to live it is best if I do the cooking " Lila teased over the phone her confidence making Ava want to throw a pillow at her from miles away.

"Huh? My cooking is not that bad! You are just jealous of my skills " Ava retorted, sounding thoroughly offended.

"Oh princess, there is a fine line between being a terrible cook and being a public safety hazard. You, my dear have crossed it."

Ava gasped dramatically. "I cannot believe you would say that to me. After everything we have been through? Five years of friendship. This is how you repay me? By insulting my talents?"

"Talents?" Lila echoed, hardly holding back a laugh. "Darling the time you made cake, you somehow managed to cook the egg."

"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!"

-Lila burst into laughter, the kind that started as a small giggle and quickly turned into helpless wheezing. Ava joined her. For a while neither of them could manage a coherent sentence. It is always like this with them. One ridiculous comment is all it takes to send them spiraling into a conversation that can last hours their laughter filling the spaces between words until even silence becomes something

They have been friends for five years. Five years of phone calls that never run out of things to talk about. Five years of sleepovers that require absolutely no planning. Five years of random confessions whispered beneath blankets on ungodly hours and random rants about people they barely know, most of it being just Ava's fictional characters... They have celebrated each others victories, mourned each others disappointments and memorised the details about each other without even realizing they are doing it.

Their friendship is built on things. Shared playlists, stolen bites of food, photographs taken at angles imaginable and messages sent at ungodly hours simply because one of them thought of something the other needed to hear. There is no explanation for why they work so well together. They just do. Like two pieces of a puzzle that have somehow found their together. The person you love is never just the person you remember, but someone you cherish whole heartedly. And to them, forever was promised to eachother... A friendship that will last all odds.

September drew in slowly, bringing the grey skies and the smell of rain, bringing the chaos back into life. It was just the same for Ava and Lila, sitting side by side with their eyes lingering upon each other for no greater a cause than the fact that they had no other thing to do. Life went on as normal. They didn't change. They didn't seem to change, at least.

Not until it did.

It started on a Tuesday morning, in class, with a girl saying Mira, Lila's friend, had said something about another student. Word spread from that moment, more lies being added on in its wake, and by lunchtime everyone believed Mira to be guilty. Mira protested, saying that she had said nothing of the sort, but no one seemed willing to listen.

No one, except Lila.

As others ignored her, Lila stood by Mira's side. Lila knew the way it could be to have the world turn against you, and she wasn't one to walk away from someone who needed help simply because the world had taught her to be cold.

It didn't, however, occur to her that somewhere in the room, Ava was watching.

It wasn't that Ava hated Mira, for she didn't. It was just that there were things no one else knew that Ava had. She had heard words that could change this, had seen what could be the fault lying in front of her, and had cautioned Lila to simply ignore it all.

"Just stay away from her, Lila. Please. Whatever happens, don't get involved. Let her have it out and be done with it."

"But she's my friend, Ava. I can't do that."

"And what if there's a reason that everyone else has?" Ava challenged. "Then let her explain herself. I will not abandon her when it is clear that others have done so."

Ava waited a long pause, watching as Lila's eyes fell on something behind her. She watched as she sighed. She never saw the hurt that was evident upon Ava's face.

Maybe that was the saddest part. Lila had always been the one to notice when Ava's laughter came out flat, who knew when something had gone wrong by the way she typed a message. And Ava, who for five years had thought she would never have to fight for a place in Lila's heart because she had one, lost to a situation she could not explain without hurting the one she loved.

Ava said nothing. The days passed, and Lila continued to stand by Mira's side. Ava continued to smile in return whenever the girls spoke, their conversations growing smaller and smaller. Conversations were replaced with texts, which were replaced with calls that Lila was never willing to take. It all became something Ava had to pretend was fine when the two of them were not discussing something deeper.

Lila noticed it, of course. She asked Ava what had happened, and Ava answered with tired words and a smile. Lila believed her, because she had always believed her. Neither of them seemed to understand how much easy it was to have a friend keep secrets from them.

On the twenty-fifth of September, Ava finally called.

There was no argument, no screaming or accusations. Just the soft sound of the phone calling and Lila greeting her best friend as if nothing had happened.

"Ava? What's up?" For a moment, Ava was silent. Five years of memories crowded around her throat, begging her to step back and reconsider.

Then she whispered, "I don't think I can do this anymore, Lila."

"Do what?"

"Us." There was a pause.

"Ava, what are you talking about?"

"I'm tired, Lila. And I don't think you understand how much we've lost our spark."

"Then tell me. Whatever it is we can fix it."

Ava closed her eyes. 'We can fix it.' How funny.

That was enough to convince her once. That was enough to believe in something she barely even cared for at the moment, just because it had always been there.

"Not everything can be fixed just because we want it to be." She hung up before Lila could say anything else.And that was how they became five years. Something neither of them seemed willing to remember.

A year later, Lila still had Ava's number saved at the top of her contact list.

Sometimes, when dumb things happened in class, she still turned the empty space beside her to tell the joke. Sometimes she would find songs that Ava would have liked and save them to a playlist she barely listened to. Sometimes, on nights when she was feeling especially sorry for herself, she would open the messages to Ava and watch as she scrolled through them, reading the words.

She had apologised to herself a million times. She had imagined explanations, arguments, and ways for Ava to answer and laugh, telling her that the year had simply been a dream. Regret, however, was cruel in that way. It gave you chances, and then took them away with no way of proving that it had ever been anything but.

Lila missed her best friend. She missed the girl who knew her better than anyone, who she had promised would figure everything out with her. Mostly, she missed the version of herself that had been there when Ava was around.

What Lila never knew, was that Mira had eventually told Ava everything. The rumors, the lies, the things that had been said behind her back. It hadn't been anything to hurt her, maybe Mira had just been clumsy with the truth, the way people often were.

Ava could have told Lila. She could've explained the pain behind her begging her to stay away, watching her walk away with a broken heart. But what would it have changed? Lila had made her decision, Ava had made hers.

Neither of them knew that somewhere beneath all the pain, they had both tried to protect their friendship in the only way they knew how.

Maybe some truths were better left buried. Not because there was something wrong with them, but because sometimes, by the time you dig them up, the only people who care are strangers.

Somewhere, on the twenty fifth of September an year later, two girls who had sworn to be friends forever became strangers to one another, wondering what it was they had lost.

A promised forever, just not together. And somewhere, in another version of their story, they stayed.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar celebrates the power of words and creativity across the globe. This prestigious event invites writers to share their unique voices and stories, fostering a community of literary excellence and innovation. Participants explore various themes and genres, showcasing their talents in a vibrant and supportive environment. The competition stands as a testament to the boundless possibilities of creative expression.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Afrina Saferdeen for her poignant contribution, "End of a Forever.", to the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Her story beautifully captures the complexities and nuances of friendship, leaving readers with much to ponder. We appreciate Afrina's talent and dedication to storytelling, and we look forward to seeing more of her insightful work in the future.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.