Tacky Bracelets by Sophia Osadcha

– Sorry, my friend’s a bit awkward at German!

She’ll have bratwurst with sauerkraut and a black tea. – Seeing Sasha stuttering and mumbling, Karina had to interrupt before a waitress became absolutely fed up with her. More than anything, Karina loved helping people, and her childhood friend Sasha was a perfect target for it. Sasha was a tall young woman with childishly clumsy long arms, barely able to keep herself employed, constantly hopping from one part-time job to another after she dropped out of college. And totally hopeless with money, which mildly annoyed Karina, who at that exact moment was watching her friend munch on her dinner, wrists jingling with numerous tacky bracelets. 

– Hurry up, the museum is closing soon.

– Can’t we go there tomorrow?

– Tomorrow is Sunday; everything is closed on Sunday. Gosh, you’re so careless. What would you do if you went here alone?

– Sorry… – Sasha lowered her gaze and sped up.

Karina knew precisely that Sasha would not be here alone, though. The trip was planned by her down to the smallest detail. She booked hotels, bought tickets, and chose places where they were eating. Karina did not trust Sasha with any of it, knowing she could easily wander off to the wrong train and accidentally cross the border when left unattended for long enough. Today she even paid for Sasha’s meal despite her anxiously trying to resist. 

Karina has always seen Sasha like that, from the very childhood. Sasha was sweet and polite but so astonishingly helpless. She was never close with her family and too socially awkward to make any other friends besides Karina, who in essence adopted her despite being half a year younger.

The two were hurrying uphill towards the Albrecht Durer Museum when Sasha decided to announce:

– Hey, remember how I wanted to study biology when we were in high school? I think I’d like to go back to it. Like, I mean, I am planning to enroll this year, somewhere in Kyiv. I’ve saved some money to pay for the contract…

Karina felt a sudden rush of unease, as if something fragile and precious just slipped through her fingers and fell on the ground.

– So are you going to ditch your job and move to Kyiv?

Sasha nodded.

– Don’t be silly. You didn’t even like it in the uni.

– I didn’t like the degree my mom chose. I think I can be a dedicated student if I try something I’m into… Can I?

– Oh my god, you cannot be “a dedicated” anything! You barely keep yourself alive. I have to constantly look after you, how are you even going to live alone in a big city? Crap! – they came to the museum right when it was closing. Karina’s face was flaming.

– Why do you always mess everything up? I’ve planned everything; I’ve done everything for this trip! You know, if you want to be independent, why don’t you try it? – Karina quickly walked away, hiding in a wave of tourists, leaving disoriented Sasha behind.

She sat near the river, sobbing from anger with her hands in her pockets, when she felt a warm plastic beaded bracelet. Sasha gave it to her in middle school, and Karina got used to carrying it everywhere. It was the seventh grade; Karina had spent the whole geometry class in the bathroom comforting crying Sasha after another fight with her parents. She promised herself to always protect her that day.

– What have I done? She's too shy to even call a taxi, – Karina said to herself, – She’s probably still loitering there all alone. I have to find her.

However, Sasha turned out to be nowhere near the museum. She didn’t answer the phone. Karina was searching everywhere, wondering if her friend had been kidnapped, when she received a message:

“I took a taxi to the hotel. I have an emergency at home, so I have to go, sorry.”

Karina spent the rest of her trip through Germany contemplating if Sasha managed to return safely. She was so immature and naive, though. On the last day of her journey, visiting Karlsruhe, Karina noticed a tall woman with a ton of jingling bracelets on her wrists, carrying a Nutella pancake in one hand and taking a selfie with the other. Sasha was clearly enjoying her life.