The smell of the freshly cut green grass went quite well with the sight of the fully bloomed, colourful flowers of this haven. One could tell from the lovely birds and butterflies that it was indeed the most wonderful time of the year. All this heavenliness made the park the oasis for long days.

A couple of best friends, Busi and Thando, were seated side by side comfortably on their favourite bench and spot underneath the great oak tree, enjoying this nature one Saturday evening.

They were of the same age, had just finished writing their final exams and were about to graduate from high school.

Like every other typical pair of bosoms, these inseparables spent hours on end giving each other all the gory details on how they envision their lives to be in the near future.

And again, like most close mates; the ladies’ ideal fantasies were not so unalike. Each wishing for a devoted and kind spouse, an adorable little family and, however, to fly around the planet and see the ends of this wide world. Just like everyone else, they both aspired to be comfortable and happy.

An intimate joint wedding ceremony, with all their close friends and family on the white sands of the tropical island of the Maldives was their dream.

They almost always saw eye to eye. They hardly ever quarrelled. They understood one another to the core. They were each other’s lifeline. They were each other’s support systems. They believed in one another. They respected each other. They were loyal to one another. They did everything together. They never kept secrets from each other. They had spent most of their lives together. They had known each other their entire existence.
They were the best of friends.

“What are the odds of us ever crossing paths with our ideal soulmates?”, Busi teased out of the blue, almost with laughter.

Thando gave her friend an assuring glance. She took Busi’s hand into hers and said softly, “It will happen Bubu, have faith. It might be sooner than we think.”

“I can’t wait to meet my knight in shining armour and begin our happily ever after!”, Busi dreamed excitedly. “Maybe it will happen in college. Or at the mall on one of these days.”

“Maybe it already has happened, and we just don’t know it yet.”, Thando kept up the optimism.

“You think?” Busi said in suspense.

“There’s a chance; anything’s possible.” Thando again.

“Maybe you are,” Busi joked while giggling.

“Maybe you are,” Busi repeated looking directly into her friend’s eyes. Slower this time. Softly, with half awe and half realization.

Thando was speechless for a few seconds, then finally went, “That may be possible. It makes perfect sense… on so many levels.”

In that instance, they were still hand in hand. Looking firmly into each other’s eyes still trying to process the surprise and the many questions that kept arising.

Thando leaned closer to Busi, still maintaining eye contact. She gently ran her hand across Busi’s cheek, slightly above her jawline, and stopped when her fingers finally reached the back of her neck. She softly held her face against her’s and kissed her on the mouth.

It felt like time had stopped. They got lost in the moment. They both felt things they never imagined to be possible. Things they couldn’t explain.

They finally realized that they we looking for something that was right under their noses this entire time. They realized they were looking for each other. That they were each other’s knights in shining armour.

That they were…soulmates.