After the divorce, Riley and her mom moved to Linville, a few hours away. Her parents promised her the distance wasn’t too far, especially with social media. But to a middle-schooler, it quickly became insurmountable. Somewhere in a drawer back at her mom’s home, she had a small box with a collection of half-heart friendship necklaces… and friendship rings… and friendship letters. They all promised the then seven-year-old Riley that her childhood friends would be her friends forever. What a load of bullshit. There was no one big, climactic moment that symbolized the end of the friendships. No
...more
