Best Friends and Belly Laughs

Susan and Lacey were the best of friends. They loved nothing more than hanging out around the fire at Susan's, talking junk about other people, and making each other laugh uncontrollably. They had been friends for as long as they could remember, and there was nothing they couldn't talk about with each other.

One night, as they sat around the fire, Lacey suddenly said, "Hey Susan, do you know if your refrigerator is running?"

Susan raised an eyebrow, wondering where Lacey was going with this. "Um, I'm not sure. Why do you ask?"

Lacey grinned mischievously. "Because if it is, you better go catch it!" she burst into laughter, and Susan couldn't help but join in. They laughed until their sides hurt, and the sound of their laughter echoed through the quiet night.

As they caught their breath, Susan shook her head. "Lacey, you're ridiculous. But you always know how to make me laugh."

Lacey shrugged. "What can I say? I've got a gift." She grinned. "But seriously, Susan, I'm glad we're friends. I don't know what I would do without you."

Susan smiled. "I feel the same way, Lacey. You're like the sister I never had."

The two girls sat in comfortable silence for a while, enjoying the warmth of the fire and each other's company. As the flames crackled and popped, they shared stories of their adventures and dreams for the future. They talked about everything from school to boys to their favorite movies, and the time flew by.

Eventually, the fire burned down to embers, and Susan and Lacey knew it was time to head home. As they said their goodbyes, Susan hugged Lacey tightly. "Thanks for tonight, Lacey. I needed that."

Lacey hugged her back. "Anytime, Susan. That's what friends are for, right?"

As they walked home under the starry sky, Susan couldn't help but think about Lacey's joke about the refrigerator. It was silly, but it had made her laugh and lifted her spirits. It reminded her that sometimes, it's the little things in life that make all the difference.

The next day at school, Susan saw Lacey in the hallway and gave her a big grin. "Hey Lacey, if your refrigerator is running, you better go catch it!"

Lacey burst into laughter, and soon they were both laughing so hard that tears came to their eyes. As they wiped away their tears, Susan knew that no matter what life threw at them, they would always have each other to make them laugh and lift their spirits. And that, she realized, was the true gift of friendship.