Emma and Sarah had been best friends since childhood. They had shared everything together for more than twenty years. They knew each other's secrets, fears, and dreams. Their friendship seemed unbreakable to everyone who knew them. But one day, everything changed in an unexpected way. Sarah had been going through a difficult time at work. She was stressed and exhausted from working long hours. Her boss had been criticizing her constantly for weeks. She felt like a failure and didn't know what to do. Emma noticed that her friend seemed distant and unhappy. She tried to help, but Sarah pushed her away. 'I'm fine, please stop asking me questions,' Sarah said coldly. Emma felt hurt by her friend's sharp words. She decided to give Sarah some space to figure things out. A few weeks later, Emma heard some gossip at a party. Someone mentioned that Sarah had been saying negative things about her. 'Sarah told me that Emma is selfish and never listens,' the person said. Emma couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her heart broke into a thousand pieces in that moment. She went home and cried for hours that night. The next morning, Emma decided not to call Sarah anymore. She deleted their chat history and unfollowed her on social media. Months passed without any communication between them. Emma tried to move on with her life and make new friends. But something always felt missing in her heart. She would see photos of places they used to visit together. Every memory reminded her of the friendship she had lost. Meanwhile, Sarah had realized her terrible mistake. She had spoken badly about Emma during a moment of weakness. The stress from work had made her say things she didn't mean. She had been jealous of Emma's seemingly perfect life. But now she understood that she had hurt her best friend deeply. Sarah tried to reach out to Emma several times. She sent messages, but Emma never replied to any of them. 'I'm so sorry, please talk to me,' Sarah wrote desperately. But Emma was too hurt to respond to her apologies. She felt betrayed by the person she had trusted the most. One year passed since their friendship had fallen apart. Emma was walking in the park on a sunny afternoon. Suddenly, she saw Sarah sitting alone on a bench. Her former best friend looked different somehow. Sarah's eyes were red, as if she had been crying. For a moment, Emma thought about walking away quietly. But something stopped her from leaving the park. She remembered all the happy moments they had shared together. Despite the pain, she still cared about Sarah deeply. Emma took a deep breath and walked towards the bench. 'May I sit here?' she asked in a quiet voice. Sarah looked up with surprise and disbelief in her eyes. 'Emma, I can't believe you're actually talking to me,' she whispered. They sat in silence for several long minutes. Finally, Sarah started to speak with tears in her eyes. 'I know I don't deserve your forgiveness after what I did.' 'I was going through a really hard time, but that's no excuse.' 'I said horrible things about you, and I'm deeply ashamed.' 'You were always there for me, and I hurt you anyway.' Emma listened carefully without saying a single word. 'I've thought about you every day since we stopped talking.' 'I've learned from my mistake, and I've changed as a person.' 'I understand if you never want to see me again.' 'But I needed you to know how truly sorry I am.' Emma felt tears rolling down her own cheeks now. She thought about all the pain she had carried for so long. Holding onto anger had only made her more miserable. 'What you did really hurt me,' Emma finally said. 'I trusted you completely, and you broke that trust.' 'But I also know that people make mistakes when they're struggling.' 'I've missed you so much this past year.' Sarah grabbed Emma's hand and squeezed it gently. 'I promise I will never let you down again,' she said. 'Actions speak louder than words, so I will prove it to you.' Emma nodded slowly, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders. 'Let's take things slowly and rebuild our friendship step by step.' The two women hugged each other tightly for the first time in a year. That day, they both learned that forgiving someone can set you free.
English Story (B1)Forgiving Someone
This B1 English story is designed for intermediates learning English. It includes simple vocabulary and short sentences to help you improve your reading and listening skills. Click any word to see translations and hear pronunciation.
About this story
Emma and Sarah were best friends for twenty years until Sarah said hurtful things about Emma during a difficult time at work. After a year apart, they reunite in a park where Sarah sincerely apologizes. Emma learns that forgiving someone can bring peace and set you free.
Translations in English
Linked wordUnderlined wordOther words
Comprehension Questions
4 questions
1
Why did Sarah start saying negative things about Emma?
2
How did Emma react when she found out that Sarah had spoken badly about her?
3
Where did Emma and Sarah meet again after a year of no contact?
4
What did Emma and Sarah decide to do at the end of the story?
Vocabulary
40 words from this story
