A memory:

I remember very vividly the first day I met you. How you looked so terrified when you entered the 8th grade reading class we shared together. Mr. Richardson introduced you to the class and asked where you were from. You were scared, quiet, you seemed a world away. Everyone bombarded you and you answered questions with whispers. I remember looking over at you and saying, "Scary isn't it?" You nodded.

You got pulled awkwardly into a social strata you knew you were not meant for. Slowly as school days progressed you gravitated toward mine. The weirdos the ones who were going to "eat you." The girl stared at you with big eyes when you told her you'd rather sit with us. Eyes that said: "What are you thinking?"

But you stayed, we walked home together. I met your mom and your cat. You made me watch silly anime cartoons. I couldn't stand it. They were too short, they were too loud, there was too many of them. Too many "Go-" names, your sister was explaining them when I told her to go away.

I knew from the moment I met you we were going to be great friends. That we were going to be extraordinary. And we were, we met more friends while "synchronize snow swimming," on the day the war memorial in Andover was being unveiled we walked around town eating french fries - you where wearing reindeer antlers that played christmas songs. It was October. I remember blowing up a gigantic mountain dew can and walking around town with it that Summer that you never left your house.

I remember your crying about plastic dinosaurs, my mom thinking we were lesbians. Playing video games. Going to every social event in high school even though we didn't really want to. Signing yearbooks, drawing pictures, laughing - everyday. Everyday we were happy.

I remember getting star pops at Diary Queen on half-days, going to my house and making up weird things to eat. I remember walking to your house on summer days and having a place to be. I remember the day we took the pikachu umbrella and tried to fly using the trampoline. When we laid in the grass in your backyard and thought of what would happen in the future.

You made my life better. It hurts me to see you putting yourself in horrible situations. I want to help you be happy because I owe it to you.