The lights are shining, and the air smells faintly of mechanical grease and corn dogs. The night air is stifling hot, but the frozen lemonade I have in my hand makes it bearable. You took my hand and you led me to that freaking gigantic mechanical bull and we laughed at the idiots who thought they could ride it.
This is not a sappy love story for all those thinking they know what this is. This is a story of convenience. This is a story of two girls. Two girls with crooked teeth and sun streaked hair, girls with slightly not put together parents and questionable siblings. This is a story of uncontrollable sarcasm and strong wills.
I'm going to put it out there and say I did not like you when I first met you that day. You had twin french braids on your head, and they went into pigtails and I was unbelievably jealous. You were also eleven when I was a mere ten. And you had that cool black t-shirt and jean shorts on, clothes I knew my mother would disapprovingly stare at if I wore. And you didn't talk, you just put me in the car with your scary sister and her loud boyfriend.
When we went on that ride together, I can fully say that I have almost never been as scared in my life as I was then. Just as we were about to drop, you grabbed my hand, and you squeezed it tight. You led me to the mechanical bull that night and you fell asleep on my shoulder. And from then on we were constantly thrown together. I don't think we would have become friends if we hadn't been. And it took some getting-used to, you and I. But this is not the story of that.
This is the story where I grew up. The time you took me to my first rated R movie alone (and may I add illegally), the time we chinese fired drilled in the middle of Burlington in the middle of the night. The time where I made you get out of the car and drove by myself for the very first time because you were crying so hard. The time I offered you ice cream because you were so upset.
This is the time we talked about how we always gave our love to the wrong people in the hottub. That time I looked for your dog for four hours in the middle of the summer night. The time you told me those secrets about your life, the time I told you that there was really something wrong with me. You took me out the night before I was going to therapy for the first time. And you didn't say anything, and we saw that awful movie. But you knew what was going to happen the next day, and you knew I was depressed and in a very bad place. And you made me feel better.
We do not have the most emotional or deepest of friendships. We do not have very deep heart to hearts or long conversations with emojis sending kisses. We don't even see each other very much during the school year and we generally make other people our priorities before we make each other our priorities. We frequently annoy each other and we get mad at each other and we date each other's siblings.
But when I need you, I know you will always be there. Not in the most sentimental or emotional way, but you will be the one to drive me to the store for ice cream. You will let me sit on your couch and watch catfish for hours on end. I understand you, and I know you understand me.
What I'm trying to say is that you were the one to teach me what it means to be a good friend. Becuase sure, you may not be my bestest, bestest friend, but you are my most meaningful friend, because you have been there, you were there and you are here.
"And just so you know"- "dude, just bring me some coffee. I'm too tired to care unless you bring me some."
"You want to do things differently
And do them independently
We all got old at breakneck speed"
"It's only been a year
But it feels like a lifetime here
How's it been for you?
Does it feel like a lifetime too?"
I am not sorry that all these quotes are from songs by the Vaccines.
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