First off, who would have ever thought that borrowing my brother's friend's sister's bathing suit would be the start of such a great friendship? I sure didn't, but I've been thankful for that for over a decade now.

I remember going to your house every day after school. We'd do our homework together. Mostly so that we could spend the rest of the day playing Just Dance for hours on end, to the point where we didn't even have to look at the TV screen because we knew the dance by heart. Your parents would make my favorite meal whenever I stayed for dinner. Then I would get picked up to go home, but I felt like I was. Your house became my second home, and you all became my second family.

I remember us roaming the mall together, buying the latest Aeropostale graphic tees. Having the same clothes but in different colors. All the weird sunglasses we used to get a wear for like a week until we forgot about them when we bought new ones. Mostly, all of the collectables we used to buy at Newbury Comics so they could collect dust on our desks, but I loved them because it was something we got together. We always got dinner together after a long day at the mall. I'll never forget the time the power went out at the 99 and we couldn't decide on anywhere else to go to dinner because we all wanted the 99.

I remember inviting each other to every family party and barbecue our families had. You were always the friend I invited to my birthday parties. I loved spending Christmas Eve with your family, it was so fun. It got to the point where if you weren't at our get-together my aunts and uncles would ask where you were.

I remember the endless hours of jammin' out to music together. Screaming lyrics at the top of our lungs in the car, dancing all around the kitchen, jumping around our rooms, anywhere. You can almost guarantee that we were blasting Jonas Brothers, High School Musical soundtrack, or Glee. It got to the point where I made a mix of all of our songs that we would dance around to so we could do it without having to change the CD over and over.

I remember season after season after season of school, rec, and recently summer league softball together. Side by side in the middle infield, then those awkward games would come where you had to catch for me pitching after not even putting on equipment for years. We thought it was rough at the time but your dad always had us laughing about it after. When I think of softball I think of playing with you and the rest of the town girls and it brings a smile to my face every time.

I remember when everything started to change. Going to different high schools was tough. It pulled us away from each other. We each made new friends and hung out with them more and each other less. We barely ever saw one another. Especially when we would each be in season so I wouldn't even get to watch your team's games. Unfortunately, I didn't realize we were drifting apart until we already had drifted. It broke my heart to call other people our "best friends" because before, we were always "best friends."

The years we spent side by side are the years I will cherish in my memories forever.

Now, we are growing up and becoming young adults. We have now both graduated high school and both in college. It's crazy to think about us as kids and then look at where we are now. We have come so far, made so many memories, together and apart. But I truly believe our lives are just now starting.

But for now, I want you to know I am so proud of you. I wish you the best as you are going away to college. I can't wait to see what you accomplish over the next four years, and years beyond that. You have such a bright future ahead and I hope you keep me updated because I sure am routing for you back home. I hope that we can get together on breaks and catch up so I can hear about all of your accomplishments. My favorite part about us is no matter how long we go without seeing each other, when we do get together it is as if we never left each other's sides.

Thank you for everything. Here's to our memories, and our futures! Much love.