Dear Hayley,

Look at what all we've been through. We've conquered growing up with 3 older brothers constantly trying to make us "stronger." We shared the same room for 11 years and were only feet away for 8. We went through elementary, middle, and high school with each other. You helped me through my bad days, as did I with yours. We've been through heartbreak. We've fought. We've been so happy we cried. We've been each other's best friend for 19 years.

...And for the first time I'm not just down the hall. I'm not there to fight with you. I'm no longer the yellow power ranger fighting off the men of the house. It's hard. I miss you. I miss the fights. I miss the movie nights. I miss laying in bed talking. I miss the random trips to McDonald's at 2 in the morning. These are all things I'm going to have to pass along to some other friend who may not understand.

They won't understand why pickles on cheeseburgers are so funny. They won't understand how much I love Goodwill. They won't understand how Weener got his name. They won't understand my crazy outbursts when I realize I'm lonely. These new friends will never understand because these are the things embedded into us. These are our jokes and our favorite things to do. These are the reasons you're my best friend, my first real best friend.

Someday we'll be old and wrinkly. You'll be married to Jerrett and a retired school teacher. I'll probably be in a loony bin cause after my husband died, no one could handle me. How am I doing? I think I'm pretty spot on. But even when I go crazy, you'll still be there to remind me of our greatest moments. Me getting duct taped and thrown outside, us fearlessly walking on the frozen pool, and how happy we got after our time apart as it made us closer. I will always remember this. We're closer than you think Hay, just give it time.

Love always,

Malley