To My Best Friend



It’d be wrong if I didn’t reciprocate the appreciation I got from Emi Brown a couple of blog posts ago. We met in 1st grade, but back then everyone kind of got along. The girls normally hung out with the girls. Boys hung out with the boys. We still had the issue of “cooties.” Emi and I were on pretty decent terms. However, she went to another school the following year. The only time I’d see her was when I bumped into her in the hallways of Chinese Sunday school. Sadly, we took different classes.

I had my ups and downs in elementary school. I made sure to call out the kids who’d try to tease my friends. However, my friends changed over time -- relationships would just fall apart or they had to move away. At one point, I sat by myself on a hill during recess. I ended picking up the habit of just bringing a book outside to read. I figured I just wasn’t cool enough to have my own group of friends. I had people point at my lunch as weird. Sometimes I had snow shoved down my winter coat or found a spoiling milk carton in my backpack. I probably got teased more often because I’d get angry than sad. I’ll never really know what went through those kids’ heads.

Fast forward, Emi came back to my school for middle school along with a wave of other new students. I don’t how or when, but we stuck to each other like glue. We were two peas in a pod. I was the loud, arguably rowdy, outgoing one. She was the introverted, sweet, good listener one.

Emi was always there to listen to me rant about weird problems or new tv shows I started watching. She never once made me feel like whatever I was talking about was annoying or insignificant. I didn’t have to know about a certain trend or act a certain way to hang out with her. In fact, Emi was one of the only other tomboys of our class. With her, I got to talk about videogames and various technology. Emi probably doesn’t realize how much she helped me be more confident in myself as an individual.

I didn’t need to obsess about fitting in or being popular. By being myself, I found a wonderful group of friends who are honest and supportive. I can’t think of anyone else that has stuck with me for so long. Now, in our twelfth year of friendship, we might finally have to separate for college. However, I always going to be there for her just as she has for me. She’s my best friend for life and I’m forever grateful.

Comments

  1. Smita NairNovember 28, 2019 at 5:53 PM

    This is so sweet. One thing I really do love about Champaign is that it's so easy to reconnect with people from your childhood, even unintentionally. The prospect of leaving for college is terrifying imo, but knowing that your best friends will see you through it is a very comforting thought.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Emi BrownDecember 19, 2019 at 3:03 PM

    I lowkey cried when I read this. I was really upset when my parents made me go to a different school for a while. Honestly, even if I had new friends, I still wished I could go back to Countryside almost every day. I was so happy when I got to see you again and be your best friend! <3<3<3

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