Deviled Eggs: A Letter to My Best Friend
Originally published on May 24th, 2018
Annaliese,
I remember the day we met. It was August. I was very new and you really weren't, and we had both gotten our ears pierced a few months earlier. You were wearing those clear earrings that you can get away with at small Adventist schools, and after you introduced yourself to me, I asked you where you'd gotten them. We went past the usual small talk and I learned that you used to do cross country running and were the Religious Vice President.
Then we didn't talk until May.
Okay, so we talked a little bit. I sat by you at the Christmas Banquet and messaged you on Instagram that one time, but that's about it. We didn't really talk until Ditch Day when we were in the same car to the bowling place and ended up bowling at the same lane. I saw you were following someone on Instagram who I also follow, and we started talking about it. We haven't stopped talking since.
In our year of friendship, we've managed to do a lot. You changed my mind about college without ever asking me to switch. We watched the sunrise at 6'AM over the Junior/Senior retreat, and we've had many, many cups of coffee. We've watched Gilmore Girls and have had multiple debates about who Rory should have ended up with (I will never stop trying to change your mind about Logan. That is a promise). In the past year, you have given me many things.
You've given me food when I'm hungry and people to be around when my extroverted self is about to go insane. You've given me rides home at 1'AM and encouragement when I'm nervous about open mics. You've helped edit posts for this website and you've given me books of poetry for my birthday. You have listened to me rant about everything going on in my life, and you've braided my hair before the second act of the musical. You've called me when you have news and you've fought me about my love for Jess (Rory should have ended up with him. I will never stop trying to convince you of this. That is also a promise). To sum all of this up, you've given me a best friend. You are my best friend.
You are the best friend who looks at me during class with a look that tells me everything you'll exclaim later at lunch. You've given me a best friend who is more excited about my poetry than I am sometimes. You've given me a best friend who, when seeing deviled eggs and the person who brought them, will look at me and cause us both to break out into laughter at a Gilmore Girls inside joke. You've given me a best friend who is willing to live with me for an entire school year. You have given me a best friend. You are my best friend.
We graduate in eight days, and then you're off to work at summer camp and I'm off to who knows where. I hope you know just how thankful I am for all the car rides, coffee, and laughter you've given me in the past year, and I hope you know how excited I am for next year. Thanks for putting up with me this year, and thanks for everything else. Here's to the end of our high school careers, to an amazing summer, and to our upcoming Freshman year.
Love,
Claira
A photo booth picture from last month.