We were 5 years old. In Mrs. Montgomery's class. And I met you. The girl who everyone said looked just like me. You were cute, with curly brown hair, and a keen fashion sense. I said hi. You said hi. And like that we were best friends. You and me. Arm in arm. Telling secrets and laughing all day long.

I remember it like it was yesterday. The day my best friend, the one who was super smart, got moved up to 1st grade. I cried, and didn't really understand why you had to leave me. And I went along in kindergarten, missing you, wondering if you were coming back.

Then one day I heard crying from the hallway when I saw you. Your teacher was holding your hand while you were holding a workbook, sobbing. She said you didn't like 1st grade anymore, and wanted to come back. And our wonderful teacher accepted you back with open arms. And I was so happy to have you back. There is never a day when I don't wonder what my life would have been like if you had never had come back.

I remember sitting next to you in class one day and asked you, "Why did you go to 1st grade?" And you simply replied, looking down at your feet, "Umm I guess, because I have big shoes." And that little phrase floats through my mind all the time making me laugh. Making me miss you more.

Growing up we stayed best friends. Arm in arm. Telling secrets and laughing all day long. Sleepovers almost every weekend. Talking on the phone until our arms fell off. You were the only person I'd spend my birthday with. We would go swimming and have ice cream. We would cuddle our stuffed animals on the couch, watching animal planet or Spongebob. We read books, watched movies, played pretend, did easy bake oven, and played on the computer.

You were the only person I would tell my most secret, secrets to. The only one I trusted. And after 8 years, we still hadn't fought once. In Religion class we wrote about each other, when the assignment was to write about someone you admire. And no matter how old we got, we only got even more similar in looks, to where teachers would always call us by the wrong name. And a lot of people actually asked us if we were twins. And sometimes we would shrug and say, "Ya." Life was so good.

When I first got my iPod, and needed musical advice, you were the first person I turned to. We would always play Zoo Tycoon 2, The Sims 2, and some Prairie game on the computer. And we always got a kick out of it. We would walk to Quick Trip, and get sodas, coffees, and ice creams. I met your weird friends, and you met mine. And you looked to my family for advice. And you always said, "Your parents are my 1st parents, and Colleen's parents are my 2nd parents, and mine are my third."

We were always there for each other when someone hurt us. And go after the person who did it. We played clapping games at recess. And ALWAYS got in trouble at recess for sitting and talking. We would walk 2 laps around the gym instead of running 7. And when we were in a good mood, we would skip around the gym like little girls. We would cower away from balls flying toward our faces in gym, and never tried during games, simply cause we didn't feel like it. We had way more important things then playing capture the flag.

We never ran the mile, by either making up something or actually being hurt or sick. Either way, you and I managed to stay on the side lines watching our sweaty breathless classmates, laughing about how we didn't have to do the stupid laps.

We told each other about the dreams we had just had the night before. We sat up in your bed listening to Jordan Sparks, reading books, or talking. We talked about guys, and what we imagined it would be like to grow up and be married. How many kids we wanted, and who we wanted to marry.

After 9 years of a perfect friendship. A perfect sisterhood. Something happened. You changed. We changed. And it was over. We didn't talk anymore. You started hanging our with other people. You were more absorbed in guys. And you didn't seem to need or even want me anymore. I tried, but nothing happened. Strange things happened. And lies were thrown about. Everything changed, and I lost my sister, my best friend. Weekend got lonely, phone calls were lessened, and nothing was the same. Sure I said somethings, no doubt you said some things. But the truth is, I was, and still am, hurting. Missing. Loving. I hope one day you and I can be friends again. Arm in arm. Telling secrets and laughing all day long. If you ask any of my friends, you can guarantee they will say all I talk about is you, the fun we had, and how much I miss you. Things aren't the same without you. I miss you, and I love you.