To my dearest best friends,

Well, this sucks, doesn't it? It's been almost a full 4 months since I've been away from the both of you but it honestly feels as if it's been forever. As much as it feels like the universe has been pulling us apart, it has not succeeded. We've made it through almost a full school year apart. I cannot even begin to tell you how difficult it has been to be away from both of you for this long. It gets really challenging when I see everyone around campus that has their "person" and I think of the both of you and how you are both managing back home. There has been a countless amount of times when I pick up the phone to call one of you to see if you want to hang out and then remember that I am 1000 miles away. After that happens, it is really tough not to be upset about how much I miss you. It has been extremely odd to not be able to see the both of you in minutes whenever I feel the need to. If someone had told me that I was going to end up going to school at the other end of the United States a few years ago, I probably would've scoffed because I never would have been able to bear not having the both of you by my side.

As much as I would have loved to stick around to see you both through your senior year of high school, I know that our time apart has only made our bond stronger and I hope you feel the same. Leave it to us, right? Leave it to us to create a stronger bond with 1000 miles between us. We both know that I would have suffocated in our small little town if I had stayed so thank you for letting me spread my wings when I needed to take off. I guess this is like a trial run for when we're all grown up and ready to move around for our career paths. I hope that day never comes when we are too busy to take each other's phone calls or meet up for coffee. After spending the past 16 years together, who would have ever thought the day would come so quickly that we would both be in college? It's almost surreal.

Words can't begin to describe how proud I am of the both of you for everything you've accomplished in the 16 years that we've been connected. Between a gymnastics scholarship to University of Arizona and a merit scholarship to an art conservatory, it's pretty safe to say that I have the two most talented and incredible people in my life. I am honored to even know you, let alone be your best friend. The next four years will definitely be the most fun of your life because you have already put in so much work! I can only hope that we will stay as close as we are now. (And hope that our kids grow up together too!)

You have always been the extra family member. Our families don't find it odd when we bring each other on vacations or to family functions just because it's a commonly known fact that we are apart of each other's families. I knew this was a true fact when your mom said, "Mi casa es tu casa" and handed me a key to your house and when walking into your house just became a normal occurrence for everyone.

There are so many more things I would like to thank you for but it would take me forever so I've settled for an abbreviated list for the each of you. Thank you for: letting me cry on your shoulder after my first serious middle school break-up, being able to just enjoy each other's company without having to actually go out of our way to do something, appreciating food as much as I do, eating croutons in your attic while playing Monopoly when we were 4, not flipping out over me cutting your hair when we were little, being my person, watching your first PG-13 movie with me, including me in all of your life events, and being the best possible friend (more like sister) a girl could ever ask for.

Author's Note: This article was specially made for the two most beautiful and loving best friends - Payton and Isabella. You two are the lights of my life, don't let anyone dull your light. Love, your Morgie