"Friend /frend/ noun - a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically exclusive of sexual or family relations" (According to Google).

Growing up, friends are always a big part of our lives. When we're younger, we yearn for someone worthy enough to share our toys and play with. When we're in middle school, we search for others to spend our time laughing, going to the movies, and gossiping about boys with. I've experienced all of these moments with different people in my lives, but we've always gone our separate ways after a few years. I knew that growing apart was part of life, so from experience I never counted on any close friendship to last longer than two or three years.

But in my case, I met my 3 forever friends in eighth grade and in high school.

In eighth grade (2012), I met my best friend and roommate to this day, Alex. We both credit our friendship to my eagerness to get to know her, something we STILL laugh about because I was obnoxious and overexcited. I still had a young naivety that I could make any friendship work if I tried hard enough, so I gave the friendship my all, wanting my last year at my middle school to be the best one yet. I had no best friend in eighth grade-all of my previous close friendships had pretty much ended. However, I felt something real and strong when I met Alex, and despite our ups and downs, we can always count on each other to be honest, reliable, loyal, and loving. So when I tell you to read this, know that you're smart, faithful, hilarious (even though you don't think so), and helpful. Thank you for being there for our eighth grade graduation, all those mall trips, the phone calls and Facetimes going well into the A.M., the cry sessions, the laughter that never ended, One Direction concerts, Ed Sheeran, Wicked, meeting Shane Dawson with me twice even though you had to wake up at 5 A.M. both times, having sleepovers, being there for my high school graduation, taking me to Florida and swimming with dolphins, and so much more that would take up 5 pages of Word Documents. Thank you for being with me through the next 4 years of our lives, and thank you for being with me the past 5. I know we'll have many more to come, and you're counting on me having kids so you can be the godparent to at least one, so I'm counting on you to do the same (you know I love kids). This sounds like we're getting married, so I'll move on and trust that you know how much you mean to me.

I met my next 2 forever friends the very next year in high school, Caitlyn and Renee.

Mine and Caitlyn's friendship is kind of a funny story-we had actually known each other around 5 years prior since we both went to the same summer camp and suffered through it within the same friend group. When we ended up going to the same high school, it was a shock to both of us, but I was secretly relieved-I'D KNOW SOMEONE! I made the decision to go to a high school that none of my friends or even anyone I knew was attending, which I'm still surprised because of how brave I was. Caitlyn and I were lucky: we were in the same homeroom and a lot of the same classes. Our friendship went from 3 months per year to the whole year-and then to three more. We became so close during the first 3 months that we both knew we'd spend the rest of our lives being friends; we just clicked. From stressing about Hill grades to volleyball games to Friday night Applebee's and movies runs (it was EVERY Friday), we've had the times of our lives. Here are some of the things we've survived: running up the hill to Latin every day after lunch so we could get there in three minutes, carrying our spiritual backpacks, being together through your Austin Mahone phase, having your mom collaborate on getting us the same accessories for every Color Wars and being on the same teams all four years, dragging us to FOSI SuperDances, being roommates on Kairos, planning Disney a year in advance, GOING TO DISNEY (still can't believe that happened), and graduating (and who could forget working?). You're so smart, hardworking, loyal, and caring. Can't wait to plan our weddings and playlists; I know we'll both be there for that. I love you long time.

Renee and I were kind of forced into our friendship (just kidding). When Caitlyn introduced me to her cousin Renee, my first impression was that she was incredibly shy, but I knew I could fix that. Because of our mutual connection to Caitlyn, the three of us sat together every lunch period for the beginning of freshman year (the famous table by the double doors to the elementary school, where we made so many memories and laughs). Gradually, Renee opened up to us more and more and she was literally cracking jokes like no tomorrow. The three of us became inseparable all four years, and everyone knew that if you saw one of us, you'd see the others. From going through sophomore year trig, crying over the Regents, junior year religion that was filled with dumb debates, senior year double period calc, gym with Phil, and senior year Miranda, we've literally been through it all. I loved laughing with you about fat Josh and Oprah, the Muppets, Kermit, and meeting your husband on the Express Bus; that being said, I loved crying with you over our two proms, trig and calc, Shane and Lisa, Grace, boys, CCD headaches, Dance Moms, and our existential, mid-life crises that we had from ages 15-18 and will no doubt continue to have. You're so kindhearted, caring, and loving. Thank you for always being a text away to make me laugh-we can always talk about nothing and turn it into everything. Woodloch, jumping into leaves together, The Ride, running around the Magic Kingdom to the stores that DIDN'T CLOSE UNTIL ONE, and getting stuck on the last ride on Splash Mountain for 7 minutes are just some of the things we've gone through and survived. I know we'll be best friends for the rest of our lives, considering we know too much about each other not to. Love you so much, and remember to introduce me to your suit-wearing, Express-bus business-man boyfriend.

I know this is a public article and probably no one will understand this quite like we do, but I wanted to write this for us and the memories we've shared. Here's to many more. Love you like sisters.