To my old friends,

After graduation, I was told to move on, leave, run away, escape this place; and I did, but I couldn’t forget about you, about us, or about this town. I was also told to always remember where you came from so you can appreciate how far you’ve come. I have all of you to thank for that –because you were such a huge part of me, and you were all brought into my life for a reason, so I just can’t let go.

Adjusting to college wasn’t easy. I didn’t have my best friends by my side. No McDonald’s trips, group sleepovers, crying sessions, or “Best Week Evers” anymore to celebrate the fact that we made it through. It was tough, because I always had moments where I wanted to go see you or message you, and then I’d remember that it’s just not that way anymore.

Talking to you all lately has made me realize how much my life has changed. I’m a grown-up. I have a real job. I have priorities and responsibilities. I’m not stupid in love anymore. I have new friends. This is all fine –perfectly fine. In the end, I’ve come to realize that my life may have changed since then, and I may have changed as a person, as did we all, but we all still have one thing in common: the past.

I think about each of you a lot. I wonder how you might be doing, and will things between the group ever be the same? Life just split us apart too much. We all went here and there and everywhere. But I still do hope that you are alright, because even though we may not be close anymore, you are still humans that I once adored, and you still deserve good from this world.

I have so many things to say that have been left unsaid for three years now. First of all, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for the drama. I’m sorry if I wasn’t always the friend you needed me to be. I’m sorry for the fact that we all drifted. I guess that’s just the way life goes, but I can’t help but feel guilty about it.

Secondly, I am so proud of you. Each and every one of you is so special. If you’re anything like the way you were in high school, you were ambitious. You had a whole future planned out, and I can only hope and pray that you are following that same path. Your future is bright –all of you. I wish you the absolute best of luck in everything you do. You can do it if you set your mind to it.

Lastly, thank you. Thank you for the endless memories. Thank you for never leaving my side despite all of the obstacles we faced. Thank you for making high school my prime, the wonder years, the best four years of my life. Prom, Sweet Sixteens, surprise parties, graduation –you were all there, always there. I can’t wait to tell my kids about it one day, and I hope they’re lucky enough to have a group of friends like you one day. Who knows, maybe all of our kids will even be friends with each other.

With that, I’ll close with this: No matter how far we drift, no matter how many years it has been since we’ve seen each other, no matter what town or state or even country we end up in one day, I am always here for you. After all, this group did help me battle and push through some of my lowest points in life, and I will be eternally grateful for that. I will never forget you, and you will always mean something to me. So here’s to you, and nothing but good wishes on your futures. I hope I can be a part of it somehow, even if it’s not the same as it used to be. Once an FFL, always an FFL.

“I promise that I will never hate one another unless someone kills our immediate family.”

Sincerely,

An old friend