Dear B,

You know what i'm going to say - you're my person. There's no other way to describe it. We've known each other since boys had cooties, and silly bands were all the rage. We've been through it all together; hardships, family crisis, breakups, you name it. You've seen me at complete tranquility lying near the ocean, and you've seen me as a complete utter mess, mascara running down my face. Throughout the trials and tribulations that is this thing called life, I just wanted to take a minute and thank you for blessing me with the amazing qualities that make up our 11 year long friendship.

Thank you for your tough love. This is one of the best parts about having you as a best friend - you are completely and totally honest with me. The dress didn't fit right? You'd tell me. I look like a hot mess? You'd tell me. I have a horrendous singing voice, and need to stop singing in public this very second? I know FOR SURE you'd tell me. Sure, those are easy fixes, and easy things to communicate, but thank you for being there for the things that are not so easy to put into words. Things like the boy who you knew wasn't right for me. You helped me see the reality around me, and show me something that I couldn't see myself. There's something about the way a best friend can see past this wall we put between ourselves and the situations in our lives. Thank you for sympathizing with me when I'd talk about my relationship with my father, but for also reminding about the abundance of great things in my life that I could focus on, rather than one thing bringing me down. Thank you for listening to me vent about the people who turned my world upside down, yet continued to relay to me the importance of staying above them, and reassuring me that I was a better person because I would never do what they did to me.

Thank you for the countless crazy nights. Whether it was late night 49 cent cone runs (actually 52 cents with tax: pro tip), summer bonfires, or just a fun party with the squad, there was never a dull moment that we've shared together. Thank you for the memories we've made, and the many more to come in the very near future.

Thank you for being the sister I never had. This is also a thank you to your parents for basically adopting me as their fourth child, and treating me like a genuine member of the family for all these years. I've seen you grow up with two beautiful, and independent sisters and I can remember always feeling envious over the fact that you always had someone to hang out with, and do things with. I of course only have my little brother, so it was a different situation for me, but looking back on it now I realize I did have a sister - you. You've been one of the closest things I've had to a sister for all these years, and I can't thank you enough for bringing me that experience I thought I was missing out on. "God made us best friends because he knew no mom could handle us as sisters."

Thank you for being understanding. I know we've had our tough times, like any good 11 year long friendship would have. Thinking about it, I could count on one hand the amount of times we have ever had legitimate disagreements and disputes, and I think that's a pretty good track record if I do say so myself (considering the amount of time we spend together). I know sometimes you don't always understand why I do things I do, or feel the way I do towards certain situations. It's hard for you to understand certain aspects of my life because we haven't had the same experiences, and sometimes that can be a difficult bridge to cross. Regardless of this, I just wanted to say how grateful I am for the amount of understanding we have in our friendship. Whether or not you may agree with me on certain things, you have always supported me with every step i've decided to take in my life, and I couldn't be more grateful. To have someone that genuinely supports me, is one of the greatest gifts I've been given in my life, so thank you B.

We are so alike in so many ways, and I think that's what makes this work. Although, thank goodness our taste in boys has changed drastically since middle school... never will we ever date the same boy again. (Phew!) I would be lying if I said that I could live without you, because frankly I don't remember a time in my life when you weren't a part of it. We have been BFFVLs (Best Friend For Vampire Life) since first grade, and will continue to share this friendship eternally. I will never forget the days that we watched Vampire Diaries and decided that our friendship was eternal, but I'm so glad that we did, because I never want to walk down the path of life without my best friend by my side.

Thank you for everything, but most importantly, just for being you. I love you, B.

Love, S.