Hey, guys.
Let me start by saying thank you. I've written so many letters since The Inevitable and they all seem to start the same way. But I mean it, I promise. Thank you for everything. You could have left. You could have considered me a once-was, and you certainly had a right to, but you didn't. The fact that you checked up on me, every single one of you, means more than you will ever know. You were there when I needed you most. What makes it even more special was that you didn't have to stay. You did, however, and that means so much to me.
Thank you for The Night That Must Not Be Talked About. As crazy as it was, that was one of the best nights of my life. To this day I have never laughed so hard or smiled so much as I did on that night. I have never felt so happy, so free, and so content to be surrounded by people I love, even if it was in the midst of complete chaos. It was on that night, as we were all awkwardly tangled in a group hug at 1 AM after the dust had settled, that I thought, 'Wow, I really love these freaks. And my life wouldn't be the same without them.' That thought hasn't left me since the moment I realized it. And when we all murmured a tired, "Happy New Year" and I told you guys that I loved you, I meant it wholeheartedly. We, officially, became family after that night. How could we not, after everything we went through?
For a few of you, I have to say thank you for the inside jokes, the games of beer pong, and the Three Days Grace and Fall Out Boy jam sessions in the car. For others, I have to say thank you for the nights at the theater and the poetry slams, and for forcing me out of my comfort zone with the best intentions. You gave me a home away from home, and I will forever be grateful for that.
To all of you, I have to say thank you for changing me. I walked into each of your lives a quiet, shy person. Granted, I'm still shy now, but with time, you made me into something different, something bolder. Within minutes of being around every one of you, I was at ease and comfortable. You helped shape me into a person that I loved, a person who had nerve. While a bit of that has faded, within reason, a lot of it has stayed with me. I wouldn't be the person I am now if it wasn't for you.
Thank you for never asking about The Leg Thing. (If you asked, I would've told you. But it was nice that each of you saw me, and not that.) Thank you for not thinking of me any differently because of it.
Thank you for being a text away, whenever I need you. Even now. If my life seems to be falling apart, I don't think a thing of going to you first. I appreciate you being there, no matter what.
Thank you for not leaving me behind. I love you endlessly.