We all have that one boy who understood us, appreciated us and showed us what we truly deserve.

I would love to say we had a fairy tale beginning, but these days who does? He met me while I was screaming at his best friend, and then I proceeded to ask him if he wanted me to yell at him too. I guess the yelling did it for him, because the next year was good and full of learning for the both of us. Neither of us had dated someone who truly respected us and wanted the best for us. We pushed each other to be the best version of ourselves, and we spoiled each other like no significant other had before. I learned so much from him, and I hope he learned from me. We made each other happier than I ever thought. We also had a few highly negative heated moments, but they were ones we learned from.

To this boy: had you not come into my life, I would not be half the person I am today. You taught me to love myself for exactly who I am regardless of what others think. You looked at me the way all girls long to be looked at. You spoke to me and about me the way every girl wants to be, with nothing but love. Every other man after you has high standards to meet. Every man after you has expectations that will be compared to you, whether I mean to or not. You loved me completely and more than I could've ever asked or expected anyone to love my crazy self.

So to you, I say thank you. You came into my life exactly when I needed you to. You made me whole and happy again. Thank you for putting a genuine smile back on my face and in my heart. Thank you for listening to all my drama or whatever other crazy dramatic thing I had to say to you and loving me through it. Thank you for entertaining my insane notion that I want to be a princess and to be treated like one as well, because you certainly made me feel like one every single day. Thank you for holding me when I cried (which was a lot), for laughing with me and for making me laugh, and for making me mad because it made us both better. Most of all, I am sorry. I am sorry for putting you through all the insane drama that I did and for hurting you the way I did. There are so many things I am thankful for and sorry for that I won't say, but you know what they are.

The one thing I will never be sorry for is falling in love with you and gaining a best friend in someone who pushed me to be my best. To this day, I think of you often and wonder how you are. Someday when we have both lived our lives and we are telling our children and grandchildren about our life and who we loved, I know I will speak of you with warm and kind words and with a small smile on my face as I think back and remember all that I experienced and learned with you.

Thank you for being you, for changing my life, and I wish you all the wonderful things this world has to offer.