2007

"Emily are you there?" I asked

"Yeah, I'm here," she said back to me.

We're sitting on the top of a tiny hill next to the bay. The ocean breeze blew in our faces. She was looking at the sky with her eyes glistened with happiness and excitement. I was so happy to finally being able to talk with my friend that I lost so long ago. One year ago, she moved

away to California, and she finally came to visit me.

"Hey Kyle look at that," she said.

I turned my head around to see the ocean's waves crash against the bay.

"I missed you, Emily," I said to her.

She looked at me, her blonde hair wavering in the air. "I'm sorry I couldn't visit sooner" she replied.

2005

The sputters of my old broken computer filled my ears.

"Turn on! Useless piece of crap!" The screen lit up in blue.

"Finally," I opened AIM and began texting Emily.

"Hey em how's ur day".

"OMG Kylee u won't believe what just happened!"

"Lol, what happened".

"Jeff asked me on a date! Can u believe that!"

My heart stopped for a moment. I knew from her stories that Jeff was one of her friends, but I

didn't think that he liked her this way.

"Oh, I'm happy for you"

I felt cold when I said those words. It felt like a lie. I don't know why I'm feeling this way. I never thought of Emily in a romantic way, we were always just best friends.

2006

I lay there in my bed crying. Emily's leaving me.

"What the hell". "Get up you coward"

I pushed myself to get out of my bed and to my car. I plan to be there when she gets on the airplane. I drove, keeping my eyes on the road. The airport was huge planes in the sky and small trailers carrying suitcases all around. I walked through the entrance holding my parting gift for Emily. I walked up the escalator leading to the waiting areas and the planes. This was my first time in an airport, it just amazed me. I saw her. She was wearing her usual green sweater and ripped jeans. Her hair was down to her chest.

"Emily!" I yelled to her across the waiting room. People turned and looked at me with irritated faces. I started running to her with the present in my palm.

"Oh, hey Kyle," she said in a soft voice.

Jeff was holding her hand; I don't know why it irritated me. They had just broken up because Emily was going to move away. "Who's this Emily?" he said. "Oh, that's Kyle, we've known each other since we were in the third grade" she replied. "I just wanted to say bye before you left, oh and I brought you something" I handed her the small present I was holding in my hand. I had been making the gift since I heard the news that Emily was leaving for California.

She began to rip the wrapping paper off. When she was done all that was left was a small box.

She opened it and there was a book filled with photos of our entire friendship. There were photos taken since we were 8 years old. There were Photos of us when we went to Hawaii when we were fourteen. Pictures of the first time we went to see an R-rated movie. She let go of Jeff's hand and hugged me.

She was crying and so was I.

"I'm going to miss you so much, Kyle," she said still sobbing into my shoulder.

"Just don't forget me, Emily," I said to her trying not to choke on the lump in my throat.

"I won't I promise you" I could tell it was hard for her to talk to.

"Hey, when you come and visit you can teach me how to surf?" I said trying to comfort her.

She giggled. "Only if you teach me how to skateboard".

"That's a done deal," I replied

She giggled again. It always made me so happy to hear Emily laugh. I didn't want to let go of her, I wanted her to stay with me. But the sirens wailed alerting the people in the waiting room that it was time for the flight.

"I have to go, Kyle," she said in a weak voice. She began to sob again. I held her tight to me and told her

"We'll always be friends no matter how far away we are" She smiled a bit and grabbed her bag and started walking to the entrance of the plane. She turned around and started running towards me. She gave me a rushed kiss on the cheek and ran back to her bag. She waved while walking into the plane. I waved back with a lump in my neck and tears dripping down my chin.