Day 50: “Best Friends Forever”
My best friend from childhood is getting married today
Second grade was when we really became close
Started a band on the playground by the fence where the honeysuckle grew
Named ourselves the Honeysuckle Band because we were 7
Over the years
We started a covert, spy operation
Called the Secret Crazy Club, or SCC
Our spy names were Colby Shae Williamson
And Misty Ray Scherzinger
Very convincing
I shot her brother with a BB gun once
Well five times but in one instance
We’d watch SpongeBob together
It was her favorite but my mom didn’t let me watch it
So we’d come home from school,
She’d put the pizza rolls in the microwave
And we’d go downstairs to her giant movie room complete with recliners
And watch
We’d also watch My Strange Addiction in her room
I didn’t watch much TLC at home,
Only at hers
We’d play band hero for hours
Her on drums
Me on vocals
Jamming to She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5, her favorite song
We made a cardboard house once
Upstairs on the balcony by her room that overlooked the living room
We were coloring the cardboard with sharpies and we dropped one
It fell onto the couch below, making a small mark on the leather
We were terrified
Went into problem-solving mode
Ended up organizing the pillows just so and never saying a word
I don’t even think her parents ever noticed
When she turned 8,
I got her an outfit just like mine
And we went to Haruno for sushi, matching
Then we had a sleepover
And the next day, she had an outfit for me
Just like hers
Twinzies!
I still, to this day, cannot eat Cool Ranch Doritos
Because one day
We ate a whole big bag of them
And then spun each other in an office chair
Until we’d get dizzy and couldn’t really walk
We thought it was so funny
Until I was nauseous for hours
I can’t even stand the smell of those Doritos anymore
We saw Coraline together in theaters
We loved it so much
Only in adulthood did I realize I love that movie so much because I related to Coraline
Loneliness, curiosity, independence
And wanted to be like her
Strong, brave, resilient
In high school, we drifted
Hung out in different crowds
We’d still say hi and be glad to see each other
But it wasn’t the same
Until early college,
I can’t remember what prompted us to set it up
Maybe an IG post or our moms running into each other
But we planned to get together when I was home next
And we sat at The Aviary, talking for hours
We realized that we both had come out of religion
Were thinking for ourselves
And unpacking religious trauma
We helped each other
Saw each other
Understood each other
Since then, we’ve been such an amazing support to each other
Helping each other learn to trust ourselves
Learn to stand up for ourselves
Learn to love ourselves
Unlearn what we were taught about our worth growing up in the church
I’m so grateful for her
It’s incredible to know someone
From being young, eating pizza rolls and watching SpongeBob
To growing up, coming out of a negative, painful, toxic cult-like religion
We go way back and not as far back
But we’re growing together
Unpacking trauma together
We do monthly FaceTimes
Since we live so far away
And I love the quality time
Being there for each other
I’m forever thankful for that day at The Aviary
Bringing us back together
To be there for each other in a new way
I’m so excited for her and her almost husband
There’s so much love
And a beautiful life together
And I’ll look forward to our next FaceTime when they’re back from their honeymoon
Faking It Made 