Best Friends

I was realizing the other day that I have had a lot of "best friends" that have all come and go.  I remember my parents would always tell me, "Both of your lives will change and you may not be best friends forever."

Psh.  Yeah right.

But they were actually right (for a change!).

**Disclaimer - I consider myself having several best friends, and even more really-great-and-super-awesome-don't-know-what-I'd-do-without-them friends as well.  I love you all :-)

My first Best Friend:  Michelle 

Michelle is on the left, I'm on the right.

I met Michelle in my kindergarten (I believe?) at Sparks Child Development Center.

The love connection?  

We both had red hair.  

People thought we were twins everywhere we went and we ATE IT UP.  She moved to Vegas around 2nd grade (don't quote me) and we remained best friends through 6th grade, but we both really headed in two different directions and realized we weren't the same people we were back in kindergarten (shocker).

My longest Best Friend:  Santanna

Santanna is my ultimate best friend since 2nd grade.  I remember we were enemies in 1st grade, but somehow we formed an alliance in 2nd grade and we were unstoppable.  I have sooooooo many memories with Santanna and her family.  SHE is the reason I'd want to go back to 2nd-4th grade in a heart beat.
We got fake nose piercings and pranked my mom
We went on epic camping trips with her family
We pranked her family
.... and got pranked by her family
We played in mud for hours, only to realize it was clay that would never come off in the freezing cold creek.
We builts forts in the back of her dads car
We played in the cars at Reno Mazda
WE DID IT ALL!!!
She is my dearest friend and although she lives in DC and I am still in Reno - I still consider her my longest best friend :-)

My middle school Best Friend - Lisa

Lisa was the smartest girl I knew.  She probably still is.  This girl knew facts and information out of no where.
Me:  "Where did you learn that?  Who taught you that?"
Lisa:  "I'm not sure, I just know it."
We were both extremely goofy and immature.  We didn't care about boys or makeup or anything the other girls our age were obsessing about.  We sort of lived in our own world.  I remember telling my parents she would be my best friend forever, and they replied with, "Your friends right now will probably not be the same friends you'll have at the end of high school."
Yup.
True Story.
Since Lisa was so smart, she transferred to a school that could challenge her more academically (either freshman or sophomore year of high school).  I'm not sure why or how, but we slowly started to talk less and less.  I think I got jealous because she was making all new friends and I felt left out, and she started partying which was something that I was morally against at the time (I'm a total weirdo).

My High School Best Friend - Jessica

Jess and I are the two on the left.

I first met Jess when we went to Europe together in middle school.  She was a nice girl.  A friendly girl.  A social girl.  In high school I wanted to audition for the dance team, so Jessica helped me with learning the routine.  I made it on the team and we spent all of our time together after that.
Until I got a boyfriend.
I'm not really sure what our falling out was, or why it even happened.  I know it had to do with me making my boyfriend at the time my #1 priority.
Face it - we have all had our first love and we have all made the mistake of ditching friend time to have boyfriend time.  I do regret it, but in my defense I also recognized what I was doing and attempted to correct it.
I think by then it was too late?
I'm not too sure.
All I know is I stopped getting invited to hang out with our little group (there were 4 of us).  I remember she said something to me once that made me cry for probably 3 days straight.  I am glad I don't remember what it was that she said, but I remember that I have still never been so hurt in my entire life than I was when she made whatever comment it was.
It was the first time I experienced I-just-cried-so-much-that-my-eyes-are-puffy type of crying.  I think I may have not gone to school the next day as well.  I just remember crying and wondering how someone could say something so hurtful.  
We all went our separate ways to college, and I was kept out of the keep-in-touch loop.  Calls weren't returned and communication was cut off.
Funny thing is the 3 of them are all still best friends.
I'm okay with losing friends.  I'm just not okay with not knowing why.

My College best friend:  Carolina

2010

2008

2008

2007

This is who I refer to when I talk about "Lou."  She is my Lou.  Lou is short for Lucifer.  Don't ask why :-)  It just fits.
Lina and I started realllllly hanging out in 2007 I believe.  We are the same person.  We wear the same clothes.  We have the same shoe size.  Pant size.  Everything-size (except boobs).  I had a boyfriend at the time, but I finally found a friend that was okay with my long-term relationship.  Regardless of the relationship status, I remember we spent that entire summer of 2007 together doing everything!  One night we thought it would be funny to prank the frat houses.
At 9pm.
Really?!  It was a horrible idea.  We were "pranking" as everyone was still awake.  We almost got jumped on several occasions because the boys all thought we were other frat boys (we were disguised in all black).
We sang (at the top of our lungs), "I'm all out of love, I'm so lost without you...!!!!" ALL FRICKIN' SUMMER.
We lived together in Theta.
We worked together at IGT.
We just click.