“Teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea” because the best friendships aren’t built; they’re felt, yearned for, and are as loving as the one you guys have bestowed upon me. Every day, I dread to say goodbye. Every day, I’m reminded of how lucky I was to find you guys. You, who have filled my life with mind-boggling ideas and laughter that lifts even the heaviest of days.
I heard the clock ticking when we all first clicked in place. We, our band of five, boarded our ship of blast adventures, never realizing how fate would send us into our vast futures. A band of five that I look forward to seeing after Mr. Castle’s fifth-period soliloquies. A band of five, which in my eyes, is brighter than any stars alive.
To my seniors, Miah Aughenbaugh and Josue Gurrola. To my extraordinary exchange student friend, Kausar Bakhitbek. And Kaylie Pineda, who has turned simple moments into memories, thank you for a year of pure delight.
As I write this, every memory of our grand adventures seems to revive, from the countless flies that were massacred by Josue’s hands to the absurd dreams Miah has analyzed. These small moments, all built on simple coincidence. To think that, if Kaylie and I had never invited these two seniors over to our table, all these laughs would have vanished into “what could have been.” Four words, “Want to sit here?” brought the quartet into existence.
Before these words were ever spoken, you guys were just faces in the passing. Josue in Mr. Mitchell’s, where I thought of him as an extreme try-hard, and a glimpse of Miah hanging out near the restrooms. I would have never thought these people would ever come into my life and lend me their names to keep in my memory. A month later, another name would be added to these extravagant memories, Kausar, who arrived from Mongolia and was the last piece to our newly formed quintet.
These people have strum their names into my soul and are to leave me to play the memories of them. Josue, someone who walks into Clarion fully aware of the chaos he has gotten himself into, still chooses to stay with us over every other table. Josue, with whom I have shared many side eyes and inside jokes with (Hydrogen peroxide). “I concur” with him on subjects that relate to Miah’s curious jokes and we nerd over EPIC: the musical. Miah, who I have nicknamed Me Ma Miah, has been in the background of my existence longer than I have ever known. One field trip brought our history closer, in ways we would have never imagined. The awe of her exotic (twink) drawings, that make even Picasso look blend. Her contagious laughter could have been in my life much sooner, then I would have known someone who I can crash out and the person I will always look up to. Kausar, someone who has become one of my closest friends, has brought such a charismatic light to my days, which can not be replaced. The goofy songs she sings with her amazing voice. The attempts of rage baiting that she targets toward Josue (That never works). Her humor, her voice, her energy are permanently marked in my brain.
You guys were the ones I debated with, the ones I pondered with, and the ones I asked my rigorous would-you-rather questions with. We have done our collective dance moves together as we talked about life. My arms will never forget the innumerable times we have done The Wave and consoled Kaylie about her Matcha. Or the times where Kausar’s loving hands brushed and braided my hair while we listened to Josue’s Furret (Pokemon) walk song that annoyed Miah.
Ten Months. Ten months is all it takes to know that you are not ready to say goodbye to the people who have done so much for you in so little time. Josue, Miah, Kausar, how do I let myself know it’s time to say goodbye? I dread it to be the last time that we wait for Josue to walk through Mr. Castle’s doors and we chant his name, or the last time Miah and I will ever do our fingerwiggle goodbyes. The thought of replacing you guys with someone new feels surreal. I know it couldn’t last forever. Your guys’ voices have found their places amidst my Uno card. Our unhinged laughter will forever echo in the empty sets you guys will leave. You all are boarding your own ships and sailing into the vast ocean. A part of me will always be waiting for the clock to rewind, to the first four words that were ever spoken. And even when we are miles apart, I’ll carry our crew of five with me–in every laugh, every memory, every quiet moment I wish I could relive. So until we meet again… save me a seat at the table.
