Peyton

Dear Peyton,

I miss the way we used to be friends. We lived so close together, I would just walk over to your house in the summer and we'd hang out for most of the day, only going home for dinner.

I miss the way we'd play Nancy Drew computer games (I still do). How we'd grab each other and scream when there was a scary part. How we'd get so frustrated when we couldn't finish a puzzle, and then I finally found the message board online. When we solved our first Nancy Drew case out of your, like, 10 games, and were so proud of ourselves.

I miss the way we used to play kick ball with your brother in your backyard, with ghostrunners, and no matter what we did or despite there being 2 people on our team instead of one, your brother always won. I even miss the way you stomped up the stairs and told on your brother to your mom just because he won.

I miss the way we used to blast the Freaky Friday soundtrack in your room, use your brother's guitars and your empty microphone stand and pretend we were in a band. How we'd start jumping around until we got embarrassed because your brother and his cool friend walked in on us.

I miss the way we used to play dolls, with your awesome doll set and when you got the doll hotel for your birthday.

I miss the time when your brother tried to make us in a band, and he would play guitar, you would sing, and I would play the drums. Only he couldn't find any drumsticks. So instead he gave me 2 parts of a Hot Wheels racetrack to drum with.

I miss that one time your brother caught a frog in the middle of summer and he was positive it was pregnant, so he grabbed his tool kit and we inspected it in the kiddie table in our garage. Only later did he reply, "Oh. Its leg was torn." Poor frog.

I miss our trips to the mall, and when your mom gave you money, you would pick out one thing for each person in your family. The expression your mom had when you gave them their things was priceless. What's better is that it happened each time too.

I miss the way we would play in the summer until dark, riding our bikes over your brother's bike ramp, so proud of ourselves when we actually didn't fall. How we'd play soccer in the front yard, or crawl into the baby-blue Spitfire in your garage and pretend we were Stacey Hinkhouse from Freaky Friday and that we could actually drive.

I miss the jitters of starting middle school together. We would finally be at the same school. But then, like the classic friendship split up, we grew apart, and you sought out popularity when I was content. I miss the sporty girl with the cute little laugh, not the boy-crazy preppy do-to-impress girl you became.

I really can't say everything I miss about our friendship.

But most of all, I miss the person you used to be.

Love, Jinna