I unfolded the crinkled piece of lined paper and cleared my throat as I began reading aloud.
"Dearest Ashlyn,
Today would have been our one year anniversary of friendship. I know you wouldn't have remembered. But I do. I remember the very day we became friends. Daniel Harlem was harrassing me by the Hillcrest pond. He kept putting his hand on my thigh and trying to kiss my neck even though I kept pushing him away. And then he pushed me to the ground. It was like you appeared out of nowhere. I remember the fire you had in your eyes when you clenched your fist and broke his nose. I remember I cried as you helped me up. You had a kind of sweetness in your voice that made me feel safe when you said everything would be alright.

You drove me home that night. I remember you had Radiohead playing quietly. And I turned it up because they are my favorite band, and I remember that they were your favorite band too. You told me Daniel Harlem was a b****** and that he didn't deserve to be near anyone as beautiful as me. And that you weren't sure if you even deserved to be near someone as beautiful as me. You gave me your number and I remember being confused. But I called you that night anyway. Because you told me to. And I wanted to be your friend.

After that day, we spent almost everyday together. You took me to parties even though I was only a freshman and you were a junior. I remember you introduced me to all of your senior friends. And you weren't embarrassed. You were always smiling. With your arm draped over my shoulder. And I remember you asked me to be your partner in Beer Pong. And we lost, but you still high-fived me. And you still smiled, anyway.

I remember you surprised me on my birthday. You showed up on my doorstep holding a chocolate cupcake with strawberry frosting. And then you told me you had tickets to see Radiohead. That was the night you held my hand for the first time. I was confused. I remember feeling awkward and getting looked at strangely. But you stared at the stage with your head held high and a huge smile on your face. And you swayed back and forth with my hand in yours, and I didn't feel awkward anymore. So I smiled and swayed too.

Five nights later, you kissed me for the first time by the Hillcrest pond. In the same exact spot that Daniel Harlem had pushed me down. I remember you pushed me down too. But it wasn't like how Daniel Harlem did. You kissed me slowly and gently pushed me down into the cold grass and you laid on top of me and just kept kissing me. And I remember the feeling in my stomach that I had never felt before. You rolled over and handed me a dandelion. And we looked at the stars. And I remember feeling happy.

I remember the sincerety in your eyes when you told me I was beautiful. I remember the feeling of you running your fingers through my long hair. I remember staring into your eyes, and that they were always a different shade of green each time. And I remember telling you I loved you. And you said you loved me too. And I wasn't confused.

I remember the phone call I got forty-three days ago on April 17. I remember you told me that if you died before me, you didn't want me to cry. I'm sorry that I cried. But I'm not crying now. And I hope that makes you happy. Because you're my inspiration. And you taught me that it doesn't matter what people think.

Love always,
Elaina Glass

P.S. I love you. And I'm still not confused."


I refolded the piece of paper carefully and reached down to pick up a dandelion from the grass. I stared at it for a second before setting it down, along with my piece of paper, onto her gravestone. "Happy anniversary, Ashlyn Trinity Joel. I love you." I looked up at the stars and smiled. Because I remember her doing the exact same thing the night by the pond.