Hello?

I sat calmly on the edge of my bed.

Well... calmly might be an understatement.

Let me try again.

I sat impatiently on the edge of my bed.

No, that's still not right.

I sat nervously on the edge of my bed.

That'll do, I suppose.

But why, you ask?

Let me tell you.

One warm evening in mid-June, I heard a knock on my door. Who is that? I thought. I considered not opening it. You see, I was very insecure. What if it's a murderer? What if it's a robber, or a kidnapper? My thirteen year old self wasn't exactly a great logical thinker.

I decided, however, to open it. And it's a darn good thing I did. The person who stood there had straight, shiny, dirty blonde hair, greenish-hazel eyes, and white teeth. She grinned, and I saw dimples flash on her rosy cheeks.

"Hello!" The girl seemed very excited to see me. Of course, I knew who she was. But I still couldn't quite believe it. "H-hello..." I said back. She laughed a quiet, bubbly laugh.

"Don't be so shocked, sport!" She nudged me playfully with her shoulder.

Correction: she shoved me playfully with her shoulder.

I fell into the brown couch.

"Aw, toughen up!" Her voice was loud, but friendly. She was dressed like the perfect teenager. Exactly how I wished I looked. She wore a laced white shirt. It really popped against the navy denim of her shorts. Her shoes went flying across the room as she kicked them off.

She wiggled her white toenails as she flopped down on the couch next to me. "So..." I began. "What are you into these days?" Her eyes sparkled. One thing I knew about her was that she loved to talk about herself.

"Oh, you know... just the normal stuff. Social media, fashion, boys..." I tried to pay attention as she listed all the things she liked. "Hey! Lizzie?" I realized she was calling me. "Oh, yes?" I ask gingerly. "Let's go for a walk." I slipped my tennis shoes on and she jumped out onto the sidewalk. We laced our fingers together like two sisters.

If only she were my sister. I could never be like her.

"Hey, you know... I know how you feel." She bit her lip. I took a deep breath and looked around at the fresh, juicy greenery around me.

"I know." I sighed. "Why are you here?" I received no response. Just a warm look. We kept walking. Soon, we reached my favorite spot in the neighborhood. The lake.

I love the way the water glimmers in the sunlight. It ripples in the wind and it emits a smell that's almost perfect. The only thing that could make it better would be to have someone here with me. Someone I love.

I don't love this girl. Not one bit. She made too many unfixable mistakes.

Too many wrong decisions.

But that was okay, for the moment. I was just enjoying the fresh air, the serenity, and the milky ripples in the water.

"I still love it, you know." I turned to her. "What?" I asked. "I still come here, every day. Well, mostly every day." Then her gaze fixed back upon the water.

And that brings us back to where we started. Me, sitting on my bed, not knowing how I feel. What am I doing?

I'm thinking. Who was she? What did she do to make me feel like this.

I felt at peace with her, my wild emotions tamed.

And then I realize: I do love her.

I check my phone.

Tuesday, May 26, 2020. 3:40 pm.

It took me 13 years to realize.

But who is she?

I'll tell you that.

She's me.

I hope you enjoyed my story :D

It took me a while to write.

Not too long tho.

Love yourself! You are here for a reason.

You have a purpose.

Don't let anyone tell you you don't.

Ever.

Never.

"Love your neighbors as you love yourself."

Explain to me how you can do that if you don't love yourself.

Also, my dog says hello :3.

So does my cat.

THINK OF THEM!

THINK OF YOUR SIBLINGS!

YOUR PARENTS!

everyone (and everything :3) who loves you. Where would they be without you?

let's re-read that last part:

I'm thinking. Who was she? What did she do to make me feel like this.

I felt at peace with her, my wild emotions tamed.

And then I realize: I do love her.

I check my phone.

Tuesday, May 26, 2020. 3:40 pm.

It took me 13 years to realize.

But who is she?

I'll tell you that.

She's me.

Even if it takes you 13 years, you'll do it! TALK TO SOMEONE!

Now read this all again (if you want) and think about it from a different perspective.

I sat calmly on the edge of my bed.

Well... calmly might be an understatement.

Let me try again.

I sat impatiently on the edge of my bed.

No, that's still not right.

I sat nervously on the edge of my bed.

That'll do, I suppose.

But why, you ask?

Let me tell you.

One warm evening in mid-June, I heard a knock on my door. Who is that? I thought. I considered not opening it. You see, I was very insecure. What if it's a murderer? What if it's a robber, or a kidnapper? My thirteen year old self wasn't exactly a great logical thinker.

I decided, however, to open it. And it's a darn good thing I did. The person who stood there had straight, shiny, dirty blonde hair, greenish-hazel eyes, and white teeth. She grinned, and I saw dimples flash on her rosy cheeks.

"Hello!" The girl seemed very excited to see me. Of course, I knew who she was. But I still couldn't quite believe it. "H-hello..." I said back. She laughed a quiet, bubbly laugh.

"Don't be so shocked, sport!" She nudged me playfully with her shoulder.

Correction: she shoved me playfully with her shoulder.

I fell into the brown couch.

"Aw, toughen up!" Her voice was loud, but friendly. She was dressed like the perfect teenager. Exactly how I wished I looked. She wore a laced white shirt. It really popped against the navy denim of her shorts. Her shoes went flying across the room as she kicked them off.

She wiggled her white toenails as she flopped down on the couch next to me. "So..." I began. "What are you into these days?" Her eyes sparkled. One thing I knew about her was that she loved to talk about herself.

"Oh, you know... just the normal stuff. Social media, fashion, boys..." I tried to pay attention as she listed all the things she liked. "Hey! Lizzie?" I realized she was calling me. "Oh, yes?" I ask gingerly. "Let's go for a walk." I slipped my tennis shoes on and she jumped out onto the sidewalk. We laced our fingers together like two sisters.

If only she were my sister. I could never be like her.

"Hey, you know... I know how you feel." She bit her lip. I took a deep breath and looked around at the fresh, juicy greenery around me.

"I know." I sighed. "Why are you here?" I received no response. Just a warm look. We kept walking. Soon, we reached my favorite spot in the neighborhood. The lake.

I love the way the water glimmers in the sunlight. It ripples in the wind and it emits a smell that's almost perfect. The only thing that could make it better would be to have someone here with me. Someone I love.

I don't love this girl. Not one bit. She made too many unfixable mistakes.

Too many wrong decisions.

But that was okay, for the moment. I was just enjoying the fresh air, the serenity, and the milky ripples in the water.

"I still love it, you know." I turned to her. "What?" I asked. "I still come here, every day. Well, mostly every day." Then her gaze fixed back upon the water.

And that brings us back to where we started. Me, sitting on my bed, not knowing how I feel. What am I doing?

I'm thinking. Who was she? What did she do to make me feel like this.

I felt at peace with her, my wild emotions tamed.

And then I realize: I do love her.

I check my phone.

Tuesday, May 26, 2020. 3:40 pm.

It took me 13 years to realize.

But who is she?

I'll tell you that.

She's me.

I hope you enjoyed my story :D

It took me a while to write.

Not too long tho.

Love yourself! You are here for a reason.

You have a purpose.

Don't let anyone tell you you don't.

Ever.

Never.

"Love your neighbors as you love yourself."

Explain to me how you can do that if you don't love yourself.

Also, my dog says hello :3.

So does my cat.

THINK OF THEM!

THINK OF YOUR SIBLINGS!

YOUR PARENTS!

everyone (and everything :3) who loves you. Where would they be without you?

let's re-read that last part:

I'm thinking. Who was she? What did she do to make me feel like this.

I felt at peace with her, my wild emotions tamed.

And then I realize: I do love her.

I check my phone.

Tuesday, May 26, 2020. 3:40 pm.

It took me 13 years to realize.

But who is she?

I'll tell you that.

She's me.

Even if it takes you 13 years, you'll do it! TALK TO SOMEONE!