A

Once in a Lifetime.

It was a 61-degree winter evening where the sun set early and it was dark. I ran alone and three freshmen wearing garnet ran passed me as they giggled in mischief. They were playing Ding Dong Ditch! A confused man stepped outside and asked, "Who knocked on my door?" "It was those three rascals over there", I said pointing. Gustavo and I once rang doorbells and sprinted when we wore our garnet uniform.

Today during lunch, Gustavo and I were together and we went to order raspados at Cuchis. Time stood still and we touched on many subjects. From the Oil Crisis in Mexico, New Years, the pros and cons of Aurora, what life after graduation will be like, friends, and our love lives. Things are not the same between us; I doubt we will ever be as close as before.

I came to a grieving realization that I will never meet someone like him again... Gustavo who biked all the way from Mexicali to Calexico in the early hours of dawn just to see me. The only friend who has read and responded to all of my entries. Even though he was out of shape and nearly vomited, he ran with me each hot afternoon, or even during times when there were thunderstorms. Together we became fit and joined Track season, along with the drama club where we became writers. Who else went to the store to buy me Hot Cheeto Puffs and left them on my doorstep whenever I was on my period? Only Gustavo. We met up every morning in Sophomore year, every lunch, at Las Fiestas Del Sol, New Year's Eve, and we had a tour of Warner Brothers Studios in Hollywood thanks to the Theater Company. Every crappy day my inseparable brother was here for me. Our problems with depression and our coping mechanisms of drinking to erase our memories and smoking hookah pens allowed us to relate to each other. We talked for hours about all of our thoughts and perspectives; we helped each other recover from our anxiety attacks. We were each other's therapist who would listen when no one else did. I've talked to dozens of new people and we visit the same places where we reenact our moments, but that bond we shared may only come once in a lifetime.

~Yours Truly,
Authors Note: “Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.” -Dr. Seuss.