Kathryn
Kathryn
So Kathryn, where do I start?
I heart punk.
That's what the shirt you had on the first time I ever saw you in eighth grade. I remember Melissa had stopped you in the hallway to ask you a question. I remember I looked at you and thought I heart punk. Yeah, I think not. You don't look like the 'I listen to punk' type. I also remember thinking that you were short. I mean, I'm only five feet tall and you were shorter than me! Despite all those thoughts I had, I mainly wondered why Melissa hadn't introduced us. Being one of the new girls at the school, you looked like an interesting person. Not too many people had the same fashion as you at my middle school.
Then we started high school. As luck would have it, we ended up having English and P.E. together. If someone had told me in eighth grade that you and I would become best friends the moment high school started, I would have laughed and said 'Yeah right.' It wasn't long until we were getting scolded almost every day in English class by Mrs. Hydzik or Mrs. T-Rex as we liked to call her.
Needless to say, one of my first impressions of you was right. You didn't listen to punk. You were simply wearing the shirt because you liked it. You didn't care what other people thought of you for wearing that shirt either. Your reaction to music was one thing I loved most about you. You listened to metal bands and music of that sort. Ozzy Osbourne, Lef Leppard, Dimebag Darrel. I preferred Cobra Starship, Plunket, Good Charlotte. Not once did you ever ridicule me for liking the more "poppy" bands. I love the fact that while you were listening to Metallica, I would sit there and go on and on about the Jonas Brothers and you would look at me and say in the most sincere voice, "If you like them, then that's cool." You could have made fun of me for being twenty years old and a fan of the Jonas Brothers, but you never did. If you had to listen to my music, you would willingly do it and not once complain about it. I remember the one time when there was a ska show happening in Chicago and Melissa couldn't go with me so you went with me. You didn't even like ska music! What amazed me the most though, was that instead of pouting and telling me I wasted your time, you joined in with the crowd and skanked right along with them. You were totally awesome for that.
I remember when I had my heart broken towards the end of senior year. You yelled at him right in the middle of the cafeteria. How humiliating was that for him! You spoke up for me when I was too much of a wreck to do so. You were always supportive in my choice of boys. If you didn't like them, you said so in a way that wasn't hurtful but you knew I valued your opinion no matter what.
I know you saw this but I'll tell you anyway. When you passed away, you went out having almost no enemies at all. I envy that about you to this very day. When I finally accepted that you were no longer with us, I made you a promise. I promised that I would make amends in your honor with those I felt I needed to do so with most. Because of you, I made amends with someone who had been a big part of my life. He even took some of the blame for what happened. I guess we just realized that we both had been childish and we both screwed up the friendship. If it weren't for you though, I never would have taken that step and talked to him. It sucks you couldn't have been there physically but I know you were watching for wherever you are.
There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about you. There's always something that reminds me of you. I'll be watching television and a comedian like Gabriel Iglesias or Felipe Esparza comes on and I would be like, 'If only Kat was here, she would love him.' Or a movie like 'The Hot Tub Time Machine' would come out and I just know that you'd be first in line for tickets.
Kathryn, you are one of the most amazing friends I have ever had. After Melissa moved, you stepped up to the plate without any hesitation and were always there for me when I needed you. I'm glad though, that you knew exactly how I felt about our friendship before you passed away. Every time when we talked on the internet, we would always tell each other that high school would have sucked or would have been tougher than it already was. That's no lie either. You always stood up for me. You were always there for me.
You were on this earth for nineteen years. I'm glad to have been able to be a part of at least five of those years. In just those five years, we went from being friends to family. You really are the sister I wish I had. I will forever cherish those five years. It's upsetting that your life was cut short but it was a life worth living. You lived while you had the time. When I grow up, I want to be just like you.
I love you. I miss you. I'll see you when I get there.
Love,
Jenna
P.S. Remember that one time you scanned your face with my scanner? To this very day, I still have those scans saved and I will never get rid of them.
I heart punk.
That's what the shirt you had on the first time I ever saw you in eighth grade. I remember Melissa had stopped you in the hallway to ask you a question. I remember I looked at you and thought I heart punk. Yeah, I think not. You don't look like the 'I listen to punk' type. I also remember thinking that you were short. I mean, I'm only five feet tall and you were shorter than me! Despite all those thoughts I had, I mainly wondered why Melissa hadn't introduced us. Being one of the new girls at the school, you looked like an interesting person. Not too many people had the same fashion as you at my middle school.
Then we started high school. As luck would have it, we ended up having English and P.E. together. If someone had told me in eighth grade that you and I would become best friends the moment high school started, I would have laughed and said 'Yeah right.' It wasn't long until we were getting scolded almost every day in English class by Mrs. Hydzik or Mrs. T-Rex as we liked to call her.
Needless to say, one of my first impressions of you was right. You didn't listen to punk. You were simply wearing the shirt because you liked it. You didn't care what other people thought of you for wearing that shirt either. Your reaction to music was one thing I loved most about you. You listened to metal bands and music of that sort. Ozzy Osbourne, Lef Leppard, Dimebag Darrel. I preferred Cobra Starship, Plunket, Good Charlotte. Not once did you ever ridicule me for liking the more "poppy" bands. I love the fact that while you were listening to Metallica, I would sit there and go on and on about the Jonas Brothers and you would look at me and say in the most sincere voice, "If you like them, then that's cool." You could have made fun of me for being twenty years old and a fan of the Jonas Brothers, but you never did. If you had to listen to my music, you would willingly do it and not once complain about it. I remember the one time when there was a ska show happening in Chicago and Melissa couldn't go with me so you went with me. You didn't even like ska music! What amazed me the most though, was that instead of pouting and telling me I wasted your time, you joined in with the crowd and skanked right along with them. You were totally awesome for that.
I remember when I had my heart broken towards the end of senior year. You yelled at him right in the middle of the cafeteria. How humiliating was that for him! You spoke up for me when I was too much of a wreck to do so. You were always supportive in my choice of boys. If you didn't like them, you said so in a way that wasn't hurtful but you knew I valued your opinion no matter what.
I know you saw this but I'll tell you anyway. When you passed away, you went out having almost no enemies at all. I envy that about you to this very day. When I finally accepted that you were no longer with us, I made you a promise. I promised that I would make amends in your honor with those I felt I needed to do so with most. Because of you, I made amends with someone who had been a big part of my life. He even took some of the blame for what happened. I guess we just realized that we both had been childish and we both screwed up the friendship. If it weren't for you though, I never would have taken that step and talked to him. It sucks you couldn't have been there physically but I know you were watching for wherever you are.
There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about you. There's always something that reminds me of you. I'll be watching television and a comedian like Gabriel Iglesias or Felipe Esparza comes on and I would be like, 'If only Kat was here, she would love him.' Or a movie like 'The Hot Tub Time Machine' would come out and I just know that you'd be first in line for tickets.
Kathryn, you are one of the most amazing friends I have ever had. After Melissa moved, you stepped up to the plate without any hesitation and were always there for me when I needed you. I'm glad though, that you knew exactly how I felt about our friendship before you passed away. Every time when we talked on the internet, we would always tell each other that high school would have sucked or would have been tougher than it already was. That's no lie either. You always stood up for me. You were always there for me.
You were on this earth for nineteen years. I'm glad to have been able to be a part of at least five of those years. In just those five years, we went from being friends to family. You really are the sister I wish I had. I will forever cherish those five years. It's upsetting that your life was cut short but it was a life worth living. You lived while you had the time. When I grow up, I want to be just like you.
I love you. I miss you. I'll see you when I get there.
Love,
Jenna
P.S. Remember that one time you scanned your face with my scanner? To this very day, I still have those scans saved and I will never get rid of them.