Dear Outstation Best Friend,
I know it’s been quite a while since you’ve left this town and I should probably get used to your absence by now, but I haven’t. I don’t think I ever can. I still miss those early morning assemblies where you’d be the first one I’d look for in the school crowd, just to sneak off somewhere and complete our previous night’s stories; or start a new one. I still miss spending time with you for hours and watching time fly in the blink of an eye, before its time to go home. I still miss calling you for the most random reasons and end up getting a sore throat because of our never ending conversations. Most of all, I still miss seeing you every day like a family and giggling for no reason, letting the people around us wonder why!
Despite it all, I’ve learnt to accept the goodness in the changes that life has brought our ways and am willing to continue as long as we grow together. Even though you and I have made a few mistakes, we shall not let the distance between us grow any stronger. Before it’s too late, let’s renew some of our promises to each other and strengthen our long distance love more than ever.
PROMISE #1: I promise to let you go! (When it’s time for your non-refundable flight to take off)
I’ll try to take your occasional going-away’s as lightly as possible without begging you to stay any longer or creating a complete emotional mess out of you just before you leave. Because let’s admit it, you could always find someone interesting or good looking in flights (and sometimes, their cute bff too!)
PROMISE #2: I promise to keep you updated with every single thing in my life
From the latest sitcom addictions to the places I visit the next day, I’d never let you miss out anything new or old happening with me, even if it takes several hours to just type it all down. Just in case I forget something, you’ve been granted full permission to scold me fiercely (even though you’ll do it without my consent)
PROMISE #3: I promise NOT to freak out every time I witness your late replies or broken promises of callbacks
I’ll try to remember that you too, have a life of your own now and its completely okay for you to get stuck somewhere or fall asleep, or yes, the most forbidden one- FORGET to text or call me back. Even though it’s going to be really hard, I’ll forgive you once in a while- okay fine, always! *hmph*
PROMISE #4: I promise to be EXACTLY the same on the phone with you as we are in person (since we get to live those moments quite rarely now)
No matter where we are or whoever it is we’re with, I promise to never control myself from jumping excitedly or laughing hysterically with you, even for the most random and meaningless reasons. Everyone around us should be able to recognize the person we’re on the phone with just by a mere look at us and thus, never dare to interrupt. At least until the force of nature plays its role and worsens our connection just to leave some topics for us to cover the next day.
PROMISE #5: I promise to never get jealous of your new found friends
As much as I will be okay with them for giving you company in my absence (hopefully), I would also try to resist making fun of them at every chance I get, mispronounce their names deliberately or taunt you about the memories you made with them behind my back, especially the ones that we couldn’t, just yet.
PROMISE #6: I promise to never fight/argue with you like an old married couple
If things get way out of control and you end up committing the deadly sins of either sharing more secrets with your new friends and that too, BEFORE me, or hanging out with them without telling me, then you are likely to experience some unpleasant consequences. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t stay mad at you for too long because although you’d be reminded of your deeds repeatedly, what’s that everyone keeps posting nowadays? Oh yes, “For you, a thousand times over” (yes, even for a cheater Bff like you)
PROMISE #7: I promise to talk to you as soon as I MISS you (on hearing/seeing something that reminds me of our friendship)
How badly I envy those who continue to stay in the same town as their best friend and visit the same places or listen to the songs that once defined their friendship without feeling the absence of the other and oh yes, shedding a few tears!
PROMISE #8: I promise to cancel everything and everyone on the day you arrive
Whether it’s work, extra lectures or prior commitments with other people in my life, I’ll simply erase everything out of my mind and rush as fast as I can to you to make the most of our time. I’ll start planning everything from the best restaurants to movies or talk about all the recent developments in our lives, until of course you’re done resting or cribbing about your jet lag (in my lively presence).
PROMISE #9: I promise to let it all out the moment I meet you (even if you think I should promise you the opposite)
After a suppression of thousands of emotions gushing inside of me like a waterfall, chances are that they’ll be taken out on you in the craziest of ways. So kindly forgive me in advance! While you may get slapped more than a few times for providing me with all the pain of our separation, you will also get the tightest and longest hug from me yet, because that will only express my love for you.
PROMISE #10: I promise to pick up exactly from where we left off, as if we never spent any time apart
It’ll only be a matter of few seconds before we switch back into our usual, kiddo personalities and come out with our crazier selves again, impossible for anyone to handle. I thus, hope to continue the tradition of always acting completely mental with you in public and embarrassing you to such a point that it either leads to people’s deep stares or us being thrown out of their premises, politely.
PROMISE #11: I promise to protect you from people who even TRY to hurt you
Despite being miles away, all I require is that person’s full name and contact number and I’ll teach them a lesson of such a sort that they’ll remain too scared to mess with you or anyone for as long as they shall live. (You know I can do that)
PROMISE #12: I promise to be there for you always and love you forever, no matter what
As cliché as this sounds, it’s as honest as it could possibly be. Irrespective of our number of fights, mistakes or miscommunication, you’re the one person I can completely be myself with and there’s nothing you could do or say that could possibly make me want to leave or let you go. Neither, will there be in the future.
So, yes, even though the realization of you being far away still hits me now and then, yet, I’m taking it one WhatsApp text/call at a time. Distance may have tried to push us away from each other but surprisingly, it has also brought us closer in many little ways by giving us better reasons to love each other more and provide us with something amazing to look forward to every single day. So, remember, my stupid, irreplaceable best friend: You may be out of sight, but you’ll never be out of my mind. I love you with all my heart. Always have, always will!
Yours (and yes, only yours) truly,
Hometown Best Friend
P.s. After reading this, you better be on your next flight back home.
Image Credits: www.pintinterest.com
Shagun Marwah