"More than a stunning debut. It is the announcement of a bold new literary voice"
—Stephen Chbosky, author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower

I remember the first day I met you as though it were five minutes ago. Your long blonde hair was draping over your petite frame as you smiled a small smile at me. I was six at the time , you were almost nine . Our fathers new one another in high school, your family moved up the street only a week before . I never met you before this day. I was having a tea party , all the boys and girls in the neighborhood showed up dressed up as a Disney character they favored and we sipped hot chocolate and made the usual ‘ potty joke’. On this day we became best friends . It’s been years and the distant memory of you still repeats itself sometimes as though a lullaby. I still remember your favorite color , it was orange you really liked sunsets , but hated warm weather. I remember how loud you were , you were never afraid of being loud either, or anything for that matter . I wanted to be just like you .
Your name is Jade , You wanted to be a veterinarian, you always thought that dealing with animals was easier than being around people. You did ballet. You hated pop and you hated when people called it ‘pop’ too. You were always a lot smaller than me although you were a little older. You refused to eat anything else besides grilled cheese when we were younger and now I can barely think of it the same. You were clumsy , but you loved sports . You were easily bored , but also impressed by everything . You are the impossible girl I base all of my Characters off of . I sometimes hope that if I can keep writing I can maybe bring you back somehow but it feels so pointless.
Jade,
There are so many things I never got the chance to say to you. There are so many things I wish I could show you, I wish I could say. I’ll never get to introduce you to Paige ,or Ash , or Lea , or Avery . I’ll never get to tell you what I overcame , I won’t ever get the chance to explain how it felt being in the crowd of a Marianas Trench concert or how I met them. I will never get to say I met them with you either. If I could I would bring you back , drain your fears, and let them sink into my veins, I would help keep your feet on the ground . I would try my hardest to be what you needed me to be , as long as I could get you to stay. But , I didn’t even know you wanted to go. I’m sorry.