Dear Jakey...

Jake, do you remember how we met?
You were a year older than me.We went to a small high school, it was hard not to know anybody. But I really only talked to you my junior year. You sat across the classroom in Mrs. Leigh's computer class and we would sit on her couch and talk about life. I helped you with girl problems. You helped me laugh until I felt like I was going to fall over. I took your hat all the time. You were my "boyfriend" and we used to hold hands. Did you know that I loved you?

Jake, do you remember prom night? I didn't have a date so I declared you as mine, though you were happily taken by one of my beautiful friends. You were the best dressed boy there. I couldn't have imagined the night without you. Did you know that I loved you?

Jake, do you remember when you graduated from high school? Do you remember when I cried? I didn't think we would stay friends after that, without a class to keep us together. You knew that was a stupid thing to think. Did you know that I loved you?

Jake, do you remember when you enlisted in the army? Do you remember how heartbroken I was, how convinced I was that I would never see you again? Do you remember when you came home on senior night that fall? Did you know that I loved you?

Jakey, do you remember when we talked just a month ago? You had one of those "To Be Honest" statuses up on Facebook, so I liked it just to see what you would say- I've always been a sucker for those. Your reply was "To Be Honest: You were my imaginary girlfriend and then the army took me away". I genuinely laughed when I read it, and I told you that I loved you. And you told me that you loved me too. It was such a short conversation; we didn't talk much in the past half year or so. But I am so grateful that I was able to tell you that I loved you before you left.

These words are all I have to help me cope, because the one person who could make everything better has gone to paradise. Thank you for being the most wonderful friend anyone ever could have asked for. Thank you for being a ray of light in my life. I will see you in heaven, Jakey. And you know that I love you.

You will forever be in my heart.
Lauren