I’m standing at the foot of my bed, packing up the rest of my clothes.

I do a quick scan around my room making sure I didn’t forget anything important.

My mom is going to have the rest of my stuff sent to me by the end of the week but I have some essentials I’ll need when I get to Washington tonight.

Remembering I wanted to take the photos of my mom and my friends, I walk over to my mirror and pull the photos I have stuck in the frame and walk back over to my suitcase.

Just as I’m tucking the photos in an inside pocket of my suitcase Sarah and Kylie come rushing into my room.

My best friends

Sarah and I have been friends the longest, we met in kindergarten and she’s always been the the extrovert of our friend group. With her 5’7, slender body and long stick straight blonde hair. Wide blue eyes and sun kissed tan skin. I always felt like she belonged on a beach in California. Not here in our little podunk middle of nowhere town, South Carolina.

Then there’s Kylie. We met a few years later in 3rd grade. Sarah and I taking to her immediately. My sweet kind Kylie. She’s the mother hen of our group. Always making sure everyone is having a good *safe* time. She still has me beat by 3’ at 5’5, and she has an almost elvish willowy body. Raven black curly hair and chocolate brown eyes. Deep silken cocoa skin.

There is no comparison. They are both beyond beautiful. Then there’s me. 5’2, bright red hair that’s slightly wavy. Porcelain fair skin and green eyes. More curves than I know what to do with. My two best friends say I’m curvy in all the right places but I feel like they’re just trying to be comforting. Thighs too thick, butt too big and wide hips. Tapered waist.

I know I’m not the worst to look at. But I’m not the one guys from school pay attention too. It’s always Sarah and Kylie. I’m perfectly happy with the lack of attention. I’m in my own head a lot. Or my face in a book.

I’m the quiet one most of the time and my best friends accept me for who I am. So that’s all that matters to me.

Sarah is bent over, hands on her knees, panting. Kylie in a similar fashion behind her.

Finally catching her breath Sarah straightens looking at me “We thought we might miss you, we ran the whole way here”

Bewildered by that thought, my voicing rising with each word “Oh my God you guys! I would never leave without saying goodbye!”

Kylie having caught her breath as well takes a step closer to me “We know you have to leave at 3, it’s 2:30” she says with a soft shrug.

“I don’t care if it means missing my flight! I would NEVER EVER leave without saying goodbye! My mom would understand. I love you both too much to leave that way”.

I choke up at the end and feel tears burning at the back of my eyes. Willing them to stay in I rush forward and pull them both into a bone crushing hug.

It doesn’t take long before we’re all blubbering. Talking over each other. Making promises to FaceTime as often as possible and call at least twice a week. Of course we’ll text everyday, that’s a given.

I give them one last squeeze and they both head towards my bedroom door, waiting to walk me out.

I turn back to my suitcase, wiping away any stray tears.

I take one last look around, close the top on my suitcase and zip it.

I guess this is really it.

I pick up my suitcase and walk over to my door. Closing it behind us on the way out.

For the last and final time.