We talk over occasional long texts, my friend and I. She's attending a small, private college in Louisiana and I'm a student at HUFS. We haven't seen each other in three years. We don't even talk over the phone. And there hasn't been an exchange of selfies to remind each other what we look like. It's somewhat an odd, quirky friendship that may seem puzzling to some people, but it makes that just makes it even more meaningful for me.
I don't exactly remember the first time I met her. And how we got to be friends, I honestly cannot say. But what I do remember is that before we became friends, I was intimidated by her slightly superior attitude, her poker face, and the wry smirk that played on her lips. Sometime in our freshman year of high school, we realized we had more in common than we thought and we slowly became friends. Now when I picture her in my mind, I can remember distinctly that she had bright hazel eyes that intensely stared into mine, and freckles scattered across her pale face. Her expression was usually impassive, bordering on bored. I could never really tell what she was thinking until she flashed a smile or directly told me how she felt.
They say first impressions aren't everything, and I fully agree with that statement. Little did I know that the girl I had been slightly intimidated by would have one of the biggest hearts and funniest jokes I've come across in my twenty one years. My friend Rebekah, or Bekah as I like to affectionately call her, and I share very few personality traits. She is a scientist; cool, logical, and objective. I, as a budding literature student, can be sensitive and moody. As a future chemical engineer, she spends her times in labs while I read Forster and Fitzgerald. But somehow, with our shared love for books and sarcasm and general fondness for each other, we make our friendship work. She tells me she enjoys my long rambling messages because it seems very much like my character to write like so and I never get offended by her short and somewhat distant replies because I know that's just Rebekah. But she always cheers me up with an encouraging text when I tell her about a disastrous class presentation, and is always ready with a sound and clear advice when I send very long message in hysterics. One of our mutual friends once said to me, "Rebekah seems very serious, but she's very kind, isn't she?" And she is. Last year, I texted her a very long message because I was upset and wanted to talk to her. Telling her my problem and the amount of stress and worry it was giving me, I sent the message and hoped she would reply back soon. One minute later, she was texting me, telling me not to worry and very practically offering advice on what I can do. I immediately felt better…until I realized I had forgotten about the time difference and had texted her at 4 in the morning. I was so surprised, but she said she had woken up because of her phone vibrating to relay my messages to her. She had thought it was a big emergency.
Rebekah and I haven't actually talked to each other in a long time. Instead, like the young, modern adults we are, we text each other a few times a week. And I can still hear her dry, witty tone in my head as I read each message she sends me. While I ramble on in my messages about the woes of an English major and keep her informed about everything from my unsuccessful relationship attempts to the strange aspects of Korean culture she might find interesting, her messages are parallel to her personality; straightforward and blunt. Uninterested in dating, she calls the boys in her classes 'idiots' and changes the subject back to the latest season of Doctor Who. She is the only person I know who will tell me she is going to bed early so could she please text tomorrow? And she is also one of the funniest people I know. Her messages to me are usually very serious, yet her dry humor makes me laugh aloud every time. Her observations are clever and her remarks amusing.
Though I don't know when I'll see my friend again, our frequent messages to each other keep us in touch. We are not the type of friends that get upset if the other forgets to text back for five or six days. The bond between us can seem shaky to outsiders but it is actually quite strong. And I can only hope our connection stays strong for a long, long time.
I don't exactly remember the first time I met her. And how we got to be friends, I honestly cannot say. But what I do remember is that before we became friends, I was intimidated by her slightly superior attitude, her poker face, and the wry smirk that played on her lips. Sometime in our freshman year of high school, we realized we had more in common than we thought and we slowly became friends. Now when I picture her in my mind, I can remember distinctly that she had bright hazel eyes that intensely stared into mine, and freckles scattered across her pale face. Her expression was usually impassive, bordering on bored. I could never really tell what she was thinking until she flashed a smile or directly told me how she felt.
They say first impressions aren't everything, and I fully agree with that statement. Little did I know that the girl I had been slightly intimidated by would have one of the biggest hearts and funniest jokes I've come across in my twenty one years. My friend Rebekah, or Bekah as I like to affectionately call her, and I share very few personality traits. She is a scientist; cool, logical, and objective. I, as a budding literature student, can be sensitive and moody. As a future chemical engineer, she spends her times in labs while I read Forster and Fitzgerald. But somehow, with our shared love for books and sarcasm and general fondness for each other, we make our friendship work. She tells me she enjoys my long rambling messages because it seems very much like my character to write like so and I never get offended by her short and somewhat distant replies because I know that's just Rebekah. But she always cheers me up with an encouraging text when I tell her about a disastrous class presentation, and is always ready with a sound and clear advice when I send very long message in hysterics. One of our mutual friends once said to me, "Rebekah seems very serious, but she's very kind, isn't she?" And she is. Last year, I texted her a very long message because I was upset and wanted to talk to her. Telling her my problem and the amount of stress and worry it was giving me, I sent the message and hoped she would reply back soon. One minute later, she was texting me, telling me not to worry and very practically offering advice on what I can do. I immediately felt better…until I realized I had forgotten about the time difference and had texted her at 4 in the morning. I was so surprised, but she said she had woken up because of her phone vibrating to relay my messages to her. She had thought it was a big emergency.
Rebekah and I haven't actually talked to each other in a long time. Instead, like the young, modern adults we are, we text each other a few times a week. And I can still hear her dry, witty tone in my head as I read each message she sends me. While I ramble on in my messages about the woes of an English major and keep her informed about everything from my unsuccessful relationship attempts to the strange aspects of Korean culture she might find interesting, her messages are parallel to her personality; straightforward and blunt. Uninterested in dating, she calls the boys in her classes 'idiots' and changes the subject back to the latest season of Doctor Who. She is the only person I know who will tell me she is going to bed early so could she please text tomorrow? And she is also one of the funniest people I know. Her messages to me are usually very serious, yet her dry humor makes me laugh aloud every time. Her observations are clever and her remarks amusing.
Though I don't know when I'll see my friend again, our frequent messages to each other keep us in touch. We are not the type of friends that get upset if the other forgets to text back for five or six days. The bond between us can seem shaky to outsiders but it is actually quite strong. And I can only hope our connection stays strong for a long, long time.
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