There is no way that I could expect you to stay the same, really. It would be selfish of me to do so, and it is also pretty impossible. Life shapes us continuously, and any one day can change us forever. Any one person, can change us forever.
You know, I'm really glad that I met you. Being around you has answered a lot of questions in my mind, questions that came up long ago and questions that sprouted very recently. Being friends with you has opened my eyes to a whole new level of friendship that I have never discovered before in other people.
The friendship was one of the best that I've ever had. Thank you for that.
Honestly, I don't really know where I went wrong. It's like I woke up one morning and the friendship warped into something I didn't quite recognise anymore. There was no trigger. There was no build-up. It just happened.
I remember we used to joke about how well I know you, and even invited other people to test that knowledge. I thought I knew you pretty well too. Right now, I realised how wrong I was, and "knowing you" was an illusion all along. I don't know you at all. Admitting to that is one of the most painful things I have ever felt.
There is one thing I know for certain. I loved you. I won't deny that. I cared about you more than I usually bother with my other friends. I guess it was part of the excitement of making a new friend who sort of shares my background. Walking with you. Eating with you. Watching you talk about music with such a passion that I'm still in awe. Generally just being with you made me happy. I never wanted to see you upset, and obviously I never want to see any of my friends sad, but I went out of my way to try to fix it for you. I'll stay up late with you if you are stressed. I'll talk to you about any of your problems. I'll buy you food just so I can see you smile and devour the food like it's the best present anyone has ever given you. I'll do things I usually wouldn't do for other people, because I wanted to, and because I could never turn down your requests.
I essentially just made a list of "What good friends will do for each other". Because I honestly thought I was a good friend. It took a lot of self evaluation to realise that this is not the case. It wasn't as unconditional as I had imagined. When I noticed that you didn't really give a damn about what I did for you, I became angry and upset. It was silly of me. Why should I expect you to return something when you didn't ask for half the things I do for you? I thought I did my friend duties to make you happy, when in reality, I was the one benefiting from all this. I was, and still am, a horrible friend.
Over the summer, I contemplated many things, but I hoped for the best. I hoped we could return to being the close friends I remember us as at the start of our college life. It never seemed to require effort to be friends with you. Until now.
It was like living with a stranger. Sure, we had good moments, but they didn't last long. I'm always dreading the next fight, the next argument, the next fall out. I tip-toe around you but still manage to set off numerous land mines. I try to be "normal", but noticed I had to hold back and not be myself around you, something I never worried about last year. I want so badly for you to trust me, but realise that I no longer have the same trust in you. I became paranoid about all the private things that I have told you, and what you have done with all the information. Did you tell anyone? I don't know. I'm afraid to ask.
I remember that you got mad at me that one time I went out jogging at 1am. I was taken aback at how worried you were. It's probably pretty insulting to you, but I didn't think you cared. You probably think that I undervalue how you feel about me as a friend. I just don't understand how you can care about me, after all that we've been through. I apologised and promised never to do it again. I felt so loved, so unexpected that you would call me even though it wasn't that late.
Then, I go back to the one night last year I asked you to be there for me. True, it was 3/4am and not the best of times. I asked you to come back. If I received a call from a friend at that time of the day, I would go running to see what is wrong, even if I had to walk miles and miles. If you hadn't picked up the phone.. then so be it. But when you picked up, and were unwilling to literally get out of the room right next door, I was crushed. You just sounded... Annoyed at me on the phone.
I realised how stupid I was. How fucking blind I've been. I have placed all my trust in a person who I had never trust so much before in my life. Why did I do that? Because you convinced me that I could be honest with you. You convinced me that you could be the go-to friend I can always count on.
But you're not that person.
I don't blame you. You are still one of the best friends I've ever made, despite the short time together. I blame myself for letting my guard down. I can't expect you to be who I want you to be. I can't compare you to me because we are two different people with different attitudes.
We were both wrong. We both struggled to understand one another. Maybe it just wasn't meant to be. I was so sure you were one of the life-long friends my mother told me I would meet in college. Out of the crowds of people I could always spot you.
Now I don't think I can find you ever again.
