When It All Changed

“Things change. And friends leave. Life doesn't stop for anybody.” ― Stephen Chbosky

         Summer was when everything changed. Oh, but isn't that the beginning to everyone great story? An amazing summer spent with your closest friends. Friends who you had planned to spend the remainder of life with. Knowing no matter where life led you, you'd have each other. But sometimes life gets in the way.
         Let me start by saying this isn't your typical story. There isn't always a happy ending. Sometimes there isn't really an ending at all. People tend to get caught up in every new beginning and every ending to even realize what they are missing. The world keeps spinning, the sun rises and falls, life goes on. And summer..well that is when we finally began to pay attention.

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ― Maya Angelou

         Where do I begin with a person like Gabbi? Gabriella Adams was by far the most unique person I had ever met. Tall, blonde, and one of the smartest people I had ever known. She loved her words, and she loved with a fierceness that I am still just beginning to understand. She had a passion for people, but a deeply rooted insecurity in herself. Gabbi was always the easiest person for me to read. She always wore her heart on her sleeve. Maybe that is why it was so easy to trust her. She had a way with understanding people. She was the kind of person who gained your trust by simply being there.
         Gabbi was a very gracious person. She rarely ever disliked people. Grew up the youngest of four children, but you could hardly tell. Gabbi strived to be independent. I think we all knew she was just afraid of needing people. For years and years she had been hurt by the ones she loved. She had a heart of gold but it was easily broken by the possible words or potential thoughts of another. She would rather not be brought up in conversation if thought of at all. In her opinion, no words spoken about her felt better than the possibility of any harmful words being spoken against her.
         I always felt the need to protect Gabbi. I never thought of her as weak, just fragile. I saw her for her heart and I hoped that she would be careful with it. She trusted people easily, I just hoped she knew her limits. I just never wanted her to become too guarded. I guess in a way I was protecting her from becoming like me. Maybe that is why I related to her emotions the most. She reminded me what it was like to let myself feel again. Things I had buried deep inside of me for so long, brought out into the light. I forgot what it was like to just be honest with myself. And somewhere along helping her, she helped me instead.