This blog is dedicated to...

.... My oldest and dearest friend, Ross Preston.

Ok, so I've been thinking of a way that I can say goodbye to my great friend as he has decided to move down to London to kick start his career and I couldn't be prouder. After much thinking and realising that a goodbye text/phonecall just wouldn't give our 9 years of friendship any justice, so, the best way I can possibly say goodbye and relive some of our amazing memories is to write a blog post dedicated to his fine self. However, I probably shouldn't in hindsight as I don't want his ego to grow any bigger and to let him think that I actually like him ;) But here goes!

This boy/man/thing is one of the oldest, dearest and closest friends I have.

I seriously cannot believe I have put up with him for all this time. A whole 9 years! Wow! It just seems like yesterday since we met for the first time at the bus stop on our way to our first day of high school. So, here's how that day planned out. I, a nervous, slightly chubby, school girl comes bounding over to the bus stop ready to start my first day of school. As I was approaching the bus stop I noticed there were a couple of people who looked a similar age to me and also looked as nervous as me. One of this young chap and the other was a young lady called Lauren who turned out to be one of my best friends in the latter. As I approached the two I decided to introduce myself and hopefully break the ice meaning we all had someone we knew to walk into the gates with rather than on our own. As my usual self, I haven't changed in the whole 9 years, I was confident and with much enthusiasm said; 'Hiya! Are you starting school today too? My name is Hope, what's yours?' the other two didn't seem as in your face as I had been and quietly replied that they were starting school today and they were called Ross and Lauren, plus they already knew each other from primary school. My first initial thought was, oh god! They already know each other! I can't compete with that but then I decided to sit with them on the bus in hope that they would accept me into their twosome and make it a threesome.

I ended up being separated from Ross but found myself in the same form as Lauren and we were friends from pretty much the first day. I can't honestly remember how our friendship group formed, but it did and I'm so grateful it did. However, a few years ago we all decided to let each other know what our first impressions were of one another. I then found out that, both those 11 year olds who I bounded up to at the bus stop on the first day of school and who were know my very close friends, thought I was weird!

WEIRD?! and that they didn't want to be my friend at first because I wouldn't stop laughing! At first I couldn't believe that the two people who had been my friends for all this time first impressions of me was that I was weird and they weren't too keen on being my friend. But, after a few minutes of mulling this over I did what I do best and the one thing that made them have second thoughts in the first place - I laughed! I laughed hard. It was possibly one of the funniest things I had ever heard and its a story I still tell today and is still brought up between us as it was just hilarious. The irony of the matter is, is that we became friends and still are to this day regardless of first impressions. I don't believe in first impressions when I meet people as I think some tend not to come across as well as what they can.

Since that day that we met we have had some of the most amazing memories. The laughter has been incredible, literally side splitting, tears rolling down cheeks and hurting stomach incredible. The kind of laughter that only happens every so often with some people but this literally happens every time we're together. Not only does this boy make me laugh uncontrollably and we have a great time together, I also admire him greatly. You wouldn't BELIEVE the amount of crap this boy has caused me over the years with his bitchiness and slyness, but for some reason even after every time he hurt me and caused me grief, I still wanted him to be my friend. I still forgave him. And he, eventually, learnt his lesson and hasn't caused me pain for many years, only the good stuff - laughter & smiles! Back to why I admire him. He is one of the most ambitious and dramatic people I have ever met, and he reminds me greatly of myself. I do believe he is a male version of myself. He never gives up, never lets anybody get him down even when there were times when it could of easily got to him, he rises up taller and higher than ever before and has become a great, accomplished, ambitious and enthusiastic adult. I admire that about him. I also admire that when he could have stuck to his full time job after college and stayed in his mundane routine, he has decided to scrap it all and follow his dreams. The dream of going to London to pursue his career in writing/acting! I couldn't be prouder! Seriously, its an incredible achievement in itself just getting up and leaving what you already have and could have kept behind to start a completely new life on your own. I want him to go and be successful and live the dream. The dream we both once had. A dream that we have had since we have known one another. One that I lost and couldn't ever seem to get back. He's going to do this, I know it! And he better bloody remember me when he gets there. However, part of me thinks that no matter where we are in the world we'll always come back to one another. We have done for the past 9 years so whats going to be different in the next 9 years? This boy has been the only boy other than my dad/brother who has been there for me and has been with me through the good, the bad and the ugly times. So, I guess I should say Thank you! Thank you for being an incredible friend and being there for 9 whole years! I'm looking forward to what the future has in store for us and the successes/failures we are going to have, but, knowing you're going to be around makes it all ok and not scary whatsoever.

Good luck with everything my lovely! And I wish you all the happiness and success that London has to offer and I hope you get it all with open arms. This will be the making of you and I can't wait to see who that person is you're going to become. Even if it does go tits up, I'll still be here to pick up the pieces, with a bottle of wine and whey free chocolate, ready to find something else for you to stick your teeth into!

I love you Ross Preston. And this is my Goodbye.

Three things;

I love you

Thank you

I'll miss you.

Hopeful

xxx