Chanlexis

So I've realized recently that I talk a lot about Chandler to people who don't actually have any idea who the heck he is, and I'm pretty sure might not really care, but I would just like to openly admit to the universe that Chandler is a big part of who I am today, and if he doesn't know that yet he should (oh gosh, I sound so mushy right now. Ick).

Anyways, today I will tell the story of Chanlexis.

When I was in 10th grade I transferred from Oroville High School to Omak High School. My first day was the day right before Christmas Vacation started. Anyways. That was the day I met Chandler, and I'm glad I met him in the morning because in the afternoon I got severely lost and he had to show me to class.

After that I didn't really think about him that much. When I got back after vacation I was too stressed with homework to really worry about it, or Tolo, which was coming up quick. But Chandler, not one to miss a dance, was thinking about it a lot. And he was also thinking about how he didn't have a date. In the weeks leading up to Tolo he approached me three or four times about going with him. Every single time we had the same conversation.

Chandler: "So have you got a date to Tolo yet?"
Me: "No..."
Chandler: "Oh, me either!"

Let's just talk about the abundance of awful hair here.

The day before the dance I guess he got sick of me avoiding of him, because as I walking out of Biology he basically pinned me against the wall and informed me that I was his date and that he would pick me up for the dance at 8:00. I had to call him later to tell him where to pick me up, that was comical. There was nothing romantic about him asking me, I'm pretty sure that he was sick and tired of me being obnoxiously vague about the whole ordeal and decided to take matters into his own hands. But hey, it worked. Anyways, we went to Tolo together, a dance where I earned the nickname "Thriller Girl" and we had our first kiss, and I sat through the most painful first date dinner I have ever experienced. I kid you not, reader, I actually considered climbing out the bathroom window and ditching him, but his friend who was at the same restaurant for dinner threatened to tell. I didn't know what to do. But of course, it must have turned out well, or we wouldn't have this story.

If memory serves me correctly that kiss was basically the declaration that we were dating, because he never really asked me to be his girlfriend. After that we just adopted the title of a couple, and it was great. There was an abundance of sass. Chandler is a very blunt, outspoken person. If you've met me, you know that I'm the exact same way. So together there was a lot of bluntness. The King and Queen of Sass if you will. The school year was filled with a lot of great events, there was the time I ran for student government and lost, and of course, Chandler was in my split and loyally wore one of the ugliest campaign shirts I've ever made or seen, and of course prom...there's not much else I can say about prom except for "oh, prom." We were together for the rest of the school year then, in a very dramatic phone call, broke up. There wasn't any "please don't go I love you" drama, just a lot of "ohmygod you're being so immature and we're so done" drama. Not gonna lie, it was mostly because of me. I get kind of crazy sometimes.

For a while it was awkward. We didn't really see each other much over the summer, but once school started and we were in advanced choir together, basically it was a reunion of the dynamic duo of sorts. Though we weren't dating, we were definitely back as friends, and it was glorious because I had someone to back me up when someone was getting in my face, I had someone to gossip with, I had someone to dance with, and I had my best friend back. Basically the rule with Chandler is, if you're there for him, he'll be there for you. And he was there for me when I had to watch one of my best girlfriends suffer through a family death. It was traumatic for her and really took a toll on me as well. So Chandler, ever the friend, got the convertible, and took me out to pizza and baseball. That's a memory I'll always keep close. The day Chandler made me feel better by taking me to my hometown to get some delicious food and I realized he knew EXACTLY what to do and say to make me feel better about myself.

Shortly after that, Chandler graduated, which was one of the saddest days ever, because I realized for the first time ever I was going to have to navigate high school without the person who actually showed me how to get around. Senior year was really lonely without him, but whenever he was in town he made sure to stop by and see me, and at the beginning of the year he came to some of the football games that we were out of town, so I got to see him there, too. And of course, he was at my graduation. I'm pretty sure that he stated "I only came to watch you! I'm so proud of you." Yeah. Best. Friend. Ever.

With the summer starting up before I went to college, I knew I had to make it something that I would remember for a really long time. Chandler and his family (who I happen to love, and I THINK they love me too) were away on vacation, but Chandler and I skyped frequently, and we talked frequently about all the things we were going to do when he got back.  If we had actually kept a list, I think we would have crossed almost everything off. Anyways, again, without there being any formal announcement, Chandler and I were dating again. Watching the stars in his yard, going to the beach, and just generally enjoying everything being young in the summer. It was a good way to spend the days. But eventually everything good has to come to an end, and that's what summer did. Chandler went back to his sophomore year of college at UW. We said goodbye on a night where we sang "Sweet Caroline" and danced in a park and I cried. It was cute and romantic and tragic and great. And then I went off to freshman year of college and broke up with Chandler. I know that sounds abrupt, but that's also how our breakup was. And it was me who instigated it, but at the same time, we both knew it would end eventually.

What, you thought I was joking?

But our friendship has yet to end. They say you don't meet your real friends in high school, you meet them in college. But I think that Chandler is one of the few exceptions to that rule. No one else can cheer me up like he can, and no one else will show up to my house in an outfit that accidentally matches mine in color. Chandler taught me that it was okay to let your walls down and be vulnerable sometimes, and that even if you don't know someones past you can still love them for who they are in the present. And that's a great thing.

So here's to my best friend, Chandler. And also, here's to us. Chanlexis. I hope our future has been as great as past.

Love you!