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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at CU Boulder chapter.

I’m leaving 

the freshman assembly on my first day of high school

trying desperately to find 

my locker in a sea of people. 

Panicked and overwhelmed

I’m relying on finding this 

blue-colored hunk of metal in the wall that belongs to me

in order to achieve a sense of solace

in this unfamiliar place. 

Instead 

I get more than I bargained for.

I find you. 

You’re grabbing your books from the locker above mine. 

Sorry, can I get to my locker? It’s right under yours. 

Oh, of course! 

You shuffle to the side, smiling warmly at me,

exuding an aura of kindness and 

a sense of home. 

I guess this makes us locker buddies, or something. 

Or something. 

It’s

the fourth week of school. 

We have barely talked except in passing

and I want to change that. 

You seem nice enough, so maybe 

we could become better friends. 

The bell rings, signaling the end 

of class. You’re sitting still at your desk

showing no signs of moving. I intentionally hang back

taking my time to pack up my things. Maybe we can get lunch together and 

get to know each other more. 

I won’t ever know if I don’t ask. 

After everyone leaves, I nervously approach you and 

STOP.

You’re crying. No, you’re sobbing 

profusely, heaving out gasps of air as multitudes of your tears splash 

on the beaten-up wooden surface of your desk. 

What should I do? 

Where do I go from here? 

Do I comfort you, me

a familiar face in a crowd but not a close confidant? 

Do I awkwardly leave the room? You look up and see me 

and I have my answer. 

I gently put down my backpack and approach you

giving you what I hope to be a comforting pat on the back and some encouraging words.

It’s going to be okay. You are going to survive this moment.

I don’t know how to stop feeling like this.

Grades don’t equate your worth.

This entire situation is awkward. I’m not good at providing comfort

and I don’t know how to make you feel better. But something must work, because 

you stop crying. Maybe it was my awkward energy or

our teacher’s panicked showing of a video on “How Grades Don’t Determine Your Worth” or

the sheer surrealness of the entire situation. All I do know is that 

this moment has bonded us more than any lunch ever could. 

I’m opening presents during 

my 15th birthday. I 

get to yours and I look at your face

exuding sheer giddiness and excitement. 

Should I be scared? 

Just open it!

I reach into the gift bag, taking out the tissue paper to uncover 

one of my most treasured items: a bold, hot pink 

pencil bag with gold colored lettering on it.

Heck Yeah! 

It reads, practically shouting in my face. 

It has to be the brightest thing I have ever seen 

so unlike me in nature. I absolutely love it. 

Sorry, I honestly didn’t know what to get you. But it’s so fun, isn’t it? 

It’s absolutely perfect. 

Sophomore second semester slumps hit

and they hit hard. 

You cry into my arms as 

your world feels like it’s crumbling. I 

still don’t know exactly what words 

to say to help you. I just want your pain to stop.

It hurts seeing you so sad. 

I offer my shoulder to cry on

and a listening ear. 

I got your back forever

no matter what. 

The summer hits 

differently, thank goodness. We needed a breather 

after the year we just had. 

You have your own car and license

and the world feels like it’s finally at our fingertips. 

This summer 

makes us feel invincible

flying down the freeway and 

blasting music

screaming at the top of our lungs. 

I can’t believe we’re going to be upperclassmen after this summer. 

Time flies by so quickly! 

Yes, it does. 

I wish I could freeze time in place 

and never have to grow up. 

I never knew that life 

could be this eventful. It feels like 

we’ve finally fallen into our rhythm 

found our groove. Perhaps this was to be 

expected as we get older. Granted, there were 

small little side notes to the story. I never expected 

to be out of commission for a week after homecoming

of course. But 

we were slowly beginning to go out more

trying to make more time for fun. 

We never expected 

what was about to come. 

Friday comes around

and everyone’s buzzing about getting 

an “extra week of spring break”. 

Meanwhile, you are holding my hand and encouraging me

like you always do

to put myself out there and finally make a move.

Just go for it! 

You’ll see him in two weeks when we get back

so you can have time to be sad if it goes badly. 

But if it goes well

you can go out when we get back! 

Right now is your perfect chance! 

I guess I’ll never know if I don’t try. 

One extra week of spring break 

turned into months without you, my other half. 

When we left school that day, I didn’t think 

I would be saying goodbye to you for so long. 

The separation hit hard. 

We text every day

facetime to talk about random thoughts in our mind. 

High school had been draining enough, but 

the online element was a new level of burnout. 

I wouldn’t have made it 

without our constant check-ins. 

Timer ready? 

Yes, OKAY GO! 

Laughter and happiness were foreign feelings to me 

at this stage in our lives

but they always included you. 

Graduation flew by and everyone’s 

ready to leave for university. 

One last hurrah of a summer. 

Life is nothing but eventful

from trying to quietly sneak around a coyote in the dead of night

to a camping trip gone awry 

as you carry me up half a mountain on your back. 

I wouldn’t have it any other way. But 

it feels as if time is slipping through my fingers

and I am terrified 

of being left holding onto the remnants of my memories. 

I’m so excited to leave the high school bubble 

and branch out into the world

but I’m afraid 

to do it without you by my side. 

You became such an important part of my life 

so quickly and so easily

it’s difficult for me to imagine a world 

where I don’t see you or talk to you every day. 

How am I supposed to do this without you? 

As it turns out 

I had nothing to worry about. 

Now we’re two years into college

still as close as ever. 

We don’t talk everyday like we used to

but when we do 

it’s like time hasn’t passed. 

You made me believe in the soulmate theory. 

I believe that a person has multiple soulmates in their lifetime

may they be romantic bonds or bonds of friendship. 

Some people just click. 

Their paths align and 

they are just meant to be in each other’s lives. 

Hey Soulmate.

I’m so thankful to have met you.

I miss you.

And I love you. 

Aarushi Singh

CU Boulder '24

Aarushi is a contributing writer for Her Campus (CU Boulder chapter). She joined Her Campus during her first semester in college, and her favorite topics to write about regard music that speaks to her, feminism, and learning to navigate her passion for working in the healthcare field. She aspires to give those that are navigating the complexities of young adulthood a voice to relate to. Aarushi is a senior majoring in Neuroscience and Psychology, with a Pre-Medicine focus. Following graduation, she plans to take time to work in the pre-hospital healthcare field as an EMT, while applying to medical schools. She aspires to become a doctor someday, so she can strongly advocate for fellow minorities and women in need. When she's not studying or volunteering, you can find her reading romance or horror novels, attending concerts of all sorts, or spending time with her friends and family. Aarushi’s absolute favorite day consists of rainy, foggy weather, so she can comfortably curl up in bed with a cup of chai and get lost in the words on a page.