By Erica Rohde
Staff Writer

I have something extremely rare that most girls do not have. I would never rub it in someone else’s face. It is not something to increase your pride to be used as an ego boost.

What I can call a gift is something I am thankful for every day that has inspired me and directed my path since I was a little girl. Such that when I play songs like “I won’t let go” by Rascal Flats, I may cry over it because I am sappy like that. I do not even know what that song is really about, but I have seemed to connect every heartfelt song to these three girls who I have known for so long.

I just want to share with you these three people whom I love so much, and I can guarantee that they do not know how much.

Most of us have watched The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. I know that in those moments, every girl wanted a group to belong to, a bunch of women to grow old with or maybe send a magic pair of pants back and forth with. I did not make the connection in those moments that the three other girls I had grown up with, the girls who get up in the morning, get dressed, and walk down the Coppell High School hallways made up my sisterhood. They were right there, decorating the school on my birthday, creating scavenger hunts or sitting down with me at Tappy’s.  It took me so long to see that we had a story. It is a simple one, but it is worth telling.

In those moments when you are young, life-long friendships can be formed. Maybe a simple declaration that the both of you love the color blue did the trick, or maybe you shared a cookie with the boy next to you at lunch and you both suddenly decided to be best friends.

The strange thing about life is that specific people are placed in it for reasons larger than ourselves – maybe to break you, to make you, to love you, to raise your hopes, to encourage or inspire you. All of the little details, who that person is, the way they see you, the way they talk, their laugh and smile will sit in your head forever.

When you fell, they stood with open arms. When you cried, they dried your eyes, and when it got dark there they were with a light. You do not realize that maybe, just maybe after some time, that you love them and fell in love with their friendship, and you had no plans to let them go.

Our story began in my second grade class at Cottonwood Creek Elementary. I was struggling with which larger numbers were odd and which ones were even. Natasha Shams, now a senior at Coppell High School, approached me for the first time. As she explained the subject, we laughed and giggled. I just thought about how funny she was and she thought I was too. In that little moment I made a friend.

That day as I sat with her at lunch, I was introduced to two other girls. One of the girl’s names was Harini Suresh. I remember how short hers and Natasha’s hair was. I remember Harini’s obsession with stealing cookies from Natasha. I could see they were connected at the hip. As they both sat across from me, next to me sat Amanda Clark. Her long hair was so golden. Her smile was big and her attitude cheerful.

I wanted so much to be a part of the group. They were all funny, they understood my humor, and they inspired me. I pretty much thought they were the coolest people ever.

I began sitting with them every day. All four of us grew closer. Thus, the sleepovers and birthday parties began. We created countless adventures, like on the day I first got my kitten when made a pretend pet shop out of books, or ice skating at the galleria, filming our comedic video about what Disney princesses are actually like that made our moms laugh or making hamster mazes with video cases.

We were unique and had our own contributions to everything fun we did together. I never thought I would know a group of people so well. Even if we have gone weeks without talking, when we come together again, it is as if no time passed.

If anyone was looked up to in the group, it was Natasha. Not because we loved her better, but because of the way she carried herself. Natasha just made us all peaceful when we were around her, and she still does for me. Harini was more than adorable. Of course when you are a kid you are not really thinking these things. She has always been the more innocent one; she is loving and gets along with every one she meets. I knew and still know her as the spunky and creative one.

Amanda has always been a ball of sunshine. You see her in all of her colors. She has always drawn in people and her love for theater has always been one of her top priorities.

I know much more about the three. I still have their favorite colors when we were young planted in my head. I know many of their loves and talents. I know many of their dreams and aspirations. I have kept all of this information dear to me. It is locked up and safe and I am determined to know more as life goes on. I have no intentions of leaving them, and they don’t have any intentions of leaving me.

Now as I see them as young women, each one of them is beautiful. I know that they will do amazing things with their lives beyond high school. I have no doubt about it. These three girls are completely determined to enjoy life, work hard, and help others when they can

So after reminiscing about all of it, I want to tell students at CHS to hold onto your friends dearly. The clocks are ticking, seniors. Tell your friends you love them when you can and do not let go. I do not care how cheesy this line is – friends are forever.