This was Friday night, laughing at the inanities of Glamor Shots and being thirteen and sixteen and crushes and freshman year in college and an ex-boyfriend and a current boyfriend.

And we were talking about marriage and kids and that we're twenty-three going on fifteen still. The world can't handle us yet (or is it the other way around?).

You were always one of my best friends growing up, though that closeness that so eluded us is now something we sauderize in speech. We're closer now that you live in St. Louis and I'm still a Badger fan by default.

And even though your brother is friends with the boy who picked on me so much in school (and still does when I see him, which is only when I'm with you).... and even though I still stand there and laugh at your inside jokes (getting a few words in when I think there's something I could say) .... and even though life can't move backwards no matter how many stories we tell....