I got by with a little help from my friends.

Me, Mia & Bud as high schoolers.

When I entered sophomore year of high school I fell apart.

But that's not what I want to talk about. I've talked about it plenty and that drama in my life is very far behind me.

I'd prefer to talk about being put back together.

As far as my personal history goes, the events leading up to and following tenth grade were very important to my growth as an individual. I learned to rely more on myself and less on other people. I learned what really mattered to me, what should have always mattered to me. I learned who was worth my time.

But I know that I didn't do this alone. There is not an ungrateful bone in my body for my 'siblings,' my saviors, my best friends: The Tonelli Twins.

When I talk to Mia and Bud about that time, they say they remember me as being very vulnerable. That I was under a lot of scrutiny and had to deal with bullying for no reason. But that the whole awful experience strengthened our friendship, and of course made me a stronger person.

There's no "right" versions of these events. Nothing about them was right. But our accounts are similar nonetheless. I was very transparent with my feelings, so we remember most everything the same.

But Mia reminds me of a time I forgot about. It was the end of sophomore year and we had just found out her family was moving away. The thought of having to lose the people who were keeping me together was unbearable. I apparently wanted to switch schools.

Mia told me the, "It's just two more years. Two more years then we'll be in college."

And now we're here. In college. 

The satisfaction in this for me (for us) is more than can ever be described.

Mia lives two doors down from me. Bud lives in the room below me.

We made it through all the shit and shitty people to come to a place where we can learn and be happy.

And we're here together.

Me, Mia & Bud as college students. Essentially the same (but dressed better).