My Favorite Moment // A Birthday Gift to Taylor Jane Fernandez

Your Best Friend

I don't have a favorite moment with you or even favorite moments...

Each moment with you, captures a different emotion

SAFE

You have no idea how many times the mere thought of you has helped me feel safe. You of all people know how unsafe I've felt. When I've been cornered, felt beaten and hopeless, and was close to accepting defeat you were there. Although all the talks of "adopting me" and straightening out my fam were meant jokingly, I always felt a little truth behind them. I always felt that there was a possibility, while small, that you would if it ever came to be that bad.

STABILITY

You have always been my rock. Since our friendship started no one has provided me the stability you have. Through thick and thin, through hell and back, you stuck by me. At moments where no one would have known how to reacted you were there and your presence was enough for me. I am a pain. I am annoying. I tell bad jokes. I can't always explain math to you well. No matter my faults, you've always looked past that.

HONESTY

Let's be honest. Haha. Okay. I have never met someone so blunt. At the end of the day, this is what I wanna hear. I don't need to hear any bullshit or sugar coating of any kind. You tell it like it is and that's always benefited me. People look at us and think wow they must hate each other, which best friends talk like that. We're not afraid to tell each other we're wrong. In fact, I think we're the first to critique. I honestly have little to no filter around you (hence the "slut" thing) You don't get this anywhere. Who's going to tell me I'm stupid? Who's gonna say I've been slacking off? Who's gonna tell me to stop complaining and get off my ass? You. No one else.

VERSATILITY

We are some complex people yo. One minute we could be talking about double tap music and then talking about our futures and biggest dreams. I love the fact that we can be both. Who else is gonna talk about debilitating fears and boob proportionality in the same conversation?

PRIDE

You are one proud person bro. You kill it at what you do. I know I make fun of you and say you do nothing, but you do so much. You deserve to brag a little (in your case a lot). When you put in all the factors... It's amazing how you've done everything you have. Fighting your way into the world since day 1 literally, taking on honors and volleyball, recovering from a cyst... & you still walk into the room like you own it.

It's your sixteenth birthday. How weird to think I've known you almost 8 years, which seems like nothing in the scheme of things. I don't remember much before you. You have shaped me into who I am. Your strong will, your persistency, your generosity, your patience have all changed me. I cannot express the words I feel for you, how much I care for you. Let me start with a list to break it down. (Don't get cocky now, well who the hell am I kidding?)

BRAINS

You are way smarter than you think. You are very intuitive and can connect things in ways I've never thought of. Just because things may come to you in different ways or slower at times does not deter from how brilliant you are.

BEAUTY

You are beautiful, in a way that's effortless. You don't have to try. People spend all their lives trying to achieve an ounce of what you have. From your head to your toes, you're a real head turner. Internally as well, contrary to the frozen heart and black soul I make fun of you for, you affect all who you come across.

STRENGTH

No Flex Zone. Dude, you're brolic. More specifically, the strength you have to go on still astounds me. Things are getting more and more difficult for us as we grow up. We are being shoved with new and higher hurdles to jump and you keep proving yourself worthy. While this can be exhausting, you push through.

Through all periods of my life, I hope to have you by my side because I honestly don't think I could go on without you.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAYLOR JANE PICHARDO FERNANDEZ

you have pulled me out of some very dark and hard times. you have stuck through me when I was annoying and loud. there's an unexplainable yet undeniable bond between us and its not gonna be an easy one to break. opposites attract. no matter what anyone thinks, you are my best friend regardless people think we wanna kill each other

Erika's Phrases Deciphered:

I hate you - You're annoying, but the annoying I couldn't live without.

Forget you - I still can't believe half the things that come out of your mouth even when I know what's gonna come out.

Bum - stop being so lazy when you have so much potential.

Dumbbutt - you are smart, use that brain for once