Dear Tiffany,
Happy 23rd Birthday, you beautiful angel. It's been years since I've wished you a happy birthday, but I think it's long overdue. The first thing that came to my head this morning was how often we'd joke about our age. You'd always say "Your birthday is so sad. You're so young!" and I'd argue back with "It's a good thing you're older cause it means you'll die first!" It was supposed to be a joke back then, but I can't stop replaying it in my head because of how real it is now. I can't believe I'm going to outlive you this soon in my life. This wasn't supposed to happen. Best friends are
NOT supposed to leave each other, Tiff.
I'm so sad I couldn't make it to your funeral today, but my sister has her speech festival at Aliamanu Middle School and I couldn't miss it! I'm worried that you're buried far into Valley of the Temples, and I'll never be able to find your site. That's why I'm having Shan help me pinpoint where you are. To help me feel like I wasn't missing out on too much, I brought your funeral program along as I walked around the school where you and I first met.
Wanna know something funny? At the same time the speech festival finished, Shan texted me saying your funeral was done and everyone was heading to Kaneohe now. My family and I were heading home going up the hill towards Tesoro, when I looked to my right and noticed a black truck with a huge "M" sticker from a distance. In my head, I thought "There's no way that's who I think it is." As we got closer, but still behind, within the letter "M," there were more letters "JANF" and I was still in denial. Once we pulled up next to them at a stop light, there was my ex with his mom, and I couldn't help but laugh. Besides yesterday, I hadn't seen him in so long, that I almost forgot how he looked like up close.
I spent the next few hours watching everyone's Snapchat or Instagram stories paying close attention to the location of your burial site. It looked familiar...like near my grandpa's site. I didn't want to believe it, so when I asked Shan again, she drew me a little map showing where you were-- in the area near the white chapel on the hill. I thought it was too good to be true because this whole time I was sulking in how I'd never be able to find you, and you were little right THERE for the rest of my life.
While I was at the school earlier today, I began recording a vlog just like you did back in our last day of school and freshmen year as well. I didn't start putting an actual YouTube video together until tonight, and I finished it. I added a song at the end that I think you'd like. I even made a small little tribute to you because of today's special occasion. Funny story, last week, I was playing the JYP Superstar game and one of the daily challenge songs was GOT7's "Take Me To You." The beat sounded nice so I saved it onto my phone. While making this video, I finally looked up the english translation and fell in love with the song even more. The song says that no matter how lost the person feels there's always that one person who they look for hope in as a means to keep them going; hence the title "Take Me To You." Since you liked Mark from GOT7, and since I love this song, I felt it was fitting to use it as a means to pay tribute to you.
Isn't it ironic how February 9th was the day the world first saw you and now February 9th is the last day the world will see you. I know our last conversation ended on a super great note, but I wish we had more time patch up our friendship. I miss our laughs, our inside jokes, and most importantly I miss
you. Until we meet again, my friend. Enjoy this video I made just for you my beautiful angel. I love you always.
