I met Ashley in college. We didn't become friends til halfway through our freshman year because I thought she was weird and she thought I was a bitch. After dressing up for St. Patrick's Day with our friends on the 3rd floor of Dillon....Ashley and I were inseperable. We roomed together for the next 3 years and her and I went through A LOT together. Ashley knew me better than anyone else and she was always there to listen. Even though Ashley took over our closet and minimal space with her shoes, clothes, purses, I'll never forget the nights we stayed up til 2 in the morning talking. Her car was covered with cd's I had made and we would drive around Bridgewater with the windows down singing at the top of our lungs. I miss that. Junior year she saved my life from a lot of things. I don't think anybody else would have done what she did for me in that moment. We turned 21 together, we danced til we were sore at Main Street and Highlawn, we kissed a lot of boys, we cried together when relationships ended, she was my DD, my makeup artist, my bestfriend. By senior year we couldn't wait to graduate. She had a steady boyfriend and was gone most weekends. I think we were both getting tired of living in such tight quarters that we argued every now and then but Ashley was still there. I remember one night she collapsed from problems with her thyroid I had to be carried out of the room by the boys next door because I was sobbing. I thought she was dying. She had been there for me through so much I didn't want anything bad to happen to her. Ashley was always taking care of me. She was my Mom. I don't know how I would have made it through college without her.
Even though Ashley and I both live in Richmond we rarely saw each other after graduation. Our schedules always conflicted or we were busy with our boyfriends. We still managed to talk and every time I did see her I was excited. We would always talk about "Remember at Bridgewater when..." Since that time I don't see Ashley as much. I miss her. I guess it's both of our faults but when I'm free she's not free and vice versa.
I haven't seen Ashley since October.
Yesterday was a really emotional day for me.
Ashley's birthday is the day before Valentine's Day. Last year I was able to take her to lunch for her birthday but this year I was going to be out of town visiting my boyfriend. I called her the day before her birthday and left her a voicemail. I didn't hear back. I called her the next week to see how her birthday went. I didn't hear back. I've called Ashely a lot but I have never been able to speak to her. I get frustrated because I miss her.
I woke up yesterday to a TEXT message from Ashley telling me she's moving to Georgia permanently on Tuesday (with her new bf, which is another story in itself). Keep in mind I've been trying to call Ashley for the longest time and all she can do is send me a text message saying she's moving and if I'm free to come to her going away dinner. How do you tell someone you've been friends with for so long that you're moving in a few days through text message. She didn't even give me a warning. I don't think she's told anyone else yet. Lately Ashley has been keeping to herself, avoiding our group of friends and shutting herself off. I had no idea she was planning on moving to Georgia. Or she was planning on moving there in 5 days.
I cried. I won't be able to go to her "going away dinner" next Tuesday because I'll be at a John Mayer concert. I texted her back (since that's the only way she likes to communicate now) saying that I'm free Sunday. I'm hoping she gets back to me and I can talk to her, see her, and get a picture with her before she leaves. But I'm so scared she's going to be busy and we won't be able to. I called our friend Kara yesterday crying because I know that when Ashley leaves I problably won't hear from her for a long time. She is living in Richmond now, 15 minutes away from me and doesn't talk to me. What's going to make her want to talk to me all the way from Georgia. I don't want to lose her as a friend.
As a friend I support her and I'm happy if moving to Georgia is what she wants and what she needs to do figure out her life. I would have just liked a little more warning, or I would have liked her to call me and talk to me about this awhile ago if this is something she's been thinking about for awhile. I don't know. A lot of emotions go through me when I think about Ashley and the memories we shared together and the fact that she's moving so far away. It hurts. I just hope that I can see her and tell her how much she means to me before she leaves next week.
Here are a couple pictures of Ashely and I from over the years
