Bradley

Someone I've known for over six years has either very quickly or very slowly become one of my best friends.

So there was this kid in middle school who I knew. He was pretty quiet, and liked to read.
I forced him to read two of my favorite books: Looking for Alaska and Water for Elephants.

In high school, we had some classes together. Every once in a while we would talk. We were friends. Sort of. I made him watch Skins.

We had a few things in common. But we were pretty different.
He was a little more emotional. I didn't care much about anything.
We both generally kept to ourselves.

And then...I don't know.
I really don't.
I went to college. He went to college.
I went to Iowa. He stayed in Minnesota.

Then one day, he messaged me on Facebook.
This wasn't abnormal. It started out as a pretty casual conversation. It felt really normal to talk.
But the next thing I knew, we had been talking for a while. And not just about petty things, anymore.

I didn't think much of it, at the time. Eventually I had to go, so we ended our conversation.

But the next time we talked I started to realized that he is now one of my best friends.

I can be having a terrible day, but I get message just saying "hey bud", and it's all better. I like having a friend like that.