“2015 was one of the best and worst times of my life. Filled with new experiences, treasures, and hopes, some were lost, and some were found. “One summer night, I fell asleep, hoping the world would be different when I woke.” but at the same time I loved it just the way it was. Even with a world filled with flaws, there was one person that brought out the best in me, and in life. It all started with a text from Cole, he wanted to tell me that he won his soccer game, and that he was coming back home from his tournament in Florida. It felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulder, the fact that he would be home, and I could spend all my days and nights with him. There was only one last summer I would be able to be with him before we went to college, and graduated highschool together. I grew up with him by my side, and in a way I always thought we would end up getting married. His mom and my dad were best friends in highschool, just like we were, they were supposed to get married, but they ended up going to colleges in different states, and my dad met my mom, and from there life went on. It was kinda funny how history seemed to be repeating itself. My dad heard the news that Cole and his family would all be moving into our neighborhood, we would be going to the same school. Cole’s family is amazing, his twin sister is genuine, she did not lie, or cheat, she is honest with everything. Cole’s dad is not around much, they were from Australia, so his dad is traveling back and forth all the time. His mom, in a weird way, feels like she's my own, my mom is not around much either, and when she is she is always working or drinking. And Cole, he was amazing, kind, smart, and he could always make me laugh with the stupid little things he said. He had this way of describing people that was different from anyone I knew, whenever he spoke to someone he looked at them as if it was going to be the last time he was going to see them. It seemed as if he memorized every little detail, there eyes, where every freckle was placed, the way they smiled, and who they were. The first day I met Cole, was the best day of my life, at that moment, I knew there was something special between us. It was Freshman year, I walked into class and saw know one I knew, I ended up sitting next to the only other girl in the class. I pretended to be texting on my phone so I did not look like a complete loner. Everytime someone walked through the door I looked up, but know one stood out. I did not know Cole would be in my class, and when I looked up and saw him, I noticed he was different. I imagined him to be happier, but he seemed almost sad. Even though I barely knew anything about him, soon it did not feel like I was in a “class”, but it felt like the only two people in the room was us. Even though it sounds creepy, I could not take my eyes off him. That was love at first sight, the moment when you know nothing about someone but you have this deep connection, like you once knew them in a past life. I did not know his story, his past, or what his future held, but that is love. Love is when nothing else matters but that person, it does not matter if they are rich or poor, happy or sad, all that matters is them. Our relationship started out kinda weird, he was a shy kid, and I was the wild one, in a way that is what made us click. They always say opposites attract. I remember all my encounters with Cole, whenever he was away I replayed all the memories,  so I will never forget his face, forget the way he squints his eyes when he smiles, forget the scar on his left eyebrow, forget the way he looked at me. Something that amazed me about Cole was his passion, for life, school, soccer. The first time I watched him play, I could see it in the way his face lit up on the field, that he loved the game, and I loved that he was happy. That same night I realized that is the type of guy I want to be with, one that has a passion, strives to be great, and knows what he wants. It seems strange, because I always had an easy time talking to guys, but with him, I was scared to mess up, scared to say something that he would deem as “weird”. But soon enough I realized we both have that dorkiness, and my weird personality, was just like his. It is crazy to say but I was in love with him, before I even knew it. Everyday I would walk into school, and smile, because I knew I would get to see someone that truly loved me, and escape from all the bad in the world. Things were never perfect, but he was. I love you Cole. It was hard for me to imagine a world without him, I truly thought it was destiny, the fact that after all these years, everything that happened with our parents, he ended up in my life. I knew it was going to be hard to let go, to move on, that is why I told him, how I felt. It was just as he got back from his tournament, and all I could think about was that I might never see him after high school. I remember texting him saying “Hey I miss you, can you stop by?”, he replied within a split second, that is one thing that always stood out about him, even though he had so much going on he always put me first, and that made me happy, because I never had that until I met Cole. He ended up coming over that night, and just like every other time he walked in and he sat on the couch and said “Well are we gonna watch something, or are you going to just stand there?” I could not help it, every time I saw him my heart skipped a beat, and I got tied up in the moment. I went up to Cole, and it poured out like never before, I said, “I remember that night I first saw you play, it was the first night I saw you since Freshman year ended, you changed so much, yet at the same time you were still the same old dork. On that night someone asked me “If you had the chance to choose Cole, or anyone else, who would you pick?” and I said, you. It is always going to be you. I questioned every night, “Why? Why you?”, why not some guy on the football team? Or a kid in my math class? But then I realized love is uncontrollable, it makes you do crazy things, it makes you feel like the happiest person, but it also holds the power to destroy your life. Everyone told me not to get stuck on a boy in highschool, but the thing is, I am different. I was always more wise, I saw the potential in everyone. I really can not describe how I feel, one moment I want nothing to do with you, and the next I am sitting on my bed crying about not talking to you during third hour. The one thing I can account for is that you make me feel something I have never felt.” I paused, and Cole looked at me, and cried. I never thought a guy can cry, I mean there supposed to be strong right? But there he was sitting on my red couch crying, and all I could do was sit. Cole stopped crying and said, “I can not love you.” and he left. I never talked to him again, I never really said “I love you”. He was not at school, he was not at home, he was no where. After about two weeks, I got an unexpected visit from his sister, Sam, she sat me down and told me Cole had a heart condition. She told me that he was dying. That very night I told him how I felt was the same night he was going to tell me, about his condition. I understood now. I understood why he cried, I understood why he looked at people like it would be the last time he would see them. I understood his pain, and why he was the way he was. I loved him even more, because with all of this, with everything going on in his life, he still managed to wake up and make me smile, when he himself could not. Sam told me that Cole was in love with me, he was since the first day he walked into our Freshman class, she said, “Cole told me about that day so many times, he said he never saw anyone so pure, so beautiful, and so angelic. He said that day he was touched by an angel.” The truth was, I was no angel, Cole was. Who knew that the reason I would never see him was not going to be college, but something else? That same day Sam came, I went to see him at the hospital, and there he was... weak, and frail, but to me he still looked like the boy that was happy just playing soccer. From that day, I never looked at life the same. I looked at people just like Cole did. My heart broke, but my love for him was still there. I miss him and now standing here as valedictorian in front of our graduating class, I honor Cole, his spirit, his life, his passion. I wish he could be here with us today, be here to congratulate me on giving this speech, be here to say “Everything is going to be okay.” If there was one thing I learned in highschool, it is that it does not matter how old you are. Love is not determined by age, love is determined by maturity, by choice, by patience. I fell in love, and you will too. But when you do, ask yourself is that person true? Are they your angel? Because Cole was mine.”