-Just a lil' something I'd written for Friendship Day, way back. Ah, but who doesn't need a little get-me-back-on-track every now and then? Love, Kai :)

Dear Friend,

I remember how we met. It was at the practice for Sports Day, and a mutual girl friend and I were arguing about the hotness of Cristiano Ronaldo. You stepped in to say that it didn’t matter how hot he was, according to you, he was simply the worst footballer ever (strange how everything you say contradicts me, huh?). That got us arguing, and in a bizarre way, the grounds for our friendship had been established.

A week later, you saw me in my worst state. My hair was unwashed, my clothes rumpled and there was a distinct stench of loneliness around me. Unlike my other friends, you didn’t rush over and demand an explanation. You didn’t put an arm around my shoulders and console me. No, all you did was to simply give me a big, cozy bear hug which made me feel better straightaway. You also helped me get over my depression by offering me a shoulder to cry on, and treating me to the largest chocolate sundae I’d ever seen. What more could define a good friend, than someone who’d bought me ice-cream as the cure for helping me out of my rut? You practically read my mind there.

After that, we had a wonderful friendship. We hung out practically everyday, competing for high-score positions in video games, royally making fools of each other during April Fools’ Day, fighting over the capability of various football players, arguing over the silliest of things and generally having a humungous load of fun with each other.

Of course, in between, you were there for me when I got incredibly nervous for a speech contest, a 1500 m race and while putting forward a new proposition for the school to the vice-principal. You wiped the sweat off my brow, clapped me (albeit painfully) on my shoulder and whispered encouraging words. Self-confidence was gradually added in my dictionary, thanks to you, because you almost always teased me out of my apprehension and worry.

And one day, I got to repay everything you had done for me. That was the first time I’d seen you without your easy smile. You’d just been dumped by your vamp of a girlfriend, your parents had given you a hard time for something you hadn’t done on purpose and your position on the football team had gone down from star player to benchwarmer.

I did the same thing you first did for me: I gave you a comforting hug. I listened to you, I helped to you see things clearly and I felt so happy for you when you returned to life’s train which always moved on. I helped you remember all the lessons you thought me, the most important of which was that every blistering day has a chance of being cool and cloudy with a hint of refreshing rain.

I guess that with Friendship Day just around the corner, I just want to thank you for being such an awesome pal. Thank you for reminding me that life’s always worth living, that ice-cream and a hug from your best friend can always make you find every problem’s solution, and last, but most definitely not the least, thank you for letting me know that if I ever have kidney failure, there’s always someone around to personally find someone else to donate one for me.

Yours forever,

Me.