2011
On August 8, 2011 Nai and I began 6th grade together at Aurora Quest! We had math together first thing in the morning and I remember noticing Nai’s orange and pink hair feather. I was obsessed with hair feathers, but didn’t compliment her because I used to be pretty shy. Eventually she moved to another math class. However, we did play groundies with the same group of friends during recess. I also sat near her during lunch and remember her pencil bag being embroidered with her name. Reading it I couldn't begin to pronounce her name, I even thought her name could've been pronounced 'Neigh' or 'Ian.' Although I eventually learned 'Nai' was pronounced like 'Naive,' but without the 've.'
2012
In 2012 Nai and I got to know each other more. We swam together for our middle school’s swim team, the lemonheads! We were both fast and I tried to talk to her more as I typically stood on the outskirts of the friend circle at recess. One time at the end of practice we were at the end of the pool together and I asked her about her thoughts on some boy and a friend of ours. I also pointed out that the girls on the other team were wearing literal bras under their suits which I thought was funny and weird. At swim meets my parents really admired how Nai swam and would give me flyers to give to her in hope she'd watch The Little Mermaid synchronized swim show I was in and join synchronized swimming.
In November we finally became real friends while at a friend’s birthday. While being driven from a movie theater Nai said "You're funny...say something funny." To which I was unsure how to respond.
2013
Nai and I continued our friendship in 2013. We had art together and decided to build a cardboard toilet together with only cardboard, tape and glue. That spring we were to go to the Denver Art Museum on a field trip. I was nervous Nai was going to hang out with another friend, and I'd be alone, so I started feeling sick. However, the next week I found out that Nai was frantically searching for me, prior to the bus leaving, and was really sad I wasn't there. So, I felt bad about getting sick. That year, we even shared the same crush! However, Nai definitely had a better chance with him. In fact her and Jake are married! I'm kidding, she only liked him for a short time, but did 100% have a better chance with him.
Towards the end of that summer Nai's club swim team and my synchro swim team were scheduled to practice at the same time and the same place (coach nightmare). I was excited to see if Nai would be there considering she just got back from a trip to Hawaii. I walked into the pool, set my stuff down, and saw Nai from across the deck! I ran over and we gave each other a huge hug! It was like a movie! I remember that throughout that practice we would wave to each other while she was in the water and I was dry landing or stretching. I'd also point out to my coaches and swim friends that my friend Nai and others were there.
That fall we swam for our middle school again, this time under the name 'Cheeseballs' (actually it was 'orange crush', but that name was stupid compared my suggestion of 'Cheeseballs'). Before meets we would watch 'Gingerdead Man' together and send selfies of ourselves to boys. We even learned to twerk as it was the height of twerk culture. We twerked together in the bathrooms and even underwater upside down! Once at swimming we had a free day to do whatever we desired and I remember Nai going off the high dive and landing on her back.
2014
In 2014 changes were happening as junior high was ending and high school beginning. Nai was off to Regis Jesuit and I was off to somewhere, as my family was in the middle of a move. Eventually, after praying I too was to attend Regis Jesuit!
I recall on the morning of swim time trials Nai and her dad were to pick me up. I woke up at 4am and ate waffles that my dad microwaved. Nai's truck pulled up around 4:20am as I was sitting, petting my neighbor's cat, Boo, on the patio in the snow and stillness of the dark moonlit morning. Nai and I squished into the "back seat" and exchanged conversation (I think) about the lack of light and sound in our world. We were curious about how bright our iPads would be in the darkness. I turned mine on and even at the lowest setting the light shocked your eyes. That's one of my favorite memories ever.
Nai and I would also carpool with a friend of our’s to school. One morning my mom was driving and talking, which resulted in a missed turn to school. Once my mom realized she was on the highway she shouted a resounding "FUCK!" Nai thought it was really funny.
2015
Our friendship began to strain in 2015 as Nai was a social butterfly and I was the social equivalent of a snail. We still talked, but it wasn't as tight of a friendship as it once was. Much of this had to do with my debilitating anxiety and OCD. I didn't even attend her quincenera that year, which I regret. However, we did do work study together and had lots of fun discussing our future ice cream company plans, while we scrubbed the Mass mats. We even got to attend the lucrative good bye ice cream party for Fr. Steele.
Nai and I's friendship once again blossomed that year as we began lifeguarding together. We would spend the days talking, laughing, tanning, swimming, filling our fall beach bodies with Rita's custard, tossing cherry tomatoes into the pool, setting traps for the homeless man that lived there, and parenting the neighborhood youth vagrants. We both learned a lot as it was our first job.
We (I somewhat accidently) also got to participate in triathalon training that summer. We got to open water swim and then run (I walked) 5k. The swimming was quite an experience as it was freezing and exhausting. Regarding the running, Nai did really well, and I experienced some of the worst pain in my life.
One of the best days that summer we dove into the sparkly, turquoise pool and swam, played washing machine, ate, and bathed in the hot August sun. No one was there aside from the neighborhood kids. Afterwards, we attended Nai's brother's birthday party with our friend Hannah. We got to eat quesadillas, George's roadside popcorn, and cake. I also got to speak in Spanish with her grandma, Chela. It was just such a perfect day spent swimming and laughing with each other.
2017
Life continued in 2017. We lifeguarded again that summer and opened the anarchical season by shivering in the rain and finding a rogue plastic bag of weed swirling around the baby pool. That summer also brought a meme into our lives as I had let in unruly boys that broke off part of the shower resulting in water, with the strength of an open fire hydrant, shooting from a hole in the wall. Thankfully though we attended Bible study together with forty of our classmates.
Once before Bible study, Nai came over to my house while, a friend of my family's, Killa Pimp Green, was over. We rode in the back of Killa's jeep to get pizza. While, it was fun to see him, my parents never took us to Bible study as they were basking in the glory days with him and my mom didn't think Nai wanted to go to Bible Study. I mean it was abundantly clear that Nai would rather discuss Allen Field's house in Kansas with a 60 year old man nicknamed Killa Pimp Green, than discuss Jesus with friends our age.
That school year Nai and I had architecture together where we spent the time gabbing, designing, and watching movies like "Paint My Wagon " or "The Longest Ride." One of the bigger plot points of that year was Nai acting as sort of a liaison between myself and my then crush. She even helped coordinate our outfits one day. So, thank you Nai! Spoiler: If you don't actually talk to a boy, nothing will happen.
2018
2018 brought many changes to each of us as high school was ending, college beginning, and we began gambling. We started out the year swimming our last season together. I remember one race in particular where I was swimming 100 backstroke in lane 8 (which is adjacent to the deck), I was coming up from under the water and remember seeing Nai on deck waving and cheering me on to go faster. It stands out because usually when racing you don't notice other people and if you do you only see flashes.
College decisions were also coming. Nai had decided to attend the University of Kansas, while I was deciding between the University of Kansas and Colorado State University. I was serious about KU as I had reserved a room, talked with future classmates (because I'm unique as I love going out to party, but also enjoy a casual night in watching Twilight (roll my eyes)), and would be fifth gen. Eventually I had to choose and went with CSU. I remember talking to her one day and she told me that she was recently with her mom, I believe, and began crying that I wouldn't be going to KU with her. I was astonished, I hadn't known that we were such good friends. That was very meaningful.
That year we had such a fabulous summer, aside from the armed robbery that took place 75ft from the pool that no one bothered to tell two 17 year old girls about even as he was on the loose. The summer was spent attending graduation parties where we jumped on a trampoline and took polaroids. Our poker careers also took off. We were pretty confused though, played pretty good hands, and gambled with gummy bears, so I'm sure it wasn't being played correctly.
Eventually we went to school and wrote each other letters, which was cool.
2019
That year we began getting macarons and attended a celebration at our high school. The event was so great. The guests of honor were expected to arrive 2-3 hours later and someone accidently sprayed pepper spray in the Chapel, so Nai, our friend Hannah, and I spent the time laughing, getting a snack at King Soopers, and catching up with our former classmates. It was such a nice time to hang out with everyone without the pressure to make friends.
That summer we were once again bronze, sun goddesses saving lives. One day we found inspiration in our boredom and decided to test our artistic endeavors in the pork offal industry!
On my birthday that year I was able to spend the day with Nai at her house. I had never hung out or even seen a friend on my birthday. We just talked and ate homemade quesadillas and homemade cherry cordials. It was just so cool to see a friend on my birthday.
2020
2020 began with Nai and I going to the library and studying! We lifeguarded a final year. It was a lackluster summer at the pool, but we still enjoyed swimming and watching 'The King of Staten Island' together.
Last year, I did get to surprise Nai when I arrived at her house in Kansas! My family and I were dropping my brother back off at KU after the funeral we attended, so we also decided to stop by Nai's house! I called Nai to let her know I was outside her door and waited for her to come down as I cleaned up her sofa adorned front yard. Nai eventually came out, however her house had covid at the time, so we stood apart. It was surreal, because we were both in the same place, while we should've been in different places, we couldn't hug, and it also wasn't too planned. It was cool though. My mom ended up giving Nai the flowers from the funeral and I think gave Nai a hug (my mom's crazy). Then, we left after 15 minutes.
Nai did come back to Colorado in October. We hung out at my house and Nai facetimed Lance, who was in Kansas, from my dad's iPad in Lance’s bedroom. I was there too, but that was a surprise for Lance!
2021
So far this year Nai and I have gotten to experience my "awkward" driving, paddle boarding, and meals around town. We were able to go to The Original Pancake house this year and Dang! Soft Serve, which was honestly more 'Eh.'
We recently got to go paddle boarding with our friend Hannah. We swam in the chilly water, while pulling each other's paddleboards around the reservoir. At one point I took my board to the shore, stuffed lunch into the lifejackets, and paddled over to Nai and Hannah. So, we got to eat fruit snacks, popcorn, and more while floating on the water. It was very idealistic.
Anyways, thank you for reading! And Happy Birthday Nai! God Bless!
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