2008 showed promise. It was going to be much better than 2007. We had all the world to gain and little left to lose. And yet, in under a month, 2008 has taken from us yet again.
When I first met Nicole Lee, I was jealous. I'd seen her around, she dated a Hillcrest boy and went to high school with another, and I noticed the way everyone lit up when she came in. I never saw anything but a smile on her face. I saw how everything got a little more energetic when she was there. We weren't friends at first. She was the kind of girl that other girls had to come around to - she was more fun than you and you knew it, but she was too sweet and too good for you to dislike her for too long. Besides that, she befriended my boyfriend. They were two peas in a pod - vibrant, friendly, outgoing, attractive. They both seemed to have endless hours to devote to other people, making me wonder if they ever had time to themselves. That's where my jealousy came from. Sure, I knew about the pretty, vivacious girl that hung around with the freshmen. I just didn't want her to be the pretty, vivacious girl my boyfriend hung around with. So, in true girl fashion, I wanted to get to know her. What I didn't expect was the person I found. She was all of those things I said - fun, funny, cute, warm, giving. But she was more than that. She was the kind of person who brought a group together. Her smile was contagious and when we had parties, I hoped the Hillcrest freshmen would bring her. She was their spirit. All of this and she was never full of herself. She had fun and didn't care what she looked like doing it. She was never afraid to ask for advice or help.
Nicole, I had just begun getting to know you and I regret that I won't get to know more. The way you affected those around you speaks volumes about your good nature and sparkling personality. You will be truly missed by those closest to you, those who were close to them, and those who were just beginning to get to know you.
