In one week, I will no longer go to school with my sister. In a few months, she will be moving away. For the first time in my life, my sister and I will be living separately. This is my goodbye to her.

Dear Liz (Elizabeth Martinez ’22),

Thank you for guiding me and for teaching me how to grow up. When I was little, I always wanted to be you. I wanted your hair and your eyes, but most of all, I wanted your personality. You have the ability to walk into a room and immediately have a best friend. Everyone loves your funny jokes, your loving attitude, and your kind heart. Although I cannot actually be you, I am inspired by you everyday.

Thank you for spending hours braiding my hair and redoing it a thousand times until it had no bumps. I’m sorry for screaming when you yanked my hair back with your violent brushing. Thank you for curling my hair for almost every important event I had since I was ten. Without you, my hair would look horrible.

Thank you for teaching me how to put on makeup and for showing me how to create the perfect eyeliner. Thanks for letting me borrow your clothes without your permission. Do you remember fighting over the Lulu leggings so much that we tore them in two? So, thank you for teaching me that compromise might be the best and only option. Let’s just say I am dreading the day that you pack.  I will be praying to God that our clothes stay intact this time.

Thanks for being my ally around the house and covering for me when I needed it. I remember one night I ate a whole tub of Ben (our brother’s) ice cream and when he came in fist clenched and red faced, you stepped up and told him that you ate it. You are just that type of person, you step up for others even when you don’t need to.

Thank you for being my personal chauffeur when I didn’t have my license. I am sorry for all the turns and exits you missed due to my bad navigation skills. I will miss our car panics and screaming matches. If I never get to yell, “Turn left! No, you turned right not left!” again, then I will be very sad. Most importantly, I will miss jamming out to our favorite songs. Because of you, “High School Musical” songs are always on my mind, and I will never get the ringing from “Hasta La Vista” on full volume out of my ears.

With you gone, I will never have to wait for the shower again. But thank you for teaching me that banging on the bathroom door will not make someone hurry up. I am sorry I used all your purple shampoo; I will be sure to get you some before you leave.

Thank you for always managing to wake up late and make me late for school despite me getting up an hour before you. I need to apologize for getting mad that you cannot go to school without your coffee in hand. Next time, I will make your coffee without that much creamer because according to you, there was no coffee in it.

Thank you for showing me how to enter high school and guiding me through it. Thank you for correcting my essays. Without you I would’ve failed English. Thank you for writing all these articles with me and being the best sister duo the Royal Reporter has seen to this day.

Thank you for introducing me to your friends and letting your little sister be apart of your groups. You never excluded me even if you wanted to, and you were always understanding when you had to drag me along.

Thank you for teaching me how to run a business at the age of five. Since then, I always had a passion for hard work. Our first business was selling sea shells at the beach. I didn’t know you couldn’t sell them, but I actually made money that day. Together we made our duck tape purses, and we sold purses, bracelets, and more. I remember you making me cry because when I was making a purse, the tape got stuck together. At the end of the day, I became so happy when we made a whole five dollars from that sale. Later in life, you were the one who landed me my first job and trained me on how to be the best Christmas tree worker. Together we froze in fifty degree weather at 6 a.m., but I always loved working with my sister.

Overall, thank you for being my built in best friend and the best sister ever, I will miss you, but I am proud of you. College may split us apart geographically, but it will never break our bond. I love you so much even though I never say it.