Around the weeks leading up to Christmas last year, I met my best friend, Blake in the morning as he got off the bus. Together, we walked through the halls of the high school and ended up in the cafeteria, where we sat and talked until the bell rang. This was routine for us. The only thing that wasn’t routine was the small black box in sitting on the table before me and the eager smile on my best friend’s face.

For a moment before I opened the box, time seemed to slow. The room around us was so cold, but I didn’t notice. I opened the small box to reveal a bright golden locket. Time seemed to stop completely as I opened the locket to reveal the picture of my friend and I. My chest swelled with happiness and my mind went fuzzy as I tried to find the right words to say. Not only was the locket a beautiful gift, but it represented our close knit friendship. The cold temperature of the room slowly brought me back to reality. When I looked back up, he was smiling at me and awaiting a response. I felt a sudden tug towards him--I loved him. I began to realize how much he meant to me and how good of a friend he was. How could the gift I got for him ever represent as much as his gift for me did?

My best friend, Blake is a man of many words. He always has a lot to say and he knows exactly how to say it, but in this moment neither of us knew what to say. He’s also one of the most caring people I know. He’s considerate of other people's’ feelings without taking it far enough to forget about his own. These are the some of the things I love about him, but most of all I love how thoughtful he is. If I’m being honest, I didn’t expect much for a Christmas present. I expected something small and easy, like a card or a stuffed animal, but he’d bought me one of the most thoughtful gifts I could think of.

As I came back to reality, I took a closer look at my present. The locket was shiny and golden and the chain felt strong and secure. The metal was as cold as ice and the clasp snapped with a small, yet strong click. The locket was in the shape of a half-heart and Blake later revealed that he owned the opposite half of the locket, where together our lockets could make a full heart. Inside, the picture looked brand new. We’d taken the photo months before at a football game. We both smiled at the camera like we had never been happier. At the time, I didn’t realize how much this locket would mean to me.

Now, over ten months later, my locket is the most important thing I carry around. It looks different but it still represents the same thing and means the same amount. After wearing my locket for just less than a year, the golden color has worn away and become a dusty yellow. The clasp feels less secure after all this time of opening and closing it, but it doesn’t stop me from looking at the picture inside every chance I get. Even though my locket is no longer shiny and new, I still love it the same. My friendship with Blake is still as strong as the day he’d given me that locket, and I hope that we stay good friends until the day we die.