Jessica has always been there, and even though it sounded absurd, I knew she was always going to be there. I came running to her through heartbreak. I told her about that one girl that could say "I was an idiot. I'm stupid. And I'm sorry." I cried to her when my mother died. And I hugged her when I needed reassurance.

Nobody could comfort me like my best friend could.

The tears where streaming down my cheeks as I fought against the bitter December air to get to Jessi. The streets were covered in light snow, turning to slush under my shuffling feet. I continued to battle with the wind and crossed the street, running until I was at her doorstep. This was not a Christmas to remember.

My frozen hand met the door, creating a loud knock. The sound echoed in my ears.

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

"JESSI!" I yelled, continuing to bang on the door.

I stared up at her window. It was pitch dark, reminding me of the blackness that was starting to cloud over my brain. I slid down, parking my button down her snowy doorstep. The cold intensified once I fully stopped moving and I hugged my knees to my chest.The wind bit at my cheeks and I burried my face into my knees.

"Tiffany?" Jessica's voice met my ears, sounding heaven sent.

I looked up. My tears were frozen on my cheeks. My hair was matted and thrown up into a messy bun.

She pulled me up and wrapped her arms around me without uttering a word. Jessica's face was creased in worry as she let me into her house and gently set me on the couch. She shrugged off her coat and tucked me within it. I couldn't help but to inhale her scent. I felt safe.When I was around Jessica, I even felt wanted.

"What is it, Tiff?" Jessi asked, sitting on the couch and pulling me into her lap. I was suddenly being cradled in her arms. I was under her protection, under her wing.

"I- I-" I stuttered. My lips felt frozen. It seemed like I would never be able to pry them apart.

All the while, the tears kept falling, getting heavier as my despair grew.

"Shh," She cooed. "It's alright."

It never ceased to amaze me, how Jessica could be so sweet and caring to me, but then so tough around others. To me, she was my huge teddy bear. My other half. But to others she was a misunderstood singer with one weird best friend. In other words, I was her life and she was mine.

"Jess," It took so much effort just to speak her name. "I- My dad... he-" Her eyes held nothing but encouragement. "We're moving, Jess... To LA."

She tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. I felt the worry radiating off of her. I could read her eyes. They were quickly filling with pain.

"Why is he making you go?"

I managed to laugh bitterly. "It's a Christmas present. He wants me to start over. He says I need more friends, that I need to do better in life."

"I- I don't want you to leave." She whispered, looking away from me, out into the snowy abyss.

Sometimes it took a lot of effort to get her to tell me what she was really feeling.

I put a hand up to her face and touched her cheek lightly. "I can't leave you, Jess. You're all I have. We're best friends. We're supposed to stick together- forever."

"I uh... I wrote you something."

I nodded my head in appreciation. Jessica was an extremely talented singer. One day, when we were free from this place, she would become famous. And I would be there, by her side.

We trudged to the other room, where she kept her most prized possession. The piano was black and gleamed from the little sunlight that came through the window. It was beautiful, because it seemed to softly whisper "Jessica." This was her. Stripped down to the bone, Jessica was more than a singer.

The melody was soft. It was caring. It was us.

The song wasn't long. It was actually only a simple rhythm. But the second she sat down in her seat and emotions overwhelmed her eyes, I knew that this was just one more thing to connect us.

I thought the world seemed to stop.

Jessica was in front of me and I knew the emotion in her eyes.

It reflected my own.

"Please, Tiff," She whispered. "You can't leave."

My hand once again reached towards her face. I had done this so many times before. But this time, the touch of her skin sent my fingertips aflame. "Then don't let me go."

"Please dont. I- I love y- you, Tiffany."