Kelly's Memories
The first day that Stephanie and me became friends was in my 11th grade study hall. I had always known who she was; I just never had any classes with her until them. I remember the day I met her really well because she was so funny and so much easier to talk to then I thought. That day, Steph was telling me a little bit about her family and how bad she wanted me to meet her brothers, she talked about them all the time. But then she goes on to tell me about an argument that she had 
recently gotten into with her parents and that she tried to “fight” Cind. I just laughed and thought to myself as I looked at this glittery, blonde-haired typical “Barbie-doll” how can this girl’s life be just as nuts as mine?! As time went on Steph and me became best friends real quick and literally had to see each other every day. One day Steph called my phone and I realized that there was no reason to the phone call besides her just wanting to “chat me up” as she would say. I was so happy after I hung up with her because I had never had a friend like her that I could just talk to for hours and not get bored.
The first time I went to Steph’s house it was me, Steph, and Nicholas, her oldest brother. And for everyone that has never been in the Oliva house or seen Stephanie's bedroom, trust me, its worth visiting! Steph’s bedroom was exactly like she was, perfect! There was not ONE thing out of place in that room. From her belts rolled neatly in her dresser to her socks neatly stacked and not to mention her makeup and perfumes were of course in perfect order. That was one of the biggest differences 
between Steph and me, she was a serious clean freak and my room’s always a mess! When Steph started to come to my house everyday she would not be able to chill out until my bedroom was perfectly cleaned and everything was in its proper place. My bed had to be made and of course my table needed to be windex’d.
The summer after 11th grade was the best time, and I really do have Steph to thank for that. We were obsessed with each other; we literally hung out every single day and didn't get sick of each other once. I was working at Burger King and she worked right across at Eckerd's. We would always walk over and visit each other on our breaks. Steph was always notorious for her “doublecheese- only ketch!”
I feel so lucky that I was able to get to know Steph. I think of that everyday. So many things remind me of her, for example, the name that everyone has gotten so used to calling me its replaced my real name. lol. I don't exactly remember when the nickname “chi” was created but I know it was soon after I met Steph. For anyone that doesn't know why I’m called chi, it is because I look really really young for my age and on top of that I’m really small. And since Steph abbreviated almost every word she could, child soon became “chi.” Now that I think of it, Steph was just as little as I was but she then of course became “mudd” short for mudder. I’ve had a few nicknames before chi came along (Jill knows what I mean :)) but none of those names have stayed with me like Chi has. Almost everyone I know calls me Chi. Even people that I’ve met in Hilton call me it. I really wonder sometimes if some people really know that my name is Kelly. hah.
Something about me and Steph just clicked. We never argued with each other because we always agreed about everything and just wanted to have fun. She’d always say that we were the same person, just different hair colors and that if one of us was born a guy we would get married at 17 lol. I miss seeing her so much. We would make plans for our futures like we would be 40 something and still hang out in “chi-town” a.k.a my bedroom. And of course our kids would be miniatures of us and would be best friends.
Something Steph and me definitely had in common was music. We absolutely loved the band Sublime and were completely obsessed. Me and her would just lay in my room with their 40 oz. to freedom CD playin and sing along. If anyone has that CD, then you know that the last song is Bradley thanking like everyone he knows. Steph would always insist on listening to the whole thing through because she loved the sound of his voice singing, or not lol. Me and Steph went to a concert with Mal and a few of her friends at Water Street. There were probably over 200 people at the show, at least that's what it felt like! Steph started to bug out and asked me to come outside for some fresh air. After I got her to come back inside I asked if could borrow her chapstick and I learned very quickly that her chapstick was very important to her. I of course being clumsy like I am, dropped it in the middle of the 200 people surrounding us and as it rolled off into the distance Steph was crawling around on the floor using her phone as a flashlight yelling at people around her to “move!” and screaming to me “OMG! this is my AVON chap!!!” (sry about that Steph lol)
Steph was definitely one of the funniest people I have every met. A funny story that I remember about Steph was the day that she was convinced that she had had a stroke. We were over Jill's house and Steph showed up flipping out about something. I could tell she was upset because I heard her little voice going “oooh my godd, I'm ser!” The first thing she says to me is “chi! look at my PUPES!” (short for pupils if you’re not into abbreviating) and one of Steph's pupes was like dilated to the fullest and the other was the size of a pinhead. It was a funny sight to see. Someone mentioned that it was a sign of a stroke so she of course bugs out screaming “I have had.. A STROKE!!”
There is this picture of me and Steph that I have in my kitchen and I remember taking it with her because when we got it developed we laughed at how we looked the same, both with our hair soo straight, both in jeans and our hip jackets and our black purses right by our sides.
I still can’t believe how big of an impact this tiny little girl has made on my life. Steph was perf, s
he really was. I met their new dog Muffin recently and it really is Steph but a puppy! So energetic and so cute and playful.
I miss her so much. I’m so happy everyday that she chose me to be her friend. I always thought that when I was friends with her and I still think that now. All I want is just one more time to see her and talk to her and hear the way she would say “chiiiii.” All those times that me and her were together I took for granted and now that she is gone I would give anything to have just one more day with her. It makes me sad when I think about the last time that I saw Steph because we had started to lose touch with each other over the summer and I remember her coming over to me and saying “chi I haven't seen you in a while I wanna do something” and in my head I kind of blew her off thinking that she wouldn't even call me cuz she was always too busy. But I guess now I'll never know. Even though me and Steph had started to lose touch it doesn't change what me and her had together. She was the best friend I've had and it’s so hard to think that I won’t be able to see her again for a really long time.
It will be weird when im old and tell my kids about Stephanie because I’m sure that I'll still refer to her as my best friend but she will forever be 18. I’m so sorry that this happened to you Stephanie! I think of you every single day and it hasn't changed for over 7 months now. You will forever be my mudder and I'll always be your chi.
To Cind and Nick- I am so sorry that I didn't try so much harder to get her back to her old self again. It eats at me every time I think about what happened. I wish I had done so much more to help her and your family when Steph really needed it. All the times I should have just called her and talked some sense into her head. I just figured she’s young and has to make her own mistakes in order to learn from them and that it’s not possible to change someone that doesn't think there is a reason to change. I just have to think that there is a reason for everything. I cant seem to come up with one as to why Stephanie was stolen from us but maybe that was just god’s plan and he hasn't filled me in on it yet.
Stephanie you will forever be in my heart and constantly in my thoughts. I miss you and love you so much! till we meet again...
Love, chi
Updated: 09/07/2006 9:21 PM