Distant

Since birth, we all have at least one person we grew up with, whether it's a cousin or neighbor or sibling. Someone we share every little thing with. Someone we cherish and adore. 
For me, it's always been my cousin. He's been there since I was born and is approximately 6 months older than me. We grew up together and I've always considered him to be one of my best friends, although I'm not sure how he feels about it. We used to play all the time, our favorite game being hide and seek since we would always pair up and hide in the most obvious places without being found until everyone else was. He's opened my eyes to different lifestyles and has actually been part of the reason why I listen to the music I do. As cheesy as it sounds, he's a huge part of my life and he's changed me for the better. 

I've always been the nerdy cousin, the one who's worried about school and homework and tests and projects. He's always been the risky one. He's the one who would get in trouble and go out to parties. We've always been polar opposites and somehow we were always together. Sure, we'd fight a lot and sometimes it'd get physical, but no matter what, he's always been my best friend. Recently, we haven't been too close since he moved like 40 minutes away or so, and it sucks. I miss him, just as anyone else would. He dropped out recently, and even so, I'm proud of him. He was never one for school, so I'm glad he's doing something he actually likes instead. 

To others, he might be another statistic, another kid failed by the education system, but he's always been a sort of inspiration to me. Yeah, he gets into all sorts of disasters, but they make him who he is. They make him unique. They make him him. I wouldn't trade him for the world. He pushes me to be my best self when no one else can. He's like a brother to me rather than a cousin. If you're reading this July, thank you for everything. I love you.