Dear John
Chapter 11
She was gone before I woke up, nothing but the faint smell of her hair on my pillow and a white envelope to hint at the fact that she was really there. My hand grabbed the envelope and stared at it for a second. I knew that this wouldn’t be the sort of letter I would want to read. From the living room I could hear the sounds of Stephen and Brian laughing. I didn’t want to talk to either of them but I knew it had to be done. I crumpled the envelope in my hand and pulled myself out of bed and towards the living room.
“You look like hell.” Brian said as I took a seat next to him. I ignored him and tossed the letter to Stephen.
“Read this to yourself, and tell me if it is good or bad. I don’t want to read it if it is bad news.” I mumbled. Brian’s eyes stared at Stephen as his hands unfolded the letter. My eyes were set at the floor. Every so often Stephen would whisper a word or two to himself as I waited for him to finish my heart on the floor.
“She does still love you she said.” Stephen finally said, “But she is leaving so you can figure out how to live without each other.”
“I know that already, what else does it say?”
“That you shouldn’t hate Brian because he didn’t want that kiss at all and she didn’t want to kiss him that she wanted to kiss you but that would have never have worked. And she said don’t be mad at Jess because she didn’t mean to tell. And she is sorry for breaking you, that she never meant to break you. That you should hate her. And she hopes you understand because you were the only one who ever understood.”
“I think I do understand. But that doesn’t make it right. I have to go to LA right now.”
“What LA why are you going to LA?” Brian asked.
“That’s where she went, I need her back.”
“Don’t do this,” Stephen said. “How do you know where she is going?”
“She came here last night and she told me when she left the letter. She stayed here last night but she had to leave early because she had to leave for LA to stay with her aunt.”
“You can’t go after her. And why would she stay here?”
“Because I asked her to, I just wanted one last day with her. I mean I needed it.”
“Look just stay here, and move on past her, this isn’t just about you now. She needs to get her head in the right place.”
“I should be the one who leaves.”
“It doesn’t matter who leaves, just as long as neither of you go find each other until you are both ready.”
“What if she is never ready?”
“She will be ready one day. And she’ll come back and you guys can be friends. Just let it work out naturally ok?”
“Why does that sound like it should be so easy?”
“You know you aren’t the first person to ever have a broken heart,” Brian said, “People get dumped all the time and yes this sort of sucked a lot I’m sure but damn it, it is for the best. You two have been together for so long and you guys started dating at such a young age that it was only natural for you two to grow apart. Snap the fuck out of it!”
“I’m supposed to go look for a shoebox in her closet, do you guys want to come with me?”
“You look like hell.” Brian said as I took a seat next to him. I ignored him and tossed the letter to Stephen.
“Read this to yourself, and tell me if it is good or bad. I don’t want to read it if it is bad news.” I mumbled. Brian’s eyes stared at Stephen as his hands unfolded the letter. My eyes were set at the floor. Every so often Stephen would whisper a word or two to himself as I waited for him to finish my heart on the floor.
“She does still love you she said.” Stephen finally said, “But she is leaving so you can figure out how to live without each other.”
“I know that already, what else does it say?”
“That you shouldn’t hate Brian because he didn’t want that kiss at all and she didn’t want to kiss him that she wanted to kiss you but that would have never have worked. And she said don’t be mad at Jess because she didn’t mean to tell. And she is sorry for breaking you, that she never meant to break you. That you should hate her. And she hopes you understand because you were the only one who ever understood.”
“I think I do understand. But that doesn’t make it right. I have to go to LA right now.”
“What LA why are you going to LA?” Brian asked.
“That’s where she went, I need her back.”
“Don’t do this,” Stephen said. “How do you know where she is going?”
“She came here last night and she told me when she left the letter. She stayed here last night but she had to leave early because she had to leave for LA to stay with her aunt.”
“You can’t go after her. And why would she stay here?”
“Because I asked her to, I just wanted one last day with her. I mean I needed it.”
“Look just stay here, and move on past her, this isn’t just about you now. She needs to get her head in the right place.”
“I should be the one who leaves.”
“It doesn’t matter who leaves, just as long as neither of you go find each other until you are both ready.”
“What if she is never ready?”
“She will be ready one day. And she’ll come back and you guys can be friends. Just let it work out naturally ok?”
“Why does that sound like it should be so easy?”
“You know you aren’t the first person to ever have a broken heart,” Brian said, “People get dumped all the time and yes this sort of sucked a lot I’m sure but damn it, it is for the best. You two have been together for so long and you guys started dating at such a young age that it was only natural for you two to grow apart. Snap the fuck out of it!”
“I’m supposed to go look for a shoebox in her closet, do you guys want to come with me?”