Rise Above This

Dear Anna,

I'm happy to tell you that you have a lot of exciting things to look forward to in your life. You're going to gain the most amazing friend, who I'll call Elizabeth. Trust me, she's going to get you through a lot of tough spots. And during your senior year, you're going to get accepted into the college of your dreams. I tell you these things to let you know that there is life after Kean.

I know how you feel right now. You're a sophomore, and Kean seems like the greatest guy in the world. Just one snare: he's dating someone else. Trust me, she wont last forever. She's in love with her skeezy ex-boyfriend, and soon enough Kean will realize that you're the one he wants.

And then, he's going to push you a littler further than you want to go. The first time he tries to get into your pants, you're going to tell him no. And then he's going to stop speaking to you, right then and there on the basement couch. You'll start to cry, and he'll feel bad. He'll gently rub your back until you lay down next to him, but he wont push you any further that night.

He'll tell you all sorts of sweet things. He'll call you his soul mate, and tell you that he loves you and would give up everything for you. And you'll believe him, every single word of it.

But then he'll start to get distant. He wont call you anymore. He wont talk to you very much at school. You'll be desperate to get things back to the way they were. So you decide to let him slip his hand into your pants. You know you don't want it, but maybe it will fix things. You can only hope.

That very night, then night you need to hear it the most, he wont tell you he loves you. He'll make a big joke out of it, and tell all his friends. And then he'll break up with you, two weeks later.

And that slime ball isn't done toying with you yet. No, not by far. Three days later, three short days, he'll ask for you back. You'll convince yourself that it'll be different, that he's realized that he needs you, and that he'll treat you better.

But in reality, he wont talk to you for a month, and then you'll dump him. But all of this isn't for nothing. You're going to learn something out of this. You will rise above this. Three months after the break-up you'll talk to him again, and realize that you deserve better.

You deserve someone who loves you for your mind, not your body. Someone who listens when you talks, and shares things with you. So don't you ever let anyone tell you different. You're a special girl, and you'll get what you want if you just wait for it.

Love,
Anna