Letters of the Aftermath

by LegionInfinity

Fear. Anger. Grief. Denial. Depression. Trauma. Lashing out. All these are side effects of loss. Death affects the living more than the dead. And the living grow apart because of it. He touched them all, but not everyone remembers his touch. Some prefer to disappear, some shut you out, others find a way to keep you away, but the ones who pick up the pieces, are the truly broken.

PLEASE READ BEFORE CONTINUING

This is an epistolary story that documents the life and feelings of the characters after the events in episode 34 and into the events of episode 35, so there are some small spoilers. WARNING.

This is written through the eyes of characters suffering through certain stages of grief as well as through mental disorders. This story was not meant to document the exact way everyone who has these disorders feel. It was not meant to upset or anger anyone. The story includes: depression, mentions of attempted suicide and self-harm, loneliness, verbal and physical violence, as well as other stuff along those lines.

This was just a heads up in case anyone is offended or upset by any of these things. If you are, I would not recommend reading this. This is simply my interpretation of how the characters in this story would handle the grief and events that they must overcome. Sorry if this upsets anyone.

I am rating this T, but should any of you think it needs to be rated as M, please contact me. Please.

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters and places. They are owned by the LEGO company and their respected creators. I only take ownership of my OC, Aryan Brookestone.

•••

July 21st, 2014

Dear anyone,

I don't know how to start this. I'm not sure how to start anything anymore, but I guess the beginning is as good a place as any. My name is Aryan Brookestone, and I'm the Ninja of Energy. About two months ago, we fought in the final, FINAL, battle against the Overlord. How do I know it's the final? I don't, but I've had about enough of his punk ass coming around here looking for ways to rule over people he gives only two shits about. If he is still alive, by some miracle, and is plotting our downfall, he's probably too scared to return. After all I've lost to make sure that bastard was dead, he better not be alive.

But, I'm getting off topic. About two months ago, I lost someone very important to me, very important to my entire family. Without him, we just fell apart. I promised myself that I wouldn't need the help, but it became too much to bear, not to mention he had been requesting to see me for some time. When I finally went to see him, it took so much as to convince myself that it wasn't like he was going to steal my soul. Dr. Henry Whitehall was is name, he's a physiologist who specializes in PTSD. I don't really think I'm qualified as having "post-traumatic stress", most of the people he sees are war veterans, but Dr. Whitehall always tells me that what I've gone through is the equivalent of a few wars. He might be right, he might not, but honestly I don't care.

Today, during our session, he hands me this notebook and tells me that he doesn't want to see me again until I fill it. When I asked him with what and why, he couldn't even give me a good answer. "Letters to anyone you believe deserves to hear you" is what he said. What the hell does that even mean? Not to mention, I suck at writing letters (this you already know), but I need to see this doctor. Either that, or face losing my sanity. I'll do what you want, doctor, but I won't like it, that much I can guarantee!

-Aryan

•••

Jay-

I'm going to run a few errands, we need some milk and I need some stuff for work. I'll only be gone about an hour. I'll have my phone on me at all times with the ringer turned on. Call if you need anything, anything at all.

Love,

Aryan

P.S. Please don't kill yourself while I'm gone.

•••

Dear Zane,

I wish you were here. You would know how to make everything better. Even if you couldn't, you would make everything better for me. You would reassure me that everything was gonna be okay, even though you knew it wasn't.

I just got home from the courthouse. Can you believe that they had enough "probable cause" to take a restraining order out on me? No contact, and I can't be within 500 feet of them or any of their dwellings. I tried to talk to Pixal about it, but she couldn't even bother to buzz me in. Too busy working on some "big" project that I can't even know about. I would talk to Jay, but I'm afraid of making him more depressed, if that even possible. What the hell do I do about him, Zane? I'm not you, I can't make him feel better with a great speech, pat on the back, and his favorite dinner. Any help from above would be appreciated.

My dad is the only person I can fully trust anymore, but I wouldn't dare tell him about this. It'll cause him to have another heart attack, and how do I make it sound any better? "Hey, Dad! Guess what! I can no longer see my bastard of a brother or his skank girlfriend because they took a restraining order out on me! I'd tell you why if I knew!"

What did I do to them? Did I scare them somehow? Did I make Cole mad? Did I make Nya mad? It would have been better if they could of just told me what I did, instead of… this. Is it because yelled at them? When they first got together, and Jay first got sick? When I told them it was all their fault, and if they had the common decency they would fix it? I'll never know.

Oh god, Zane, what the hell am I going to do? What can I do? We're falling apart without you and I'm falling to pieces. I don't know how much more of this shit I can take, I don't know how much more stress my heart can handle. Once again, any help from above would be appreciated.

Love always,

Aryan

•••

August 30th, 2014

Dear Judge Reynolds:

A week ago, I was summoned to the courthouse to be made aware of a restraining order that had been taken out against me. However, upon receiving the order, I was denied the right to know why the restraining order had been taken out on me. I have never done anything violent, sexually predatory, or unsettling towards the couple in question, which is why I question the authority of the restraining order. As a matter of fact, the male in the couple is my older brother, Cole Brookestone, towards whom I have never done anything threatening.

I was wondering if, upon receiving this letter, we could arrange a time in date in which I could come in and discuss this matter with you in person, as I am quite distraught at the fact that I am no longer allowed to see my sibling under such vague circumstances.

Sincerely,

Aryan Brookestone

•••

Dear Kai,

Sometimes I wonder why I didn't go with you, because you had the right idea. Running away from your responsibilities and family seemed cowardly at the time, but now I realize it was to save your sanity. I know I can never mail this letter to you, due to the fact I have no idea where you even are, but I'm gonna catch you up on life back home anyway.

Where do I begin…your sister, she's an absolute bitch. Hands down the biggest skank I've ever met or have yet to meet. If I had my way, I'd knock her head into the wall until her teeth were nothing more than a memory. But I honestly can't bitch too much, because my brother is the exact same. I would strangle him, though. Lloyd is still protecting Ninjago, along with me, of course, and Jay is still slitting his wrists. Pixal is too busy for any of us anymore.

Oh yeah, and Zane is still dead.

As for me, I've been having the shittiest time, as every live person on that previous list has developed some sort of grudge against me for some unknown reason that none of them will tell me. Instead, they have to be assholes about it and be all like "you KNOW what you did". If I knew, I wouldn't be asking you, now would I, Dickshaft? Except Lloyd, of course. He wants us to come back together, to be a team again. He doesn't understand what I did to make you all so angry, and he knows I don't know either. I think that's why we continue to do this, the training, the hard work. He wants me to act like his mentor again, and it makes him incredibly happy when I do.

Isn't it terrible that with the loss of one person, everyone who would have laid down their life for you a few months ago now writes you off as a common criminal? You know what's even worse? I would still do it, for every single one of you. The only problem is, the only one who deserves it is already dead.

-Aryan

•••

Dear Nya and Cole,

Restraining order my ass! If I ever see your faces around again, I will make you regret ever being born. I would be my pleasure to return you both home early. Hey, Nya! Do flames give you the same tan as the sun does? Or does it just bake you? You seem like the expert, you know, being the Devil and everything.

And Cole. Dear, dear Cole. If Jay wasn't in emotional turmoil over what you two did to him, he'd call you whipped. Have fun being an ass the rest of your life. Jackoff.

Hatefully yours,

Aryan

•••

Dear Nya and Cole,

I didn't mean what I said. Well, I didn't mean EVERYTHING I said. However, I won't apologize, because though I didn't MEAN it, I sure as hell meant it.

-Aryan

•••

Dear Zane,

Have you ever wanted someone gone, but you don't want them dead. And you don't really want them to go away. So it's like your mind is fighting a war against itself and you don't know what side you're on. If Cole were to die, I would cry. If he were to leave, I would cry. If he were to disappear off the face of the planet, I don't know what I'd do. Nya, on the other hand, had the gull to call herself myself her "best friend" for years, and then she betrays what little trust I give out to people. If she were to die, I'd dance on her grave.

The bad thing about you being dead is that you probably have some sort of omniscience over me, so you know what I say is empty. Nya is Kai's sister, and even though I shouldn't, I still love Kai. Lloyd is the only person that treats me as though I should have the right to be sad. Maybe I don't. They all act as though they are the only person that deserves to grieve for you. It hurts my heart, it's like they forgot what you meant to me, and hopefully what I meant to you. It isn't easy to love people who give you no love in return. Everyone has betrayed my love, which I give out in such small portions, the fact they even got some is a miracle in itself.

Sorry for talking so much about what's wrong with me and what I believe is wrong for the world. I'd ask you what was going on, but I'm not sure I'd get an answer.

Love you. Any help from above would be appreciated.

Love always,

Aryan

•••

Dear Cole,

Look, I know I'm violating the restraining order, but there are only so many excuses a girl can come up with to avoid family time with you and Dad. I can only have "other plans" so many times. You got us into this shit-fest, and I sure as hell aren't gonna pull you out. YOU have to tell Dad. Not me. You did this to our family, to him. It's your job to pick up the broken pieces of whatever is left.

Is this really how you want to remember us, Cole? Never getting to talk, and when we do, all we talk about is some dumb piece of paper that somehow has power over me? I'm waiting for you to change your mind. I'm waiting for the world I now live in to change, but you both are taking too long.

I'm going home on the 3rd. If you wanna make things right, be there.

Love,

Aryan

•••

Dear Cole,

You never showed up. I don't know why I'm surprised. So I'm going to make this brief and painful. It's what I do best.

I told Dad on my own. I told Dad about your mess, about everything you did. From MY point of view, might I add. He's not happy, not at all, though, you might already know that. When did a girl become so important, you push your flesh and blood away?

Now I'm going to write this slowly, as not to make the letters shaky. Nya, she means nothing to you. Don't deny it. You only wanted her because she wasn't yours to have, isn't that how it always works? You can lie and block me out of your life for good, but you will hear my voice like a hook at the back of your brain for the rest of your life, because you know I speak the truth.

-Aryan

Oh yes, I almost forgot to add. When Jay finally drowns, when I can no longer keep him slightly above the water, remember this. If I can't get him proper help in time, if he kills himself, that's on you and Nya. That guilt, will rot you until you have nothing left but a black hole that not even she can fill. And I, I will be nothing but a distant memory, a memory of the life and people you shut out and lost in your own selfishness. This will be my final communication with you, brother.

I am officially disowned.

•••

Dear Kai,

You know how you know it's a sad day? When you disown yourself. When the estranged brother you were so happy to finally see and remember, who you stupidly got attached to, doesn't even react to his sister becoming estranged again. I don't know what I expected, he lived without me for so long. I guess he didn't get as attached to me as I to him.

Sorry if the paper is fragile. It's getting a bit wet. Sorry.

I know I shouldn't cry. It's stupid to cry, but I can't help it. Your sister ruined my relationship with my brother, and I guess my brother ruined your relationship with your sister. The other day, I was doing something I shouldn't have, sitting just outside the open meadow where their little log cabin is located. I know it's creepy, but I used binoculars to see in. I was just trying to get a glimpse of Cole, you know, because I have PTSD and the world I built here is crumbling to pieces around me and I can't stop it. They don't even have a picture up of you. They don't have a picture up of the boy they helped raise, the man she once loved, the man who died for them!

I have to go, I can't see the paper very well. I'd ask you how wherever you are is, but you'll never see this anyway.

-Aryan

•••

Jay-

I know you're ignoring me calling for you. I made cake. Vanilla cake with yellow icing. Is that okay? I went as far away as I possibly could, you know, color and flavor wise.

Please come down and eat something with me in the room. You can't keep doing this to me. I've lost three members of our team already, you and Lloyd are all I have left.

We never have to see them again. Col-ahem- My brother disowned me. She took a restraining order out on me. We're never going to see them ever again. Please be happy about that. Come down for cake. Please.

Love,

Aryan

•••

Jay-

Thank you for coming down last night. I really appreciated it. We just need a couple of things, so I'm going to take my morning jog down to the corner store and get them. I'll be gone a half-hour, tops.

Love,

Aryan

•••

I WASGON ETW ENTYM INUTES. WHat HAvE yOU DoNe?

•••

Dear Jay,

I have to write this quickly, your parents want me gone, but this is for when you wake up. Sorry if my handwriting is messy. I invited you to stay with me not to patronize you, as you seemed to believe. I took you in because you seemed all alone in the world, and I was all alone in the world.

I know it was an invasion of your privacy, but they had to take it for evidence, and when they returned your journal, I just had to read it. You had your good days, not everything about me was bad, but most of it was. What happened to the bubbly guy who always had a good joke on hand? When was he replaced with hate?

I know you lost your passion and love to another man. I know you blame me for some part, but the blood running through my veins doesn't make me guilty of his crime. Find another passion, one that isn't hurting yourself to feel something. I know what that feels like too, to feel lost, to feel forgotten and alone, but you aren't.

For years, my heart beat but didn't work. I saw all the other girls my age fall foolishly in love and have their heart broken, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't form that attachment to any of the guys I dated. I felt alone, like I was defective. I had to feel something, I had to feel the warmth and adrenaline of being cared for, so I found a passion. I helped people, whether they were like me or unlike me, I helped them, and through them I learned to help myself. The thing about people, they will always hate you for something, mine was the genetically engineered super-blood that runs through my veins. It may sound stupid, like some self-help or motivation book, but let me tell you this: If you extend your heart, even towards the people who oppress you and make you feel like you're nothing, it eventually opens it. You begin to see the world in color again, you see it like you did when you were a child, and it's glorious. Love in glorious. And just like that, I found a new passion.

I guess you forget that I lost mine that day too, but I lost him forever. You, you have a hope I don't get the luxury of having. Whatever, or whoever, you want to have returned to you, it can be, but nothing good in life comes without hard work. Your scars are on your wrists, mine are in the pages of this notebook. Every letter, every stroke of the pen is a drop of blood, a piece of my soul.

Press your hand to your heart when you wake up. Instead of thinking about how ungrateful you are for its tick, change your point of view. Count the beats, give thanks for each one. Thank your parents for the beats, thank them for your breathing. This is a precious gift, one that many people try to give away too soon, and one that is sometimes taken too soon.

And if you can't find it in your heart to thank your parents, thank your friends, thank us. While retrieving the Nunchuks of Lightning, you saved me from a bomb, but I took most of the blast to protect you, a complete stranger. We each gave one another a gift that day. Zane gave all the ability to be here today, please don't try to give that away, it was his last gift.

And yeah, there's always something to be sad about. I'm not asking you to not be sad. I'm not telling you that there's nothing for you to be sad about, I know there is. However, sometimes it's best to cover up the sad, because it hurts the people around you. Sometimes it's best to cry yourself to sleep then to lock yourself away from the people who care about you. Show everyone that even though you're sad, and they expect to be sad, that you are stronger than the negative emotion. You can be more that that.

Please don't hate Cole too much, and don't worry about Nya. Cole only wanted her because she was yours. As for Nya, the heart wants what the heart wants, and if it wanted you, no amount of perfect matching doohickeys is going to change that. We've all lost our ways a bit these last few months.

Better wrap this up, your parents are gently nudging me towards to door now, but in case you have trouble, just remember: The man I loved died, to the point where there was no body left for us to bury. My brother and my best friend disowned me, want nothing to do with me. My other best friend abandoned me in my time of need, and one just tried to kill himself. But have I ever greeted you without a smile?

They're very easy to fake.

Love always,

Aryan

•••

Dear Zane,

Is it right for me to have just told Jay that? Especially while I'm sitting her sobbing into a pillow while feeling like I failed? What have I accomplished since you've been gone? I've broken up the entire team, not that they were already leaning towards that anyways. What happened to us? What happened to them? One minute, they're best friends, the next, arguing over Nya. You wanna know what's worse? I can't even remember what triggered it, the fight. First it was me and you, then Jay and Cole, and then you…

Why do I always feel as if I'm go blame for things that aren't my fault? It is right that I feel as though I bear the weight if their mistakes on my back? I can feel them all: Cole's abandonment, Jay's anger, Nya's hatred, Kai's cowardice, Pixal's blissful ignorance, and Lloyd, little Lloyd, he maybe an adult now, but he still doesn't understand.

We were well oiled, well-built together, he doesn't understand why we all can't be team again. He doesn't understand why only I show up for the training exercises. Sensei Wu does, and he tries to make him understand that now we all have our own lives, and the others are busy. I need to thank him for that, later.

Sensei Garmadon has me over for tea every Tuesday now. He says he understands the darkness inside me, not the kind from my power, but the kind from the PTSD. Last time, I told him the horrible truth, the one I tried to keep bottled up inside. You have to promise you won't hate me for this. I think it would have been better for everyone if I would have never come here, or if I had died in those first few weeks. I would have never found out that Cole was my family, I would never have saved Jay from the bomb, or helped him hook up with Nya. I would have never kissed Kai in the tree branches when you weren't looking (Sorry), I would have never raised Lloyd, and I would have never fallen in love with you.

These are the hardships that caused my pain, my scars. If I had the chance to go back in time and change it, would it? I don't know.

I love you more than anything. Any help from above would be greatly appreciated.

Love always,

Aryan

•••

Dear Sensei Wu,

I hate to disturb you, but I had to send this along with Falcon because it's urgent that you respond. I could have come to you, but I can't leave him right now. Jay tried to do something… really stupid. Of course I can never truly understand his reasoning, his reason for not wanting to stay. I guess it's only stupid because he didn't succeed, maybe it still would be even if he had. I don't understand. I wish I did, but that's not why I contacted you.

I need your advice, I might even need you to come. The injury and lacerations to Jay's neck area, to his spinal cord, they messed with his brain a bit. He avoided any sort of permanent brain injury, we were lucky for that.

When I went to see him after he woke up, the first thing he asked me was "Where are the others?" I was confused, I asked what he meant. He listed the names, a hint of sarcastic irritation at my "game". That's when the doctor came in and pulled me into the hallway to talk. Apparently, he accidently caused trauma to his long term memory. He doesn't remember anything from the last few months, nothing. He doesn't remember about Zane, about the battle, but most importantly, he doesn't remember about his fight with Cole. He doesn't remember the matchmaking machine, he doesn't remember the whole thing with Nya.

Sensei, I need your advice. I know I don't understand his reasoning for wanting to do this to himself, but even he doesn't right now. I have a chance to rewrite history. Nya and Cole were the reason for this, maybe even Zane played a part, but I can't cover that up. I can change what happened between the three of them, I can't erase Cole, they were friends, I wouldn't want to affect those good memories, but I can erase Nya.

It's immoral, I know. I don't mind reading thoughts, but I do mind altering them, but this is the chance of a lifetime. While his mind is in this fragile state, I can go in and erase all romantic feelings towards her. The only question is, should I? I'm trying to erase a feeling, it will surely return.

Answer me soon please.

-Aryan

•••

Dear Zane,

Jay still can't remember anything about the last few months. I took the letter I wrote him off of him. I had tell him about the battle, and about you. He cried for a while, but that was unavoidable. I left out any and all parts about you-know-who. I finally received Sensei Wu's response.

I don't know if I mentioned it, but you shouldn't worry about Falcon. He comes and goes as he wants, but he eats and sleeps at my house. Next to my bed, perched on the picture I keep of you. I think he misses you, and I'm not sure he understands you're never coming home. I hope he does.

Anyway, back on topic, Sensei Wu told me that it didn't seem write to erase his memory of Nya completely, but I should erase the fiasco that occurred over the last few months. However, he wants me to do it with my words rather than with my… ability.

Sorry I couldn't have written longer, I've got a memory to rewrite. Any help from above would be appreciated.

Love always,

Aryan

•••

Dear Nya,

I'm sure you've noticed the attached paper. See, I know where the courthouse is too. If you've read through the attached sheet, then you've noticed the order is for you, and you alone. Look, I know this is painful to see and hear. Believe me, I know.

I should probably tell you what's going on, and we're gonna use the mean words. Jay tried to hang himself on the rafters of my home about two weeks ago. Luckily, I wasn't gone as long as I said I would be and I came home in time to get him down before he suffocated. When he woke a week ago, he didn't remember anything from the last few months, including how you broke his heart. So, I did what I thought was necessary to keep him from falling back into that depression.

You left him about three months ago, but not for another man. You left because you needed some time to get away from all this. From the death, the danger, the constant anxiety of who was coming home, and who wasn't. You told him you loved him, and that you would be back. He took it very well.

If you've read through your restraining order, you, Nya Ignis, are not allowed to be within 1000 meters of Jay Walker. Yeah, I know I've violated my order a few times, including this letter, but this is a court ordered envelope. However, if you ever cared about Jay, in any way, shape, or form, you will do as I ask. His mental health depends on this. Please, find it in your heart not to be selfish. He needs to forget.

-Aryan

It would also be wonderful if Cole could come visit him. I sorta left out that part too.

•••

Dear Kai,

You were always there for me when I got into fight, whether it was with Cole, or whether it was with a scary man in some dark alley for money. You would watch a movie with me, or you would let me in through the back window. But this, this was something that you probably can't fix.

Cole and Nya showed up at the hospital yesterday. Jay was asleep. She said he "had to remember" that it "wasn't good for him to live in this fantasy land". I should never have trusted a notoriously selfish person to not be, even for one little thing. I fought with her, which ended in me telling her that she obviously didn't give a damn about Jay, and that she never did. So she slapped me, and I got mad.

I couldn't control it, I let my powers flare up, I felt my hand ignite with the energy I hadn't used in a while. She stepped back, and Cole stepped forward and grabbed me. Not by my arm, or my shoulders, no, he grabbed me by my hair. He then proceeded to push me up against the wall and threaten me, only I couldn't hear. I was only mad, and mad was all I felt. When he finally let go of me, the edge of my fact sore from the pulling, my head pounding, I finally snapped.

There was nurse walking by with a cart. On that cart, there was a white plastic rod, about a foot and a half, with the circumference of a dime. (It's the smallest coin in the American money system, don't worry about it, it was pretty thick.) I grabbed it off the cart, reached out and tapped Cole's shoulder with it as he walked back towards Nya. As soon as he turned around, I hit him across the face with it, hard. So hard that the end I was holding cut into my palm.

And as he was recovering and being ushered quickly out by Nya, I dropped the rod, hearing it knock against the ground and roll in the blood that coated it. All I could do was yell at them, "Guess you have an actual cause for that restraining order now, don't you, jackass?"

If you could come home and help me out of the pile of deep shit I got myself into, that would be great.

-Aryan

•••

Dear Zane,

Well, this is it. This is the moment in time where I allowed our family to fall into the depths of hell and we're never coming back. Maybe I shouldn't have tried so hard, maybe I should have tried harder, maybe I shouldn't have tried at all. My dad just called to yell at me, because Cole came to his house with his girlfriend, a black eye, and an impressive bruise that stretched across his face from his jawbone to his forehead. I went to see Jay in the hospital, who bitched at me for not telling him the truth. Apparently, while Cole and I were having it out, Nya snuck in and told him everything. I was worried he'd get depressed again, instead, he was just pissed. At me, might I add.

He got discharged from the hospital yesterday, and he came to collect his belongings. He's living with his parents until he figures something out. Apparently, anything is better than living with me. I gave him the letter back, he'll understand it this time around. Turns out, Kai wasn't off seeing the world at all, instead, he's been at some underground fighting rink in Ninjago City. He's been there for months. How do I know this? Because guess where I went to let off steam a few nights ago? I told him that if he thought this was helping any, it wasn't. Then I kicked his ass for good measure.

It getting late, Zane. Time is running out on our team, on our family.

As always, any help from above would be appreciated.

Love always,

Aryan

•••

Dear Jay,

I know you won't read this, but congratulations on your new show! I'm sure you'll do great! You've come a long way. You deserve your new passion. You deserve you happiness.

Love always,

Aryan

•••

Dear Zane,

Karma's a nasty bitch, especially to those who don't deserve her sting. Jay got his gameshow, he got his fame, Cole has Nya and his weirdass lumber job, Kai has the fighting, Lloyd has the protecting, and what do I get? Six months of nonstop work, six months of lying, smiling, laughing at things I didn't even think were funny, and what do I get for all that? And empty house, a dead boyfriend, an estranged sibling, four lost best friends, and a dysfunctional two person team. Oh, and a robotic bird.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the protecting, I enjoy doing the work you left behind but where did I let this all go wrong, Zane? And why is it always me? Why am I always the cause of misery and sadness? Lloyd, he told me he's going to get our team back together. I told him it was no use. He told me that I should do it, because I was the team leader now.

I had forgotten our system, but he was right. I was fifth, now I'm fourth, and only four and five were left. I offered the position to Lloyd, but he was right.

Right now, it'll just be Lloyd and I, but when things settle down, I'll send Lloyd to them. He'll talk, he'll get them where I want them. When they're there, I'll make them listen.

I love you, Zane. I always will. This is the last page of my journal. I'm not going back to see Dr. Whitehall. I don't want this anymore, the constant reminder that I'm broken, I'm not the person I once was. I'm going to burn this once I'm done writing.

Love always,

Aryan

•••