A/N: I wanted to write something about the NA bros, but I ended up abusing my exclamation point key instead. Oh well.
Dear Mattie,
Hahaha, you thought this was a card, didn't you? But I figured that your friends would be showering with you with cards and I wanted to be special, so I wrote you this letter!
Happy birthday to the bestest twin brother ever! I can't imagine not having you in my life, Mattie! You're the best! The awesomest side kick to ever accompany the hero: me!
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
Hey, do you remember how I wouldn't let you see my postcard when we went to London with Artie? Well, that's because I was writing to you! Hahaha, bet you didn't see that one coming!
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
Greetings from camp! I can't believe you got sick and couldn't come! Life is so unfair.
We went canoeing yesterday! There's this really big lake here that's perfect for racing. I think the counselor said that it was over fifteen meters deep or something crazy like that. I think he's kidding, but one kid started crying because he thought his canoe would tip and he'd fall in. Poor guy. At least crafts was after. He made this really awesome painting of the camp! It was soooo good! I wish you could've seen it.
Today, we went to this other lake a few minutes away and went tubing. It was awesome! I went on with my friend Kiku and we managed to stay on for half of our run! New record for us! (We should totally try to beat it next summer.)
I'm having a blast, but it doesn't feel the same without you here. You totally would've been my partner in crime!
See you in a few days!
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
Our teacher made us write letters in class today. She said something about wanting us to write to somebody we know, so I figured you were the best choice because you're the best person I know!
I hate that we're back in school now, but looking back, this summer was the best we've had yet, wasn't it?! We got to go to London with Artie, go camping with Franny and his weird friends, and I got to tell you all about my adventures at camp! Pretty awesome summer, right?
Oh, one more thing! Remember Kiku? He's a new student here! He's sitting right next to me right now. I think he's writing to his cousin or something like that.
Well, that's all I've got for now!
Love,
Alfie
P.S. Kiku says hi!
Dear Mattie,
Merry Christmas! I can't believe that the year is almost over! That means we only have two more years until we reach high school! AHHHHHH!
I hope you like your present! With it, you're going to be the best hockey player there is because it has the hero's touch!
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
Man, today was seriously a great day! Our baseball team won by five! Five! And I got us two of the five! Trust me, you would've been smiling from head to toe if you saw it.
Anyways, I hope you're having fun in Canada with Franny! Take a picture with a moose for me, will you?
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
Happy birthday to you once more! Today marks an entire year since I've started writing you letters! How awesome is that? And Artie says that I can't keep my mind on a task for more than ten minutes at a time. Take that, Eyebrows!
Love,
Alfie
P.S. I hid some sparklers in the pantry! Let's light them up after Artie's asleep.
Dear Mattie,
Today, Kiku told me something awesome! He told me that he got this letter that he wrote to himself a year ago and it was really cool to see what he had written to himself all that time ago! Well, he thought that it was super embarrassing and tried to hide it from me, but I still think it's pretty awesome.
Anyways, I wanna try that with you! You can write a letter to me and I can write to you and we can hold onto them for a year before opening them. It should be our new tradition! What do you say?
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
Well, here's the letter that you're going to read in a year!
…
Honestly, Mattie, I don't know what to write about! Kiku's letter had a bunch of stuff to do with Pokémon and Sailor Moon and other stuff like that. But I don't wanna do that to you because I don't wanna copy him. Hmm…
Oh, I know! I'll tell you something that I haven't told anyone yet!
Remember when I went to camp last summer? The same one I met Kiku at? Well, there's this really old tree there and legend has it that whoever carves their name in the tree will be granted eternal happiness. The problem is, there's this rule at camp that you can't do stuff like that to the trees...unless you do it without getting caught at night! So I snuck out with this really hyper kid named Mathias and we went to the tree! It took forever, but I carved our names on there with a pocket knife. I think Mathias wrote his and his best friend's name or something like that. But one of the adults started coming our way to check on the tree! We had to run away and come back a few minutes later. I was so scared that I would get caught and have to listen to an angry lecture from Arthur or something! But we made it out alive. And our names are on the tree! So we're going to be happy forever, Mattie! Isn't that awesome?
Well, I guess that's all I have for now. I can't wait to see what your past self is going to tell me in your letter!
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
Merry Christmas! I took forever trying to make this present for you, so you'd better like it, haha!
Love,
Alfie
P.S. You'd better kick some lacrosse butt with it!
Dear Mattie,
I can't believe that you actually got me that video game! I've been begging Artie for it for days! Thank you sooooo much! You're the bestest twin ever! (Okay, fine, this means you won our present war. This time. I'm sooo going to beat you next year!)
Oh, Kiku's cousin gave me some firecrackers today! Let's set them off and start off the new year with a bang!
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
I hope you're okay. That guy was really, really mean to you. But don't let him get to you.
Here, I'm going to go out and punch him in the face for you! That'll teach him! Nobody messes with my brother!
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
Well, I now have a sprained wrist, but it was so worth it. Now he won't bother you anymore! So don't worry about me, okay?
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Mattie, happy birthday to you!
I can't believe we're fourteen now! Time flies by really fast, doesn't it? I think I saw Artie crying earlier, but he swears that he just got dust in his eyes. Sure, Artie, sure.
Only a few more weeks until I can open that letter you wrote me last year! Man, I'm just tingling with excitement and fear. It's weird. Are you feeling like that too?
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
I just read your letter and I think I'm in tears. It's so sweet! It makes me think that mine's pathetic now, and I don't even remember what I wrote in it.
Well, I guess it's time for me to write you another letter for next year! Off we go into the wild blue yonder...
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
Well, here goes with "we'll open in this in a year" letter number two!
So we're starting high school this year. No joke, I'm actually kinda nervous, but only because it's a new place in a new setting and you always know how the people in scary movies are like in high school and stuff. And no, I was not scared of the ghosts in that movie! I was just startled because their screaming pierced my ears. (You're rolling your eyes at me, aren't you?)
Anyways, I'm sure we're going to be able to get through this together! I mean, if Artie managed to survive, then we can obviously pull through together! (Oh, speaking of Artie, ask Franny for some stories about his punk days. They're hilarious!) After all, we've got each other's backs, forever and always! Plus, our names are carved into the tree of happiness from two years ago, so we'll be guaranteed that no matter how old or crazy we get!
Looking forward to seeing what you have to say!
Love,
Alfie
P.S. We are never watching that movie ever again.
Dear Mattie,
Don't worry, I'm fine. This black eye is nothing! Just don't tell Artie how I really got it or else he'll kill me. Just go along with...whatever I say at the time, I guess.
But before you ask, I got it from Ivan. He's got one to match though, so I guess I'd call it even. He's such a creepy little prick. I hate his guts. How can you tolerate him anyways?
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
I better have won the Christmas contest, because I think I got you one of the bestest things ever. And yes, "bestest" is a word to me, no matter what you and Artie say!
Love,
Alfie
P.S. I just noticed that I've always signed my letters with "love". Man, I feel like Artie with all his Britishness now. Blegh.
Dear Mattie,
I hope you're having fun in Canada! I can't believe Artie put me on house arrest just for having a little cold. It's not like I'm going to infect everyone! Oh well.
Carlos is back from Cuba, by the way. He stopped by a little while ago and dropped off his present for you. I'm not promising anything, but I'm pretty sure he got you one of those aloha shirts he always wears. Again.
What else to say…
Oh, I saw Ivan yesterday. He was making snowmen with his little sister. It was weird, but kinda cute. Don't get me wrong, though. I still hate his guts.
Artie's yelling at me to go to sleep now, so see you soon!
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
To commemorate surviving our first year of highschool, I offer you this letter along with the certificate enclosed! (Kiku made the certificate, by the way.)
Love,
Alfie
This award is presented to
Matthew Williams
for making it all the way through his freshman year of high school.
You have done well, grasshopper.
Dear Mattie,
Hip, hip, hooray! We made it to see the light of fifteen! Just one more year and we can start driving! (I think Artie's currently freaking out about that. Poor guy. He's getting old.)
Here's to another wonderful birthday!
Love,
Alfie
P.S. I think Franny started freaking out over getting old. He and Artie are weird.
Dear Mattie,
Why are your year old letters always so amazing? That's not right, bro.
I guess I have to try harder!
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
Time for the third year old letter!
By the time you read this, we're going to be sixteen! Sixteen! We'll be able to drive and not have to bug Artie and Franny to take us to so and so game or friend's house and everything! Ah, I can just taste the freedom...
That seems like a light year away right now, but it's going to be reality when you read this. Man, that sounds really scary. You're going to be reading this when you're sixteen. Wow, Artie and Franny aren't the only ones who are getting old.
But sixteen, Mattie. That's like the prime age to be a superhero! You know, like in the movies!
Let's be the best superheroes we can be, Mattie! We'll be the unstoppable duo that rises up in the face of evil and rids the world of darkness! Yeah! After all, we're guaranteed to be happy forever, so what do we have to lose?
Well, that's all I have for now. See you again in 365 days!
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
Bonjour from Paris! (You're actually right next to me as I'm writing this, haha.) Well, before you ask, I am having a wonderful time here, even though everyone speaks French and only you and Franny have even a clue as to what people are saying. Oh well. At least the food here is good.
À bientôt!
Love,
Alfred
Dear Mattie,
I can't wait to go camping with Franny's friends with you again! Man, I really want to be anywhere but at this stupid science camp Artie's signed me up for. It's not even a real science camp. Plus, Ivan's here. As if my life couldn't get any worse at the moment.
Looking forward to going home and eating pancakes with you again.
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
Only two more days until I'm home and we go camping! Antonio said that he'd bring a telescope so we can stargaze! I'm super excited for that. I'll finally be able to show you all of those constellations I've told you about!
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
My head hurts and I can barely write, but I'll manage.
I don't really remember what happened, but the doctor said that I'll be fine in a few weeks or so. I don't know if that's true because I can barely feel my legs, but maybe that's because I'm too numb to feel anything.
I hope you're okay.
Please be okay.
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
I can barely even see the paper I'm writing on right now.
Please, Mattie. Keep fighting. I love you. You're my twin, my second half. I don't feel whole without you. So please be alright. Please open your eyes again.
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
The only thing that Franny will tell me about the crash is that the person was a drunk and that you were the one who protected me. Then he gets quiet and Artie has to shoo me out of the room.
I've been doing a lot of reading about comas lately. I can only read so much at a time before I have to stop, though. Kiku told me that sometimes, people in comas can hear you, so I'm just going to keep reading you these letters every day until you wake up, okay? Are you listening to me? I'm not giving up on you, and you shouldn't either.
I love you, Mattie. You're the best brother I could ever have. Remember that.
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
Artie started crying the other day. It was...sad. I've never seen him cry this badly before. I didn't know what to do. Francis had led me out of the room before I could even figure out what was going on.
Keep fighting, Mattie. We all miss you.
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
Carlos stopped by today. For once, he didn't try to beat me up or cuss me out. We just sat on the porch and ate ice cream together in silence. It was nice, but it didn't feel right without you.
Get better soon, Mattie.
Love,
Alfie
Dear Mattie,
School's started up again. It's weird to not be walking down the halls without you. It feels like I've lost my second half.
Everyone keeps giving me these weird looks. Even my teachers look at me as if I've grown a third arm or something. They either ask about my cast or apologize about you.
I hate it.
I miss you, Mattie. Please wake up soon.
Dear Mattie,
Ivan talked to me today. He seemed genuinely concerned about me. He even gave me this fake sunflower and said he hopes it cheers me up. I wonder why. He hates me, doesn't he? Why is he being so nice all of a sudden?
I don't understand anymore.
Dear Mattie,
I don't want to believe it.
I don't want to believe anything.
Dear Mattie,
Sometimes, I wish I was a real hero. Maybe then I could've saved you.
Dear Mattie,
I love you, Mattie.
You're my brother. Always have, always will be.
Dear Mattie,
Francis's friends stopped by today. They seem to be recovering, albeit slowly. Gilbert thinks that everything's his fault even though we all know it was that stupid drunk driver's fault.
I hope he gets the punishment he deserves for taking you away from us.
Dear Mattie,
Arthur was crying again today. I think he was drunk, but that doesn't matter. I couldn't help but join him.
It's not the same without you, Mattie. It really isn't.
I miss you.
Dear Mattie,
I wish I had protected you instead.
Maybe then I'd be in less pain.
Dear Mattie,
Merry Christmas. It feels weird celebrating without you. No more present contests, no more hot cocoa by the fire as we watch Christmas movies, no more choking on Arthur's horrible scones with you…
Ivan stopped by to see me today. He's been doing that for a lot now, coming to see me. You were right all along. He's not that bad of a guy, once you get to know him. I wish I had noticed that earlier. You would've been so happy…
Dear Mattie,
I found a photo album in your room today. Arthur came in a few minutes later and we started reminiscing over the pictures. For a moment, it felt like everything was normal. I don't know if that's a good thing or not.
Dear Mattie,
Arthur threw a new year's party today. It felt wrong to me to be celebrating without you, but I guess the point of having it was to try and get over the sullen mood that's settled on the house. I'm not sure if it worked, but he and Francis seem a little happier, so I guess that's good.
Dear Mattie,
Happy sweet sixteen, Mattie. I hope all of your wishes come true.
Dear Mattie,
It's been awhile since I've written, hasn't it? Haha, how ironic that the next time I write falls on the anniversary of the crash.
Life has been hectic. The other driver was sentenced to a bunch of jail time at the end of the trial a long time back. I can't believe I neglected to tell you that. Francis didn't think it did enough justice at the time, but I think he's learned to accept it. He's working towards opening up that bakery he's always dreamed about, by the way, so that'll be good for him. In the meanwhile, Arthur has been writing that novel he's always told us he wanted to write. It's pretty boring, in my opinion, but he says that's because he's just getting started.
Your friends seem like they've managed to move on with their lives. They still keep in touch with me every now and then. Arthur keeps saying that he's running out of places to put Abel's tulips and Carlos always gives me ice cream. It's nice, I suppose. It beats only having Kiku, Arthur, and Francis to confide in.
Ivan's now a friend of mine, I suppose. He really likes talking about outer space, especially constellations. He swears that he's found one of a sunflower, but I'm pretty sure he's being delusional about that. But we agreed to find one together and name it after you. It's weird how we went from being at each other's throats to casually talking about celestial bodies in the span of a few months. I never should've doubted your opinion on him.
As for me, I've been doing things on and off. Kiku and I volunteer at the animal shelter a lot and I help Francis with his dream bakery every now and then. It's a nice change of pace. I feel like I'm actually starting to do something with my life. (Haha, Arthur would be ecstatic if he found out I wrote that.)
There's a lot of your stuff in my room now. That stuffed polar bear Francis gave you has taken up residence on my chair. Your books have migrated onto my shelves. I also found that box that you kept all of my letters in. I constantly read the last year old letter you sent me. I cry every time I read it, no matter how many times I've read it before.
It's been hard without you, Mattie. And yet...I still think that you would've wanted me to move on someday. You always had such a kind, gentle heart. You were always there for me and worrying about me even when I was being an "idiotic git," as Artie would say. So please, Mattie. Don't worry about me anymore. Just go out there and live on in peace, knowing that you're not only the best sidekick I could ever had, but that you were the most heroic brother I ever could've known.
I love you, Mattie. Rest in peace.
Love,
Alfie