A/N: I seriously I have the best readers, you guys leave the best reviews and I swear they make the writing so much more worth it than it already is. This is just a little something I'll probably do it two or three more times throughout the story. They are relevant so it's not a random thing that I just threw in. I know my updates have been sporadic but end of the semester and professors like to ruin lives but I'm almost done and I'll be able to focus on just this story and be a little more frequent than once a week. I'm working on an update now but I wanted to give you guys something to hopefully make the wait a bit more bearable, thanks so much for reading and hopefully you like this. Until next time.


Letter # 371

Dear Penguin,

So I hate that I'm home right now. It's only been a couple days but I miss you like crazy. I told my girlfriend that I came out to you and she was really excited. She knows how important you are to me and she was super happy that I talked to you about her. Well I mean we spoke like ten words together about her but she doesn't need to know that. She's been asking a lot of questions about you since I told her and I don't know what to tell her. I don't ever really have to share you or talk about you to anyone because everyone in my life just knows who you are. She sees me write you while we hang out and I think she's a little jealous. She probably should be because I mean you're the only girl in my life that will stay forever.

I just want to say I love you. Thank you for being so amazing about me liking girls. I was super nervous the whole time waiting for you. I know I kind of blurted it out but eight years of my mush mouth you know what I'm saying. You know what I'm saying when I don't speak. I love that about us. I hope that never goes away.

Can you believe we went behind the scenes of the aquarium? You were so freaking adorable when we spent the night there. Good call on doing that this year by the way especially since I couldn't stay with you this summer. Freaking summer school. I swear the teacher has it out for me, I think she has the hots for me Penguin I'm just saying because there was no way in hell I failed that class. Okay fine maybe cutting so many of the classes was a bad idea but all the times I did I had something important to do. Like sleep, or you know get more stamps at the post office. I mean you off all people know how important stamps are. The post office is always closed when I get out of school and my parents always forget. I'm going to ship them off to a nursing home because of this fact. Mark my words.

I hope you're over the fact that I almost told Lucas about your little crush on him but I mean you can't stay mad at me anyway. You love me with all you heart and then some. So no seriously Lucas…no I don't approve. And my approval matters so don't act like it doesn't. I'm going to be hard on any guy that tries to steal you away from me just so you know. Just like I know you'd be hard on any girl that tried to take your place. I'm just saying Spence I know how you get. Remember while we were at dinner and that older chick was flirting with me? You grabbed my hand and pulled me close pretending to be my girlfriend. That was hysterical. Holding me close and kissing my cheek you were a mess. I mean I know I told you I liked girls that day but doesn't mean you got to start being a clam jammer already. Let me have a little fun sheesh. No I love you for it you were just being protective.

I know no one will care about me the way you do and it warms my heart. What more can I ask for than a best friend like you? I remember my first letter to you. I actually stole your name from Virgil remember him? Ugh he was such a weirdo, I remember he used to lick the glue sticks like a lollipop. Who does that? Anyway I stole you, so every dude in the future better watch out. I've got serious game. The only reason I'm bringing this up is because I remember talking to my mom about having pen pals and how my dad used to write her letters before they got together and she told me how he used to write 'Sincerely Yours'. She told me that if I ever write that sign off that I'd have to make sure I mean it. I don't think I'll ever mean it with anyone other than you Spence. I mean I can be anyone with you and you'll always be there and I can give every part of myself with you that I can't with other people I don't think I'll ever find that with anyone else so in every form of the word Spence I'm sincerely yours. I'll talk to you soon. Love you Penguin. It was amazing seeing you as usual can't wait to see you next year.

Sincerely Yours,

Otter.

Dear Otter,

I hate that you're home too. That overnight stay was way too short. Well I'm glad you trust me enough to tell me something like that. I can't imagine how hard it was for you to tell me though you practically screamed it at me as soon as I walked up to you. Which was pretty funny, it's cute when you're nervous. I don't know why you're nervous around me it's so silly. Okay sometimes I get a little nervous around you but I mean that's as silly as you getting nervous around me. Anyway no more being nervous we're best friends what the hell is up with that? That's nice that your girlfriend's excited. Tell her as excited as she is our relationship is none of her business. I don't understand why people feel the need to understand us, like if we wanted you to know we'd tell you willingly. I feel the same way, you'll be in my life forever as well. I've gotten used to you and basically at this point you can't get rid of me.

I almost killed you! I can't believe you were going to let my Lucas crush slip. He's just so cute, don't roll your eyes at me! So what he's older it's not like anything is going to actually happen. Besides as you said you wouldn't approve but you'd have to give me a better reason than age. You'll always get final say because you know what makes me happy and my best interest is in mind when you do think about me.

You need to stop cutting class. I know you hate it and it does nothing for you but every summer we had something like camp, or family trips or whatever and the one time you could stay you did this and now you can't spend the summer with me. Now I have to find something to do. Maybe I can work at the aquarium with Lucas! So putting your parents in a nursing home is not going to solve anything you need to quit being an ass.

Moving on…I kiss you on the cheek anyway. I mean we were each other's first kiss so really a kiss on the cheek not a big deal. I swear though even if we were just testing out kissing I haven't kissed anyone that kissed as well as you. Don't go getting your ego too inflated I haven't kissed that many people but between you and the two other guys I sorta went out with last year they still haven't measured up to twelve year old Ashley. I'm going to stop talking about this because I know you're going to spend four pages talking about your technique and why you're as good as you are. So I will most definitely be grilling anyone that tries to steal you from me and I stress try because again it'll never happen just like I'll never get stolen from you. You and me Ash…we're something pretty special and thank you for stealing me from Virgil he was a weirdo and good thing I didn't stick with him maybe I would be licking glue too. They are a gateway drug after all.

Well Otter I know what you mean. I don't know what it is about us but writing these letters and seeing you once a year means more to me than anything, or anyone. You're my better half, like a married couple except we don't fight like one. I love that we don't fight. Everything with you just fits. It's easy and it feels right and I know I'm yours even if you took me away from someone else I was always meant to be yours. Something in you made you want to take me, keep me and that was what was meant to be, the feeling behind it and here we are eight years later and we still have forever. I love you more Otter.

Sincerely Yours,

Penguin.