March
Dear Will,
Happy birthday! You're twenty-two. I'd treat you to your favorite brunch place if we were together. Instead, I'm sitting in an airport on my way to Nancy's baby shower. I'm on spring break, so I figured I should go. I can probably catch up with some of our friends too.
You're all over social media. Of course, me, Max, Dustin, Lucas, Steve, Robin, and everyone else posted, but a few were surprises. Troy Walsh and James Dante posted. They posted some BS about them being good friends with you. Jennifer Hayes also posted. I remember she had the biggest crush on you in middle school. I never knew if you noticed.
Life has been slow since Valentine's Day. Jane, Dustin, and I had fun. We went to a bar that was having a local band play. I got hit on. I didn't process it at first. I didn't believe I was getting hit on. I never saw myself as someone who gets the attention of random people at bars. I shot it down quickly. I was just shocked.
Maybe I never saw myself as getting hit on because I was always with you. I always brag about my super handsome and artistic boyfriend. The guy at the bar on Valentine's Day was the human equivalent of a jump scare. He left me alone the moment I mentioned I had a boyfriend.
Jane found my letters. I wasn't working on the fifteenth, so the three of us went site seeing. She only found the one from Valentine's Day. I ended up telling her about the rest. I broke down crying. Jane assured me I wasn't an idiot for having hope.
Maybe I am. I don't want to be. You've been gone for seven months. The chances of getting you back alive are less than one percent. You sent me that email, though. That email is the one thing keeping me sane.
My boarding group is about to be called. I don't want to have a breakdown on a plane. I'm on the verge of having one already. I hope you're in good health. I know it's unlikely. For all I know, you could be sitting right beside me, and I'd never know because you're not physically there. You already feel like a ghost.
I'm so sleep-deprived. Sorry if this is the worst letter ever. Why am I apologizing? No one is going to read this letter other than me.
Love, your sleepy and can't hold a thought, boyfriend,
Mike
A/N: Sorry if this chapter isn't the best. Life has been busy, but I wanted to update my story. I've been busy helping my mom and being in my community theater's production of Bye Bye Birdie.
