This is for you.

I haven’t forgotten the things that you told me, even though it wasn’t that long ago. You told me in complete confidence, something that we hadn’t done since we were younger. We had drifted apart, I’ll admit that, but that day as we shared our scars—physical and emotional—you were the only one in the world that mattered to me. I had moved away and made new friends from different places and different backgrounds, my eyes had been opened to the world and I have seen more things that I probably should have. You had stayed in one place, in our sleepy town where the biggest crime to occur is a speeding ticket or perhaps underage drinking. Yet you seemed to know more, have experienced more than I had. You had suffered through so much more, from such a young age, and I felt helpless then, leaning against the cool wall. I had always felt a power over you, though you were clearly the leader. I felt that if I tried hard enough, I could cure you of all your sickness, your sadness. Then, you told me your secrets, the phone calls made and trips to patient housing. You talked about moving away forever. And I felt helpless. You told me all your sorrows calmly, as if we were discussing the weather and all I could think about was myself; how I failed you, how it would be without you there, where I couldn’t come back and save you.

That night I cried myself to sleep. I was thinking of you, alone in your room, or not. I wasn’t sure anymore. Right then I wanted to hold your hand close to my heart, like we did as children, when there was nothing wrong with our worlds because we didn’t think the people who held it up had the capability to break it down. You hold up my world and if you go, it will break down; irreparable.

So please stay. Please come with me, where I can protect you and love you like I used to and things can go back to the way they were. The way it was when you looked at me with the sky in your eyes, when you had the questions to which I had the answers and no matter what anyone could do would take that away.

All my love.