Return To Me

My Eighth Birthday Party.

Dear future us,

Where do I even begin to explain what we did on my eighth birthday, or should I say what you did, Mr.

For my eighth birthday party my mum and dad hired a huge bouncy castle and bouncy castle slide thing. They booked the local community hall for my party to be held in. I sent out invites to everyone in our class.

The morning of my party, a couple if weeks after I sent out the invites my parents set everything up. The balloons and the banners, the table of party food including the classics jelly, cocktail sausages and mini sandwiches. The whole damn thing. The bouncy castles went up too. Everything was set and ready for the party to kick off.

At midday everyone began to arrive and by quarter past nearly everyone was there, but for some reason it felt odd, like something was missing. I got lots of presents from everyone who came and we all headed straight for the bouncy castle. Yet it still felt off.

It wasn't until half past did it click into place. An extremely familiar, over excited blonde boy ran throw the door.

Do you know who he is? He's someone I know very well and I love to this day. Over the years he's never left my side, and I've never left his. He's lying so still just now. The faint rise and fall of his chest is all that singles to me that he's still in this world. Maybe in a really far away world but here.

That blonde crazy little boy was you Jackson. You burst throw that door. Just as you had burst through that classroom door and ran round the room the year before.

I was off that bouncy castle like a cheetah after it's prey. I bounded straight up to you as your mum came up behind you. She handed you a huge box and you took it and thrust it towards me yelling at the top of your voice 'happy birthday!'. I laughed and thanked you for the present before running with you to my dad before shoving it his direction. As soon as it was out my hands, you grabbed my hand and dragged me to the bouncy castle, kicking of your shoes.

We spent ages messing around with the others. Then it was time for party games. The classic favourite of ours. Corners! My dad got us all set up and the game began. We took it so seriously, it's hilarious. There's a video of us playing and if looks could kill I tell you everyone there would be six feet under.

In the end there was three of is left. You, me and gross/handy Andy (I will explain both his nicknames as we go on, but honestly you don't need to remember him. Life would be better without him. My dad started the music again and we ran to our chosen corners, me and you choosing the same one and Andy the other. The music stopped and my dad yelled the corner for outs. It was yellow. We both gripped our hands together and looked up at the coloured dot in our corner. It was red. We had one! Andy was upset and started crying, while we were jumping up and down because we had won.

The time came to blow out the candles and soon the party was over. We asked my parents if you could come over after and they said yes and went to speak to your mum to see if it was okay with them while we stood with Andy who was waiting for his mum, still in a strop. He started complain and saying we had cheated and he pushed you and you pushed him back starting a mini fight. Our parents were busy and I was just stood there shocked. Before I knew it you had pushed Andy's face into the left over cake. I swear to God it was the funniest thing I've ever seen.

My parents, your mum and Andy's dad ran over, we were lying on the floor in stitches and Andy just started bawling and screaming. It made no difference to us.

In the end you didn't get to come over to mine that day but I think that honestly has to be a highlight of our childhood.

I think that was the day I started falling for you, but who knows. It took years for anything to happen between us.

I tell you now. It was worth the wait.

Love,
Isla xXxX

P.s. I managed not to cry writing this. I laughed actually. I laughed a lot. Then I cried. I miss your laugh. It hurt remembering it. Maybe next week we can laugh at this together. All you need to do is come back to me.