This Little Light: a collection of short stories

Do You Even Remember?

Written for the #perfectdate competition

Do You Even Remember? 

Dear O,

This letter has been a long time coming. Do you remember Lila? Well, she's the one who told me to call you back. More than once. You probably don't remember her, though. You probably don't even remember me.

Lila told me to write you this letter- She thinks I'm going insane. Everyone thinks I'm going insane. But she told me I needed to write you a letter so say goodbye... since I never got to.

The only problem is that I don't want to say goodbye to you. I just want you to come home. But Lila insists that after I write this letter, I'll feel better.

Do you remember our last night together? I do. Even after all these years, I remember every. single. detail.

I remember how you threw that rock at my window, scaring the living daylights out of me. I remember yelling at you for not just texting me instead of pulling a Romeo. You told me you didn't know if I had remembered to turn my ringer off and didn't want to wake Suzie.

Do you remember Suzie?

I remember leaving through the front door of my house, angry at you for waking me while I was having a good dream. I didn't tell you that I had been dreaming about you.

I remember you just kissed the corner of my cheek in answer and took my hand. I followed you, groaning and complaining that you could have at least picked a warmer night to harass me.

You gave me your jacket. Do you remember that? It was your military jacket, the ACU one with one of the bottom buttons broken off. I was the one that broke it.

You didn't say much that night, just pulled me down the street, a soft smile on your lips. You had never been one for talking. Are you still?

We walked for a long time, holding hands while you smiled at me and listened to my stream of complaints and questions. You didn't tell me where we were going.

We walked around the entire town before coming back to my house.

You kissed me on the doorstep.

And I never saw you again.

I hated that night... at the time. But after you left it replayed over and over in my mind like a broken record. Until I treasured it. Our last time together. Some might have even called it a date.

I hated it. Now I love it. What I would give to do it again. It was perfect.

Some nights I can still feel the lingering of that last kiss.

I wished you had said goodbye to me. But if I never hear from you again, I'll still have the memory of that night.

I've finished my letter now.

And I do feel better. Better knowing the fact that you might read it.

And that it may convince you to come home to me.

If you're even still alive.

Goodbye,

XOXO, ena