A few weeks had passed since graduation, and the world was slowly settling into the calm after the storm of exams and farewell ceremonies.
Rita sat at her desk one evening, a pen in her hand and a piece of paper in front of her. The room was quiet, except for the soft rustling of leaves outside the window. She stared at the blank page, unsure of how to begin.
I've never written a letter like this before, she thought, tapping the pen against the paper.
But she knew she had to say something.
After everything that had happened — the exams, the fights, the unspoken words — it was time to let Anne know.
Finally, she started writing.
Dear Anne,
I don't really know how to start this, but I think it's something I need to say.
When I think about everything that happened this year, I realize just how much I've taken you for granted.
I know I hurt you — I know I pushed you away when I should have been the one holding on. I've spent so much time being angry at myself and everything else that I forgot what matters most.
You matter.
You've always mattered.
I'm sorry for the silence. For not listening when you needed me. For the things I said that hurt you.
I can't take those things back, but I can tell you now that I see it — I see how much I've changed, how much we've both grown, and how much I appreciate you.
The truth is, I'm scared.
Scared of the future. Scared of losing the people who mean the most to me. But I know I don't have to face it alone. I have you. And I always will.
Thank you for the sash, by the way. I wasn't ready to admit it at the time, but it meant the world to me. It wasn't just about the ceremony. It was about us — that I still mattered to you.
I don't know what comes next. But I do know that no matter what, I don't want to lose you again.
With all my love,
Rita
Rita set the pen down, staring at the letter for a moment.
It was raw. It was real.
She folded the paper carefully and placed it in an envelope, addressing it to Anne's home.
When she was done, she stood up and walked to the door, the letter in her hand.
For the first time in a long while, Rita felt like she was ready to move forward.
And this time, she wasn't going to do it alone