letters ↹ mle

letters ↹ 35

layla sat on a stool in front of her vanity mirror, applying the finishing touches of her makeup. today she was graduating. she was getting her high-school diploma. she couldn't wait, but she could wait a million years to talk in front of the whole school.

she got into the car with her mother and her father, who so pleasantly decided to come. the drive was awkward, except that her mother and her were talking, leaving her dad out.

"honey, he'd be so proud of you," her mother cooed, rubbing her shoulder calming layla's nerves. she smiled, trying real hard not to cry. she missed her brother dearly, but matthew made her forget about all the bad things.

ever since her and matthew had broken up, she'd remembered all the pain and sorrow she had before. she cried the night before, remembering to extra under-eye makeup on.

layla sat many rows behind matthew, but she didn't want to think of that. she wanted to think about how excited she was to graduate. her sister had made it to her graduation, but layla did not notice. the nerve of talking in front of her peers was distracting her.

"hello, i'm mrs. lily as some of you may know me. later this week i found a series of letters in my room under one of the desks. i'm going to start with the first one," layla's eyes widened. her and matthew had exchanged letters.

"dear whoever is reading this,

you have found my note! i am currently sitting in english, hoping for a chance to write what i would like. since that will never happen, i decided to take matters into my own hands.

my name will not be known so you can rat me out. it's not that i don't trust you, it's just i have no clue who you are..." she spoke. layla's eyes widened. that was the first letter that layla had written to matth- to anyone.

"now, we have a few words from one of our esteem students, layla carters," she called layla upon the stage, taking a deep breath before beginning to speak.

"um, hi. i'm layla, but you probably already knew that. anyways, today should be a great day; after all, we are leaving this school which most of you call a hellhole. my experiences here have been great. especially the last couple months of senior year. i just wanted to say thank you to macie adams and matthew espinosa for making it possible; thank you for getting me through the last four years here," she got off stage trying not to cry.

"now a few words from our valedictorian.." mrs. lily spoke aloud.

"thank you," matthew began to speak. "thank you as well, layla carters. as many people have, they find their first love in the midsts of their high-school years. well, i have. tonight i am leaving for my college in los angeles. i want to say goodbye before it's too late. thank you so much for the great memories here, but i must move on with my life. thank you woodbridge high-school, this has been the greatest."

matthew looked into layla's eyes for the rest of the time he was up there on the stage. layla's eyes began to well-up with tears. she began to run out off the football field. she ran to the closest getaway, which happened to be the gym.

she began to breakdown in tears on the gym floor.

"layla!" matthew yelled, coming up to layla. "why'd you runaway? was it something i said?"

"n-n-no.. y-you're leaving today..." she sniffed, trying not to cry.

"i'm sorry layla, i tried to tell you yesterday, but you left. i also forgot to give you your graduation present." he handed her a small box with a ring inside. it had a knot instead of a jewel, but the knot wasn't fully tied.

"no, it's not an engagement ring. it's a promise ring. a promise that when i get finished with college i'll come find you again; hopefully make up for all of the years i missed out on.."

"oh matthew, thank you. thank you so much," she hugged him like it was the last time she would hug him; she knew it was.

she knew it'd be a long time until she would be in matthew's embrace again.

"i love you, layla marie carters."

"i love you too, matthew lee espinosa. you are one special boy,"

awe omfg they sort of made up.

this was the last chapter of letters until the epilogue is posted.

i'm so sorry if this is not the ending you want. not all stories have a happy ending, i'm so sorry.

epilogue should be up tomorrow. also, tomorrow we have a half day at school, so i should be home around 1:30 so, yeah.

thank you guys so much for the amazing journey of writing this. i will have a new book up called "last day" and it's a johnson story.

i love each and everyone of you all so much. stay perefct.

love,

olivia x