the flowers; h.s.

day twenty-two

I received a letter from him today.

I haven't had the courage to open it because- well, there's so many possibilities. That he won't ever come back. That he's met someone new and he just wanted to let me know.

I can't begin to tell you the devastation that would occur if he told me he were never coming back. I wouldn't be able to go on knowing that I let him slip right through my fingers like that.

So the letter now sits there and watches me, much like the wilted flowers have done for the past twenty-two days. I can see that there is no return address, and that there are no addresses in general. Which means that he must have slipped this letter right into my mailbox. Which means that he was here.

With this revelation, I grab the letter swiftly, carefully tearing it open.

It read:

"Dear Alia,

I don't really know what to say, honestly, because I'm not entirely sure of how you are feeling. It's been a while since I left you, and I felt that now would be a good time to give you an explanation. But I know that you know me so well... you already know exactly what I am going to say.

I left because I had to. Because being in one place for an extraordinarily long amount of time, even if it is with the girl that I love, is tiring for me. I can't even begin to express how restless my soul is. It's like I was born with another person inside of me, begging me constantly to take them places that I can't even believe are real. I wish I could contain it, for I love you more than anything, but the person inside of me is unbelievably relentless. They won't take no for an answer.

I find this highly selfish because all I want is to be with you. Near you. Next to you. Somewhere with you. You are the one that I think about when I am walking around big, new cities. You are the one that I constantly wish was with me as I discover these beautiful places. The only thing that I long for is you and your presence and your smile and your laugh and everything about you.

And throughout my journey these past few weeks, I have learned something that will stick with me for life: Staying in one place is hard enough for me, but staying away from you is the hardest. With that being said, I will return to you. Give it a couple more days or weeks, but I will be there. I won't leave you alone any longer; I can't go on knowing that you are in that barren town all by your lonesome. I will rescue you. I will come back.

I give you my word. I promise to you that you will be lonely no more. If you just be patient. I will return.

I love you more than anything, my darling. You surround my every thoughts.

See you very soon.

With great love,

Harry. xx"