(COMPLETED): Unsent Letters

july 19th, 2017

author's note: this chapter discusses SA. If you are triggered by this theme, please skip this chapter. 

The decision to move to New York City had been a tumultuous one for Kat. Every corner of her hometown whispered memories of her time with Reid. Their love had been beautiful and intense, but as life sometimes dictated, it wasn't enough to sustain them.

The familiar streets and places that once held their laughter and dreams now felt like echoes of a past she needed to leave behind. So, with a heavy heart and a resolve to start anew, Kat packed her belongings and bid farewell to the town that held fragments of their shared history.

As she boarded the train to New York, emotions churned within her. The rhythmic clatter of the train against the tracks was a symphony that mirrored the uncertainty and hopefulness she felt about the future. She found solace in the idea of a city where every street corner was a new canvas, waiting to be painted with her aspirations.

New York City greeted her with its bustling energy and vibrant chaos. The skyscrapers loomed over her like guardians of countless dreams. The air hummed with possibilities, and Kat felt a sense of both apprehension and excitement, like a fledgling bird taking flight from its nest.

She settled into her new apartment, surrounded by the unfamiliar hustle and bustle of city life. The honking of cars and the ceaseless chatter of people were a stark contrast to the serene tranquility of her hometown, but the change was exactly what she needed to carve out a fresh start.

Days turned into weeks, and Kat threw herself into the rhythm of the city. She wandered through Central Park, got lost in the maze of streets in the Village, and discovered hidden gems in the city's eclectic art scene. Each step was a deliberate effort to build new memories, to replace the ones that still lingered.

Yet, despite her best efforts, there were moments when memories of Reid flooded her mind. A certain street corner that reminded her of their walks, a café that echoed their conversations, or the way the city lights at night mirrored the stars they once gazed upon together.

In those fleeting moments, Kat would find herself overwhelmed by a whirlwind of emotions—nostalgia, longing, and the pain of a love that had once been her world. She missed Reid, missed the way his laughter filled the spaces between their conversations, missed the comfort of his embrace.

The perfect way for Kat to end the day was always with a bottle of Fireball, a bowl, and a hit of whatever pill she could find. Kat didn't like the life she was living; Hanging out with guys she met on Tinder, going on a date with them, getting fucked up, and then banging the guy in the back of whatever vehicle he drove. Kat needed the drugs to shut out the thoughts of Reid. The feeling of his hands roaming her body. She needed an escape from it all. 

During the summer, Kat became connected to her first Tinder date, Jacob. He wasn't her normal type; Brown Justin Bieber side-swept hair, stained-yellow teeth, 110 lbs soaking wet, and with no ambition. He was the kind of guy Kat would read about in her young-adult novels: The girl rebounding with some guy to make her popular ex-boyfriend jealous. 

Jacob wasn't an ugly guy- he just wasn't THE guy. 

Jacob moved to New York City from a small town in South Carolina. He said his town only had two stop lights, yet was riddled with drugs. He ended up getting addicted with his then-girlfriend and his parents gave him two options: Move to the big apple with his Aunt, or go to jail for stealing their car. The choice was obvious. 

The first night Kat and Jacob met, they went to the Walmart parking lot and got trashed. The two ended up having sex in the back of his SUV. Kat didn't remember much, but had killer carpet on her foot the next day.