Dear Jerome (Merome) (Dear Mitch)

25th December 2020

Dear Jerome,

Merry Christmas!

Why did you have to move? It's quiet and lonely in Florida without you. Yes, there's Ryan, but he's not here much, with Kaila and all that. Plus, Cooper was puking all over his bed, so there was that issue as well.

I'm home in Pennsylvania right now. I told none of my family what happened. They asked why I haven't spoken to you much, and I told them that we'd kinda started accidentally distancing after the wedding. True enough.

I did, however, get your package. I hadn't expected a gift from you, but here it is. It came just as I was leaving for the airport. I opened it on the plane, and found that it was your book and one of your plush toys. I'd always meant to get my own, but somehow, it never happened.

The toy had a small red heart drawn on the bottom of the left foot (to the left, to the left?) and the book, you'd left a Christmas note, another apology, and your best wishes.

I wonder where your worst ones go.

Bad jokes, I'm sorry.

I sent you a gift as well, thinking the action wouldn't be reciprocated. I'd gotten Josh (inkbyteart) to draw us a Merome poster, and gotten that one singular print done. I'd gotten him to make the poster as a Hunger Games, where I sacrifice myself for you. I guess, this time, it was I who would die, instead of you. What was life without you anyway?

My New Year's Eve plans mainly center on getting kinda drunk, missing you, and probably drunkenly calling you before hanging up like I did in 2017.

Boy, that was fun.

I remember Christmas in 2017 as well. You'd been the one cooking, and we'd had the Pack stay with us in Florida. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a squeeze, so we all shared beds. Vikk and Lachlan, Preston and Rob, you and I. We were in your room, and I loved it. Surrounded in your scent, in a bed with you... I pretended we were married, and this was how is was, and how it would be. It was a sweet thought, but I started crying a little when I reminded myself it couldn't happen.

Vikk has his girlfriend now. Her name is Hailey. She's pretty, with long brown hair, but still has nothing on you. No one does. They've been going out since early September, but started talking long before then, seeing as Hailey is also from America, and are now really close. Also, from what I've seen, the Vikklan fandom/Vikk's fans love her, and so do I, in a friendly way. She's good for Vikk, and I can feel their relationship lasting.

There's also been less of the usual hate some fans give, probably because he isn't breaking Vikklan up. Lachlan already accomplished that, and for the people who threatened Amanda, she just responded by throwing fish at the camera and yelling 'FISH FISH FISH', threatening to release their shiny and legendary Pokèmon, and throwing a chair before Lachlan came onscreen and told them to stop, or he would block them, and told Amanda to chill. Needless to say, the fans calmed down, probably after laughing as much as I did.

Hailey and Vikk are probably more docile though, and wouldn't throw things either. They have a joint Instagram seeing as she moved in with Vikk, and so many of the photos are of them and their pet, with smiles all over the place. Some of the selfies are tagged with their pet names for each other, and they call themselves 'HailStar' occasionally, though Hailey always cites their official ship name is Vikley. Vikk wanted it to be HailVikk or something, but I think I speak for everyone when I say that it sounds like another dictatorship. Lachlan makes remarks about that all the time.

I wish we were as happy and together as those two couples.

On the note of Lachlan though, he left a few days ago. Amanda is now two months off giving birth, give or take, and Lachlan is so hyped. There's already talk of bringing the baby to Florida when it's a few years old. They haven't decided on a name yet, but I have a theory that if it is a girl, they'll both want to call it Victoria... Vikktoria. Teeheehee.

Who bought the house? I bet you don't even know. You'd probably avoid it as much as you could, with all the memories and whatnot. All I know is that my PC setup here is now amazing with the three monitors, and a spare one in the spare room.

It's a quiet house. I remember you being here, which was so much nicer. The footsteps weren't just mine, the pizza meant for more than one, and there'd always be someone around for a swim. Now, it's just me. Alone during Skype, shooting the Nerf bullets only at the wall.

Ryan still visits most days, but again, it isn't the same. He stays for a few hours max, and the other hours are where I'm left alone in home. That's okay though. Connor may be coming to stay with me for at least a year when he graduates, but that isn't for another few years, and no plans are set in stone.

It wasn't too bad moving over. I got people to drive the majority of my furniture down for the empty rooms, and sold or gave away the rest. I didn't have all that many furnishings though, considering I've only been in Jersey a year or so. The house was quiet, pool needed cleaning. That's mainly where my time went.

It's so quiet though. There's no feeling I'll be pushed into the pool again.

I wish you were still here.

I wish you were still here, I wish I could hold you in my arms, I wish I could promise you a forever, I wish I could say you were mine and I was yours.

It's why it kills me that wishes don't come true.

Love you long time,
Mitch.