Dear Rosaline

Fin

Dear Rosaline,

I've been one of the countless readers of Romeo and Juliet and to me, it was you who stood out the most. People marveled at the said star-crossed lovers—teens and adults alike—wishing they too would find a love like theirs, but you piqued my interest. Yes, you were only mentioned after the two acts of the play but I was absolutely intrigued by your character. Why did you let Romeo go, Rosaline? He was your love in the first place. He was only yours to begin with, long before he stumbled upon Juliet! So why, Rosaline? Why?! You know it's funny how he reluctantly agreed to go to the party all because of you. He attended to the ball hoping to see you but alas, he saw Juliet and immediately fell in love with her. All it took for your world to go crashing down was one quick glance at this woman, and his love for you was all over. Juliet took your place as the love of Romeo's life,  and Romeo didn't even care if he shut you out that quick. You, Rosaline, were his first love, not Juliet! How could you just let him go? I couldn't even begin to imagine the utter confusion and pain you went through all because of one single look. One single look and it made your lover fall in love with a stranger and forget about you in an instant.

Hah. How foolish and ironic of me to say this to you. I'm such a hypocrite. I'm confronting you because you let Romeo go when in fact, we're exactly in the same boat. Like you, I was also abandoned and replaced, Rosaline. He also fell out of love. He was my first and greatest love, Rosaline. He still is. But the thing is, I am his first love as well, but I don't think I'm his greatest anymore. It was so sudden that I barely had time to brace myself for the storm that was coming my way.  It got me thinking, 'Is something wrong with me? Where did I go wrong? What did he see in her that wasn't in me? Have I never been enough for him?' and a whole lot of self-deprecating questions that kept me up at night and occupied my mind throughout the day. I keep on hoping that maybe, just maybe, there’s still the guy who loved me left in him. That maybe, one day, he’ll realize that it was me all along he wanted.

His name is Rome, Rosaline. He's the sole reason of my sleepless nights and swollen eyes. He made me feel whole and alive, and he ruined me. He replaced me with someone named Rose. And he was my first and greatest love.

Yours truly,

Julia