Dear Emma

Chapter 45

Dear Emma,
As you know, it's the last semester of our first year of collage. I had my share of parties, friends, tests, pranks, and some of the best memories in my life. Of course not one day was I not thinking about you. Anyway, many people decided to do this thing where you set a fire and drop in items you want to leave in the past or stuff you want to let go of or forget about. So, I decided to go with my friends and I invited you to come. I have been trying to get you to see me but your always busy with swimming. So I was so happy and surprised when you said yes! When I saw you you wore a thick strap tank top that had and anchor on it. You had on high waisted jean shorts and I could see you were blushing beneath your tan skin. I ran up to you and hugged you so tight. Then I lifted you and spun you like I did at our first kiss. When I set you down I looked deep into your pupils and brushed your cheek softly as I looked into your shimmering eyes outlined with eye liner. I never thought you needed makeup though you looked beautiful either way. Then I kissed you pulling you closer to me placing my hands on your hips. Your arms were wrapped around my neck and it made me tense. When we separated I couldn't take my eyes of you. The pile of wood started to burn and flame up and the air never smelled so good as it brewed up the scent of freshly cut wood, smoke, and honey lemon with a cool breeze. Hundreds of students lined up behind the fire pit holding their belongings. Some of them hold pictures or old toys or letters. What I held was a bunch of post cards from my brother James. He's five years older than me. I guess you could say he wasn't the smartest. He did some bad things and got kicked out of collage. Then he actually was decent enough to buy himself an apartment with money from his job as a Rita's worker. I remember when we were younger and James made a promise to be there for one of my birthdays and bring me a cake of Tommy, our favourite character from our favourite show, "Ruined". But guess what? He never showed up to one of my birthdays. Not even when he had FIVE chances. Instead he left me a postcard each year. "Sorry. Can't make it this year. Busy with my girlfriend Melissa. Be there next year"-James . Even though it seemed hopeless after all these years, even though that show wasn't even my favourite show anymore, his promise was a promise. One that he never fulfilled. When it was my turn I dumped the cardboard box upside down and watched the papers fall slowly then fall through the fire and burn, turning black at the edges and then dissolving in front of me. The last word before I saw before it was in ashes was James. When the burning was done the fire got larger and warmed us up taking away the sweet coldness that engulfed us all. Everyone sat around the fire. We made the widest circle in the world. And then we sang. Someone would start a familiar song and we would go on. Then, we told scary stories. I put my arm around you. I remember what you threw in the fire. It was a picture of you and your father smiling like nothing would ever turn wrong. "...drop in items you want to leave in the past," I said.