"A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out."
- Walter Winchell
- - -
Mom's friend, Isabelle, was kind. She spoke a lot and quite frankly too quickly, but she was kind. She allowed us to stay in her condo for 3 months, which must have driven her crazy. I was eight and I hardly spoke. I never used to like new people, that's probably why friends were so few and far between. With Declan, it was so easy because I never saw his face, I would never need to be afraid of his reaction if I said something off. Olivia was whiny, so whiny. All she talked about were boys. Boys who hated her, but also whom she conspired liked her. Boys who actually liked her, but were too ugly or those who she claimed were "aiming for someone they would never reach". Maria, only 5 at the time, was wide eyed and giggly. She adored Isabelle and Isabelle adored her. Her life was that simple.
A month into staying with Isabelle, I finally gathered my courage to write Declan a letter. It was a particularly lonely day for me. Isabelle was off with her boyfriend, Maria had a birthday party, Mom was out job hunting, and Olivia... who knows where she was. I hadn't had much luck making new friends at my school in California. Friend groups had already been formed and no one wanted to add a shy Canadian girl to theirs. Clearly, I was missing my only friend.
Dear Declan,
I'm in the Golden State. That's what it says on everyone's licence plates, anyways. You probably have no idea what I'm talking about, right. I'm in California, Fresno to be exact.
It's been so long since we talked. I miss Canada. I miss Ms. Pickard and even my old classmates. My new school is awful. Talking and making friends has never been one of my strengths, but now it's even harder. Every third grader at my school thinks I can't talk because I never do. I try to, I really do, but I can't keep conversations and I can't think of something witty to say on the spot like the other kids can.
It feels so good to say that to someone. Mom has been so busy looking for places to work and my sisters have been doing their own thing, even Maria, who has a whole posse of friends. Not a shocker. I'm feeling incredibly grateful that I have you.
Enough about me, how have you been? I know you said in your other letter that you've been going through something and I want to be here for you. Don't worry about burdening me, you can trust me with anything.
Your friend,
Viola
I was satisfied with my letter, feeling wonderful after getting all of my cooped up feelings out.
Three days later, I received a reply from him. I was ecstatic, I remember jumping around and running up the stairs from our mailbox on the bottom floor of the complex to Isabelle's 5th floor apartment.
Dear Viola,
I needed you. I really needed someone to talk to a month ago. My friends are bastards, they don't know how to console me like you do. I've been waiting for your letter for so incredibly long and I was so incredibly worried. I know this isn't fair of me after all you've been through, but I'm so angry at the world in this moment.
Mum has stage 4 melanoma, which is a type of skin cancer, the doctors tell us. Callum and I have been taken by a social worker while our mum is going through brain surgery and all sorts of radiation.
No one is telling us what is really happening, all the damn doctors are sugarcoating everything. I've done my research and it looks tragic for mum.
YOU ARE READING
Dear Declan
Teen Fiction[WATTYS 2018 SHORTLIST!] They've hit highs and lows together. They've supported each other through thick and thin. They were each other's comfort and each other's push to achieve greatness. They always had each other's back and that was never going...
