Letters From Augustus

Okay?

As I stepped into the Waters' home a tear streamed down my face. I looked over by the slider doors to the backyard where Gus' hospital bed was. I also looked at the door to the basement which is still untouched. Apart from the day I went and tried to find his letter.

I looked around, I just realized they haven't changed anything since Augustus died. From where the encouragement signs were placed down to where Gus last touched the remote.

Mrs. Waters started to tear up. I could tell she didn't want to do this. But we had to. It's been a year. I at least want to see their house be relatively clean before I die.

We all walked downstairs. I stood to catch my breath for a moment as I watched Mrs.Waters run her fingers along the bookcase. It was covered in dust. I walked further into the Augustus smelling room.

I sat down on his bed. I picked up a part of the blanket and I took the smell in. The image of him I almost forgot was now clear as day as I pressed my cheek onto the soft cotton.

"Augustus really did love you Hazel," Mr.Waters did a soft laugh, "He never shut up about you."  I cracked a smile. I slowly lowered the blanket and got up slowly. With the help of my parents, I walked around the room just observing. Everything was the same, from the way his books were organized to the--

"My god Augustus, what did you do down here?" Mrs.Waters, my mom, and Isaac's mom  observed the scuff marks on the shelves. Isaac and I both just laughed. It was from the trophies which were still laying on the floor. 

I slowly filed through his books and his other papers. Most of them were Dear Hazel Grace, and then the rest of the words were scribbled out. There were ones dated from the day we met to the day he died. After I was done I watched my mom crawl under his bed to retrieve some of his stuff.

"Hazel?" she asked.

"Yeah mom?"

"Do you recognize this?" she scootched herself out. In her hand was a wooden box.

Hazel Grace was engraved on the top.

I picked it up and ran my fingertips across my own name. How hadn't I known about this? He didn't bother to tell me?

"No," I took a deep, sighing breath, "I don't."

      A couple hours later we were finished cleaning his room. Unfortunately, that's the way it would stay forever.

       I took the liberty to take the box. I still didn't know what was in it, nor did I exactly want to. But something made me want to open it.

I decided to invite Isaac over to help me get through reading whatever was in the box. We sat on my bed. 

"Hey! I didn't realize you got new sunglasses." I said.

Isaac: "Yeah, my mom says they're cool. Ha ha. Also, my mom said the ones I had were falling apart so she bought me these babies."

Me: "They're cool."

Isaac: "Thanks."

I took the box into my hands again and I sat it in the middle of me and Isaac. 

"You ready?" I asked. 

"As ready as I'll ever be." he laughed quietly. I slowly opened the box. I took a deep breath as the color white came to veiw. They were papers. Letters. Each of them had 'Dear Hazel Grace' written at the top of the pages. I breathed deeply and smiled. I ran my fingers through the pages.

"What are they Hazel?" Isaac asked, very anxious. Maybe to know what it was, maybe to know what it said.

"They're..... They're letters from Augustus."