Eleanor
It's been four days since Eleanor sent the letter to Park.The worst part about waiting was that Eleanor didn't know if he'd ever respond. Her mind was filled with an ocean of what-ifs, drowning her from inside out.
What if Park doesn't remember me? (Of course he does, don't be silly.) What if he moved? (Doubt it, his family has been living there for generations. Moving would be absurd.) What if Park was with someone else? (.......)
Park
Park lay on his bed staring at the package he'd gotten that morning. To: Park Sheridan, it read. It was written (scribbled was more like it) in ink dark as night. He'd stared at it for at least half an hour.
"Aren't you gonna open it?" His mom said when she passed by Park's room. She'd said it like she thought he was an idiot or something.
Park opened the package and when he breathed in, he recognized the familiar scent of vanilla.
Park,
Hey. It's me, Eleanor. How are you? How's Omaha? I'm all good here in St. Paul. Park, I'm sorry I haven't replied to your letters. Heck, I didn't even open them. I can't bring myself to do it. I'm sorry, I just, I was lost - confused for the longest time about myself. Everything that happened with Richie, it was too much. I know the last person you expect to get a letter from is me but I miss you Park. I really do. And this is gonna sound absolutely insane but I wanna see you. Park, all I think about each day is when I'm going to see you next time. I know that this letter might be too late but I don't want that goodbye to be our last.
Love,
Eleanor.
"Love, Eleanor," he read. Eleanor. Her name alone could stop time and move mountains. Park stared at the letter. He even pinched himself just to make sure he was alive or that he wasn't dreaming. Eleanor wrote to him. Sure, she was five years late. But Eleanor wrote to him. Eleanor.
Park grabbed a piece of paper. It was no stationary paper but it would do. After an hour of writing, he finished. Park frantically searched his house for stamps. They didn't have any so he went over to his grandparents' house. Luckily, they had a whole pile of it. Park took a handful just incase Eleanor wrote back. He mailed his letter and waited (and waited, and waited, and waited).
