Emails: From You To Me

27

"Henri... Henri?" I hear my mom, she sounds like she's been crying. 

"Mom?" I groan, my head hurts and my eyes feel heavy. 

"Why do you make me worry about you so much?" Her body tumbled onto mine in a tight embrace. 

"What?" I opened my eyes. Why am I inside a hospital? What even happened? 

"Honey, you collapsed in the parking lot. Who knows what could've happened if they hadn't seen you there?" Her face was covered wth dry tear marks. 

"I did?" I looked around, my arm was hooked into an IV. I can't remember a thing, how did I get here? I looked over and my heart rate began to increase, it calmed me to watch it slow. "How long was I out?" 

"It's Tuesday now." Mom pulled out her phone, it was two in the morning. 

"I'm sorry mom." I felt tears well up, even I don't know why.

"Why are you apologizing hon?" She hugged me tightly. 

"I'm sorry." I cried. I can't remember crying feeling this good with my mom involved. 

Once I was better, my mom got everything settled early February, even though she had to leave. Doctor Jayce cleared me and gave us the paperwork to fill out. By the time it was noon, we already home. Everything in our rooms were packed away like we were moving, but the living room and kichen were fully furnished. 

It was strange to look at. 

"Honey, you worry me so much I don't ever want to leave you. Not even for work." She held my hand the entire ride to my grandpa's house. 

"It's okay mom. I'm okay. Without working, we won't be able to live, and I promise to do better." I wanted to become mature quickly and leave Coral Springs behind. There was nothing for me there anymore now. 

It was hard to finally remember everything. 

"I don't know who you are, but give me back my baby Henri!" She playfully ruffled through my hair with her free hand, I smiled. 

Everything was better this way, 

"Henri! You've grown." Grandpa greeted me as soon as we got there, and apparently he works just as hard as my mom. I won't be seeing much of him either, but it's strange how good of shape he's in even though he's sixty. 

"Daddy." Mom laughed and he hugged her. "It hasn't even been that long." 

"I wouldn't listen to that woman Henri, I haven't seen you in a year, that is too long!" He nudged me as I grabbed my bag. I brought my laptop with me, but I've been too scared to open up my browser. I use an alternative now, but it feels so unfamiliar. 

"Once I come home, the first thing we'll do is take a big vacation. I love you, I'll see you when I come home." She kissed me, got in the car, and drove away. 

"Have fun. Love you too." I waved as she turned the corner. 

There were other things I loved too... Though it's useless to think about them now. 

I walked back inside, "I work tonight, will you be alright here by yourself? I cooked dinner if you get hungry." Grandpa said.

"I'll be fine. It's okay." It's funny to see how my family are all work-junkies except for me, why am I so different? Mom says not to worry about it, but it really gets me down on days like this. 

"I'll be back in the afternoon." Grandpa got into his own car. 

"Bye bye." I waved goodbye to him just like my mom.

There was always something off about how I said goodbye to someone, and why do I do it so often? Is this the way it was meant to be? 

Bored, I logged on into my laptop. The wifi here was fast, not what I expected in this area. Unable to help myself, I log into my school account on the Coral Springs website. Prom is coming up, not that I ever intended to go. The senior project due date is coming up too. Graduation was even popping up on the website! 

It's only February, is that what everyone really only thinks about? 

I scrolled over to the yearbook memories. I clicked through each photo, there wasn't a single one with me in it. It was expected though. 

However, one specific photo caught my eye. It was that girl Luze posing for the camera with her shirt. In the background... was Matthew and me, smiling. 

My heart began to pound like crazy, why does this look like some sort of dream? Were we really that happy? My lips curved into a smile and I continued to clicked through photos. I found one from the beginning of the year, I was eating food behind Laura!

There was another one! Someone caught a photo of me dancing with Matthew during that one dance we ditched. I can't even remember what it was called! I laughed. 

There were so many photos, so many memories, even irrelevant things could make me smile seeing Matthew was there. It reminded me of the days we spent together, the fireworks we saw, and the field trip we took with Mabel. 

And our kiss...

"It's over, isn't it?" The thoughts made me happy, but I know now this is what my life is supposed to be like.

Ignoring the notifications, I logged out and shut my laptop down.