𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕋𝕚𝕞𝕖 𝕋𝕦𝕣𝕟𝕖𝕣

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟟

Dead Juniper,

It's been a while since I talked to you, hasn't it? I'm sorry about that. I would have liked to talk to you.

Impatiently I crumpled up the inked paper and threw it behind me, where at least ten other balls of paper sat. I wouldn't be giving this to Juniper so it's not like I had to write my best and find the perfect words to say. But... I wanted too.

I wanted to write a beautiful letter, one where if she had picked it up she would see just how much she meant to me. Just what finding her in my life had really done to me.

I'm not a writer though, I can't just pick up a blank piece of paper and write down some beautiful words in order to make her understand why I was doing this.

But was there really any way to make her understand? If someone had just stopped talking to me, no warning, there would be nothing that would make me understand.

So I must be doing this for my own selfish desire then.

For the desire to talk to her, to see her and hold her.

Sighing, I picked up a new piece of paper from the stack laid out across my bed where I had been writing it. I was going to keep doing this until I was satisfied with the result.

Whatever the cost that maybe, an hour, an afternoon, or a god damn year. So, I started again. Taking my time with it, because things like this had to be done right.

Dear Juniper,

I love you

I paused the moment after those words had flowed from the pen and onto the paper. It was just three words, three really simple words when you thought of it. But when looking at those words on the paper they certainly seemed to hold a new edge. A new purpose.

Did I really love her?

Or had those words just flowed so well that...I had simply written them.

I barely know her, of course I don't love her. It's just the curse talking. It was the curse making me feel this way, making my heart pound when I caught just a glimpse of her crimson hair from across the room.

And her smile, god she shined rays of sunshine whenever she smiled. It always managed to turn my head no matter where she was. I loved that. I loved her eyes and the way they narrowed with a certain glint of seriousness when she was doing homework. I mean hell I even love that she does homework. It's not like I manage to keep up with it anymore.

So why does this seem wrong then? Writing it out like this.

I shook the thought then, and continued writing as if trying to find something that would flow with it.

And it's for that reason that I haven't talked to you in exactly two days now. Confusing, I know. But trust me when I say doing this, all of this is for the best. It hurts me more then it hurts you. It really does, but I want you to be happy an-

I ripped up the paper at that moment, unsatisfied. Determination coursed through my veins as I started a new letter.

I had to take my time with this one, and really make it better than the last.

So when starting I wrote her name slowly, carefully, dotting the I before staring at the paper. At least I was finally satisfied with something.

This was the one, I could feel it.

Dead June,

Around you, the world loses its horizon. All I can see is you, and my breath catches as the scent of your usual strawberry and vanilla scent and its then, it that moment that I know I'm yours.

Maybe I don't love you yet, every time I'm with you the only thought on my mind is about the timer. About what's around the corner and who it is this time that's going to take you away. Not saying that your mine.

I'm just saying I'm here to protect you, so why's it so hard to stay away from you? It's been two days, two out of the 18 years I've been living and I feel as if I am no longer breathing straight. It feels as if somethings off...somethings gone in me and I need to get it back.

But how?

How can I get you back when you were never mine to begin with. When James is over there with his arm around you at lunch, and all I can think about is how I'm losing you without ever having you.

It's stupid isn't it, the curse. I have to break your heart to save your life, but all that's happened for the last two days is nothing but heartache for me.

Right, even though this is a letter to you I guess I should explain what this curse is. In all honesty I don't know much about it, Katie's told me what she can but everything is just a...mess.

This curse is passed down by the men in our family, and from what I understand about this curse when you meet your soulmate- which does exist for us in a twisted way- a timer starts down. And you have that amount of time to break their heart or they will die.

That's what I have when it comes to you, so please understand why I can't be with you. As soon as high school's over I'm moving away.

I'm not Katie's nephew, there's no family left and after I break your heart there will be no reason to stay. So I'll send you this...maybe if the time is right and you have found someone to love.

Love,

Aspen Reynolds

P.S. The day I met you I began to forget a life without you. Whatever hole in my heart there was to fill due to my parents death, you have.

I folded the paper away and slipped it into the shadows under my bed, pushing it against the side closest to the wall. It was covered, hidden by the wooden bedpost so only the edges of the letter hid out. The black ink seared through the paper's, and the outline of the words could be seen lightly with enough light on it. I didn't know what I wanted to do with it, if I wanted to keep it safe or not.

All I knew was that for now, this letter had to stay in the shadows and away from Juniper at all costs.