Love Letter

Micah POV

I can still remember the day I met Alyssa, in my parents' restaurant, celebrating her birthday, holding court at the head of the table while her parents snapped pictures of her. Right then, I knew that we were from two different worlds: hers was all glittery and shiny, and mine was all normal and mundane. That didn't stop the connection that formed between us, but it couldn't hold. Even though we were from different classes in life, fate, that annoying bitch, did everything to make us meet.

Maybe you will not agree with me, but of all the types of food she could have craved, she chose Mexican that day, of all the restaurants she could have chosen to host her birthday breakfast, she chose mine, and on top of all that, I was in a corner watching the rich kids have fun while I cleaned a table when her favorite present so far (she had about a hundred to still open) happened to fall and roll in my direction.

She refused my help when I offered to help her pick it up, and she stood up in all her princessy glory and walked up to me. I stood in my well-worn clothes and picked up the present for her. I wish I could say that the clichés stopped there, but no, instead, she collected the present, which was a ball, from me and gave me a toothy smile, the kind where you flash all your teeth. Then she asked me the most important question of all, "Do you want to be my friend?"

Of course my answer was yes, and the rest was history. I wish I could say we discovered we loved each other, that we decided to date in high school and broke up only to get together when we were in our late twenties, got married, had two-point-five kids, lived in a house in the suburbs, had a dog, and lived happily ever after. But, no, that's not how this story went. This story is far from that.

Well, for one, we met when we were seven, or she was seven and I was seven and three quarters. (Yes, it counts.) So us getting married was an impossibility. Another difficulty was the class difference. I know some of you might think that it doesn't really matter, but it fucking does, especially if the woman is the one that's higher class. Just imagine, you come from an aristocrat family, your blood is blue (although if you got a paper cut, you would still bleed red), you get together with someone who has almost the same amount of blue blood as you, and you give birth to a girl who looks like a princess (and basically is one because you are filthy rich). Then imagine a poor pauper comes along and wants to marry her.

I know that I would forbid that marriage, and since I know that, I cannot expect another man to act differently. I treat people based on how I want to be treated.

Oh, another thing I should get out here, just because I say or I have mentioned 'paupers' or 'poor' a lot, doesn't mean that I am really that poor. Yes, my family might have close to a million dollars to our name, but hers has several tens of millions, almost hundreds of millions the last time I checked, so in a way, I am a pauper where she is concerned.

Getting back to the story, since that day, we were inseparable, thick as thieves, and although my family had less than a hundred grand when I became friends with her, we have expanded a lot within the eleven years we have been friends. First of all, when her parents saw we were getting too close, they tried to separate us, and when Alyssa pitched a mini fit that her best friend was not invited to her kindergarten pool party, they gave up. Then my parents tried and struggled to meet my new friend's demands, even though they refused handouts. Alyssa wanted us to have our play dates in outrageous places, like renting out an ice cream parlor or an amusement park. At first my parents agreed, but when they saw that it was making a huge dent in their bank accounts, they put a stop to it. Alyssa didn't like that at all, she always gets what she wanted or liked. Her father came up with the perfect solution: he invested in my parents' business. It bloomed, and bang, I could afford to do the same things as Alyssa... Just on a smaller scale. Daddy's baby girl was happy, so everyone got to breathe in peace.

After three years of being friends with their daughter, they grew warm towards me, especially when they discovered that I anchored her. I was nothing to be proud of as parents, but they were pretty proud, and since then, I have been more like a stepson than an annoying cat you inherited from your grandmother when she passed on. I was still a permanent fixture, but my situation was a lot better.

This is the story of us. I am just trying to give you background to understand. If you don't like it, I am sorry. I can't promise I will be less blunt or jaded or whatever you think I am, but if this story is going to be told, I need to tell it in the way that I feel is best. And I feel that that is for me to freely express myself. This story will be told from my perspective, but you'll get to see into Alyssa's mind too. You might like what you see, you might not. All I ask is for you to keep an open mind...

Sound ominous, right? But I just find words to roll with, and they might not all be up to your standards, but I will try to make it worth your while. I am the English teacher's assistant after all.

Micah POV

Today was a weird day. Sure, it started like any other day, I woke up to the shouts and screams of my siblings, Celine and Matthew, who are 14 and 13, respectively (but they act as if they are in their pre-teens). I am sure that my parents are feeling glad. They would take those two acting childish any day over them doing drugs, and if you asked me (I normally would keep quiet so that my answer would not incriminate me, but just between the two of us), I would prefer the drugs, at least I could sleep in then. After standing up, I hold on to my headboard as the dizzy feeling swept past me, even that is turning into a normal routine. It has been happening for about three months now, and I know I should go for a checkup, but I have been busy and didn't have time to. Anyway, as always, I took a shower and washed my hair. I wash my hair twice weekly, and although Alyssa wrinkles her cute nose about that fact, I always catch her shifting away from me because of the smell, according to her. When I reminded her that all boys smell that way, she proudly tells me that her boyfriend doesn't, and I, being me, give her the truthful reply: the only reason he does is because he has a neat freak for a girlfriend. Of course, that makes her sulk, and she refuses to talk to me until she has new gossip I just have to know. One time, for about three days, there was no new gossip, so I had to create some. That was the longest time I had spent without any contact with my best friend. I don't want to ever experience that again. It was scary. I was having 'Alyssa Withdrawal' as if she was a drug I was addicted to.

After bathing, I moved on to selecting what I wanted to wear that day, and I finally settled on an outfit. (You would think that it is not difficult at all until you have a fashionista for a best friend. If you ever mistakenly wear something that doesn't match, just know that every girlfriend you will ever have will always mention that mistake.)

After that, I moved to the living room where my family was already sitting and eating. We don't wait for each other in my family to eat. If we did that, we would finish every meal two hours after we originally started because people come to the dining table at different times and start their meals whenever they get to the table. I was the last one to get to that table, so that meant that dish-washing duty fell on my shoulders today, and this is going to reduce the time I can spend with Alyssa. It made me angry.

I sat and dined with my family, just like we do every day. I ate my food with my mind on Alyssa as usual and half-listened to what was going on around me at the table, and I hear tidbits news, which I use to plan my week. Celina has an audition for the cheerleading squad tomorrow, so I need to go to practice with Alyssa so I can watch my sister. Mattie already hates his art teacher, so I need to plan how to rearrange my schedule so that I can pick him up an hour later because I have a feeling that tomorrow he is going to get a week's worth of detention and I will have to pick him up. Dad is trying out a new dish at the restaurant, which he is sure will be a market seller. When dad is sure about things like this, it usually means that it will happen. So I need to free up some time after school because dad will need the extra pair of hands. It is a quick way to save up extra money to use in college. I know I will get a scholarship with my participation in track, but I want extra cash so I can get a cool apartment. Although, I will be rooming with Alyssa, so that means the apartment will be cool either way. This time, though, I want to contribute. Alyssa's father will probably return my money to me as a housewarming gift, but at least I will know that I contributed.

After they were through eating, they left the table, all except my sister, and that was the first variation I noticed today. She stayed behind and helped me pack the dishes and load them up in the dishwasher. Then she told me the reason why she helped me with the dishes, she wanted me to put in a good word in with Alyssa. After I hit her across the head, I told her that there was no way on heaven, earth, or hell would I interfere with Alyssa's leadership choices on the cheer team. It was one of the things she truly had rein over, and I won't shorten her rein.

The second sign happened when I passed Mrs. Simmons and greeted her as usual. She nodded, but she didn't wave. I know it might seem small and insignificant, but it was part of my day, and it has changed too much for me not to notice. I just shook my head and continued on my merry way.

After getting to Alyssa home, everything was quiet, which confused me. Sure, it had always been quiet, but this silence was strange. I entered the mansion and saw Alyssa's father in the living room with his head in his hands, so deep in thought that he didn't hear me come in.

"Good morning, sir." I greeted him, and my voice jolted him out of whatever fog he was in.

"Oh, Micah, you have arrived." He said when he saw me.

"Yes. Sir, are you okay?" I asked him, not trying to offend him, but because I care.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" He chuckles, although it sounded strained. "Alyssa is in her room. Go on." He dismissed me, and tilting my head sideways, I left. I didn't know what, but something about him felt off.

Reaching Alyssa's room, I heard sobs coming out of it, so I quickly knocked. Worried as hell over my best friend. If that jerk was the one who hurt her, I would never forgive him for it.

"Micah," her voice tentatively calls out.

"it's me, Al, open up," I said as my heart is cut by her sorrow-filled voice. If I could, I would take the pain from her.

She opened the door, and when I wrapped my hands around her, trying to give her comfort, she broke down more and started brawling.

"Hey, hey, hey, calm down. Everything will be alright." I soothed her hoping to calm her down before she cried herself sick.

"No, it won't be alright." She said through her tears.

"Well, if it is not alright, I will make it alright. You know I can do it. Wipe your tears, chic," I said as I turned her face towards me.

"Okay." She replied as she tries to get herself under control.

"What is the first and foremost thing you want right now?" I asked her.

"To leave this place," Alyssa said, and her voice cracked on the last word as if she was trying to prevent herself from crying.

Okay, that request is doable. Strange but doable. "Your wish is my command," I said as I held her hand and guided her out of her house.