You I have good
Reason in doing
So with these letters.
Intentionally I wasn't
Going to tell you
Anything.
Because I didn't
Know how to
Form the words
In person.
I'm still having
Trouble as I write
These letters.
I said it before
And I'll say it
Again.
This is the only way
I can give you
The answers you
Need.
They will upset you,
Maybe make you
Angry.
They are the
Truth.
You've gotten this
Far, so please
Don't stop now.
-Michael
P.S. When you have all the answers, the letters will end.
Chapter Sixteen
Since I have no
Way of knowing
When you will read
These, I'm just going
To give you one
Clue per letter.
Start with Finn.
Ask him about
The others we
Hung out with.
Once you meet
Them, ask them.
They might know
More than they
Think.
-Michael
Chapter Seventeen
I start placing things
In the cardboard
Boxes.
I don't look
At them, I just
Set them in, doing
This until I've
Cleared out the
Closet.
If I stop, my mind
Will wander.
As long as my
Thoughts are occupied
With packing his
Belongings up,
I won't think
About the
Letters, and
The answers
That await me.
Chapter Eighteen
I've been here
A week.
In that week
I've packed almost everything
Up, and found the rest
Of the letters.
I won't read them
Out of order.
I've come too
Far just to
Skip to the
End.
I found
Photographs of him
With his friends.
And someone
Who might
Have been his
Girlfriend.
Finn tells me
About them,
What Michael
Was like prior
To the past
Six months.
He sounds
Like the brother
I remember
Growing up.
People change.
Chapter Nineteen
His friends are
On their way
Over.
I'm nervous.
The doorbell rings
And Finn jumps
Up to get it.
The group files in
To the room, and I
Recognize a few
From the memorial.
“Hello. I'm Ava.”
“Hi, I'm John.”
Offers a tall lanky guy
With spiky black hair.
“Charlotte.”
Says the woman
Closest to the door.
Her hair is short
And a bright
Orange.
The rest tell me
Their names,
Adam and Jessie.
The only one I
Don't meet is
Diana.
“She wasn't feeling well today.”
Charlotte offers.
I nod.
We talk for hours,
Until I finally
Feel ready to ask
Them.
“What changed with my brother?”
“It seems like it started one night, and kept going. It was slow, but noticeable.”
Adam murmurs.
“We encouraged him to talk to someone.”
Jessie says.
I stare at the wall,
Unable to
Admit how
I didn't notice
Until it was
Bad.
Chapter Twenty
Two weeks have
Passed since we
Arrived.
I have seen a
Lot of Finn's
Friends, they're
Kind.
The only one
Who refuses to
Meet with me
Is Diana.
I've called the
Number Jessie
Gave to me,
Inviting her over
To talk.
But she never calls
Back.
It's almost as if
She's a ghost.
I found somethings
Wedged behind the dresser
This morning.
I think it's
A journal.
With a post it
Note on it, that
Says to skip
To the last page.
Another hint?
Chapter Twenty One
By now you
Should have met
The gang.
They're great
People once you
Get to know
Them.
Maybe you met
Diana too.
I'm sure your
Wondering where
She fits in to this
Puzzle.
Well sister, we
Weren't dating.
I just wasn't
Interested in
Her.
I thought
She was okay
With it.
But she wasn't.
I left my journal
For you.
Go to the last
Page.
You'll find what
You need there.
-Michael
Chapter Twenty Two
I think I might
Throw up.
My hands are
Shaking.
Finn calls out
To me, asking if
I can get the
Door.
A short blonde
Stands in front
Of the door.
“Hi. I'm Diana. Sorry ab-”
She doesn't finish,
Because I've hit her.
Things begin to
Blur and all I can
See is red, as I
Scream at her.
Someone yanks me
Off her, telling me
To calm down.
When I look up
I see Charlotte
And Jessie staring
At me, while Finn
Holds me back.
Diana cowers on
The ground, blood
All over her face.
“He was gay.”
I shout at her.
“That's why he turned you down.”
Her face becomes
A bright red.
“You took advantage of him.”
Chapter Twenty Three
It looks like we're
At the end Ava.
Now you know.
I loved you sis.
Maybe if things
Had gone
Differently, I might
Still be here.
We'll never really
Know, will we?
Goodbye Ava.
-Love Michael
Epilogue
After the events
Of that day
A few months
Changed.
I've made peace
With my parents.
I live in Seattle
Now, with Charlotte
And Jessie.
It's different,
But it's better.
About Marissa Steidl
Marissa Steidl currently lives in Minnesota, with her family. She is currently working on her next work. When she's not writing, you can find her curled up with a good book.
Other Works by Marissa Steidl
Imagination Roams Wild
The Diary of Desiree
Dandelion Wishes
Dear Jay
Connect with Marissa Steidl
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