Dear High School Boyfriend,
Almost all little girls have the fantasy of growing up, meeting their prince charming, falling in love and living happily ever after. Although it was naïve I saw this in you. You were the first boy I had ever dated who let me truly be me around you; I was never insecure or uncomfortable. Thank you for showing me how I deserve to be treated.
Everything with you was so sudden and unpredicted. You were the boy who sat next to me in English class freshman year whom I lost touch with. Who would have imagined our mutual friend setting us up for prom would have lead to a year and a half of laughter, smiles, and love?
You were the first boy to ever make me feel special for no reason. You did all the little things. Those small gestures like: always coming to my door to pick me up, giving me your sweatshirt when it got chilly and I didn’t have one, opening doors for me, bringing me flowers for no reason, and so much more meant the world to me. On days when I wore sweatpants, had my hair in a ponytail, and wore no make up, you still managed to tell me I was and make me feel beautiful. I will never forget any of that.
Love, it’s a strong word, but I am going to use it. I have no other way to describe what I felt for you. Sure, we were and still are young, but I think it is fair to say you were my first true love. You saw the good in me I couldn’t see in myself and made me see it. On nights something went wrong or I was scared, I could always call you, even if it was something stupid, like I was home alone and heard a noise. You were always willing to help me, whether it was teaching me school work I didn’t understand, carrying some of my stuff, bringing me medicine when I was sick, or cheering me up when I felt down I could always count on you.
Things ended between us slowly but surely, sure I was surprised in the moment but looking back it is clear things were coming to an end. In just a couple weeks we were set to be four hours away attending college for the first time with things on the rocks. Thank you for not trashing me to your friends and family and being mean to me when I took it hard. Thank you for not cutting me out of your life completely. Thank you for still being just a call or a text away when something goes wrong, and for the random check-ins. Although things are very different between us now and we fell out of love I know I can always count on you.
I hope one day I find what we had again. I am extremely thankful to have had a standup guy like you as my first love. No, we weren’t perfect and we have had our share of nasty fights like most exes but in the end we always remain friends. I hope you find another girl some day and that you love her the way you loved me and nothing gets in the way. I hope you make her as happy as you made me and she makes you feel the same way.
Sincerely,
A thankful ex-girlfriend
