What is love?

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it is a strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties or affection and tenderness felt by lovers. You see for me this was you. You were my person, my better half, the one I could count on, the one who if I had a bad day could make it all go away.

Yes, this is all in the past tense, I know that. I want you to know that it's because while I still have such a love for you, I am no longer in love with you. Now, none of this means we can't stay friends. It just means that I want you to know how I feel and why I feel that way. You have told me how you feel about me, and now I'm telling you.

At 16 years old, not many girls can say they met the boy they thought they would be with forever. I could. It was you. What I learned from you was many of the things I want in a man and, as with all relationships, the many things I don't.

The length of time we were together is a long time for many people as young as we were. Many high schoolers are together about three months or so before they break up and sometimes not even that. But you showed me what it is like to truly love someone at a young age and for that I am thankful.

When I say I loved you I meant everything about you, the way you laughed, the way you smiled and your willingness to do anything to make me happy, even if it was something you didn't want. Unfortunately, some of those things I first liked about you ended up becoming things I quickly didn't. Instead of being sweet, they became annoying. There were times your jealousy showed not only to me but to those others around us and I knew at that moment it was bad.

Now, there's nothing wrong with you, and one day you'll make some woman very happy, but that woman isn't me. I had to let you go, not just for me but for both of us. I want you to be happy. I want you to find the one meant for you and not be stuck on what could have been.

You were the first guy (other than those in my family) that I said those magic three words to and meant it. I know you probably don't think so right now but it is truly better this way.

There were times that I was actually afraid the opposite was happening and that you didn't want to stick with me anymore because of some stupid reason that made you think I wasn't worth the effort. I was afraid I would wake up one day and you'd be like "Hey sorry, I'm just not feeling it anymore". But instead, it was me.

If we hadn't ended when we did, I fear we wouldn't be where we are today.

I don't want anything less than happiness for you.

I'm sorry it wasn't in the cards for us, but that doesn't mean the love we had was unreal.

I don't doubt that I was once very much in love with you, but as with everything time can change that.

You'll find the person for you, I promise.