To The One Who Loves Him Next,

I pray that you are everything he needs you to be. I tried so hard to be that, to be everything and more, but sometimes, we just aren’t enough. I pray that you are a patient, kindhearted soul who realizes that he needs you. He doesn’t like to admit it, but he needs help sometimes. He needs a hand to hold, a person to look him in the eyes and tell him that, even if he is a lost soul right now, everything will be okay. I hope he finds you when he is whole again, but if not, please help him. Please.

He will be your best friend. I mean it. There’s something about him that is like an instant comfort switch to even the most closed-off people. Trust me, I’ve seen it firsthand. He’s the life of the party, the light in a dim room. He’s goofy, but just enough to make you let your guard down and get comfortable. Appreciate him. Treat him like your best friend. Be sarcastic. Cherish the inside jokes, and how you can have a conversation with just one glance. He’ll support you like no other, no matter what. He’ll come to your defense, always. I promise you that there is not a single love out there that is like the one you’ll have with him. I promise.

Don’t take the small things for granted. He will hold your hand in the car, sing to you, and effortlessly cook you dinner, even if it is just pizza rolls. (He wants to make sure that you eat.) He’ll slow dance with you just because, and stare at you and smile with you not knowing why. He’ll encourage you to get some rest after three hours on the phone because he can hear it in your voice that you need sleep. He’ll pull you close and kiss the back of your neck as a way of saying I’m right here and I love you. He will do anything to make you laugh, like talk in funny voices that sound like Gingy from Shrek. Don’t take this for granted, because someday you might not have it anymore.

Some things you should know: The dog comes before you. (Sorry.) Whatever he starts on Netflix will be a small obsession for awhile, and something you’ll hear about a lot. (Especially if the boy ever restarts Arrow.) He says he doesn’t eat much chocolate, but will not hesitate to reach for some when it is offered. He talks in his sleep, and reaches out a lot. Don’t worry, he’s just looking for you, making sure you’re there. Run your hands through his hair when he’s tired, and give him space if he’s angry. He gets so angry, never at you, but at the situation. He’ll come back. I swear. An apology will be waiting for you at the end of it all, along with the reminder that even when he’s frustrated, that doesn’t mean he stopped loving you. Take that as it is: He means it wholeheartedly. If he says he’s hungry but doesn’t know what he wants, go with a chicken quesadilla. And get him his own Baja Blast, that way he won’t drink yours. I’ve never seen a boy who could eat as much as he can. Don’t be alarmed by the fact that he has pre-dinner and is a firm believer in the ever-popular Second Breakfast. He just loves food.

Remind him that he is smart. Remind him that you love him, and that he is worthy of love. Remind him that you will always be there, right up until you no longer can be.

His family will love you (if you’re the right person). Please love them back just as hard. Laugh at his Stepdad’s jokes, and cherish the memories of his childhood that his mom might share with you. Congratulate his sisters on their achievements. Cherish them. They’re great people, too.

He’s (not-so) secretly a dork. His laugh is infectious and his smile lights up a room, even though he hates it. He does not fall in love easily, so if he loves you, you are something special. He sees something in you.

Please understand that I would like to believe I was something special to him, that I was his first real love, as he was mine. I love(d) him so deeply. While I don’t want him to hurt, I would like to believe that the love we had will resonate with him for a long time, and be a driving force to you, the next one, and to him being the amazing man he has always been.

Never let him go.