When I met you, I was 14 years old. I was high on the rush of starting high school, and overwhelmed by the fact that the older guys were acknowledging my existence. You were 16, and you were gorgeous in the eyes of a sweet, innocent girl. The day I met you, on the bus on the way home from school, and you had no issues talking to me and making me laugh. With your hand on my knee, I had to keep looking at the floor so you didn't see me blushing (but of course you did). You saw it, and you smiled and made a cute comment and called me pretty.

From that first day, I was hooked on you. You had me hanging on every word you said, and waiting patiently on the bus for you to show up. You had me hoarding a seat on the bus, hoping that you would sit next to me, and wanting to cry every time you didn't. You saw me falling hard for you, and everyone else did too. I remember the day you asked me for my phone number, and I spent two whole days with my phone glued to my hand, awaiting a text from you that didn't come until three weeks later.

You drove me out of mind. I was too young to be playing these games with you, or anyone, but you decided to ignore that fact. You let me fall for everything, and you were there to pick me up at the moments when I was about to come to my senses. You somehow had my every move memorized before I could even think it, which might have been a side-effect of playing too much with too many girls. Maybe I was just oblivious, or maybe you just got lucky. Whatever it was, you managed to keep me hooked on you, and you managed to destroy me without lifting a finger.

I gave you my everything, because you told me you loved me. You returned my everything with a cold-shoulder, and an "I don't care." You crushed my spirit, and my self-confidence. You made me afraid to trust guys, because what if they all turned out to be just like you? But that isn't fair to either of us.

You never pretended to be anyone but who you were. I saw all the signs, but I elected to ignore them, because I didn't want to see them. You can't change who someone is by blinding yourself to the things you don't want to see. I tried to pretend you were Prince Charming,but you never asked to be him. So, I can't blame you entirely for that part of my life. Yes, you still lied to me and hurt me, but to be fair, you never gave me evidence that you wouldn't.

I'm sorry I tried to change you.

Sincerely,

The Girl Who Should Have Listened