To all the boys I've loved before,

I know you probably had a mini-heart attack when you read the headline of this article (as did my fiance), but just give me a chance to explain.

A piece of me will always love you.
When I say that, I know your stomachs twisted and your brain lit up like the Fourth of July, but I'm not in love with you anymore. When I say that I still love you, I mean that I still care about you and wish you the very best. Despite all of the things both of us may have done wrong and all of the arguments and tears, I can't stop myself from caring for you and wishing you the very best in life. I hope that you have all of the happiness in the world, even though that happiness won't include me in the way we originally planned.

To the first boy who gave me butterflies,
I hope you find someone to appreciate just how special you really are. I hope you find a girl who gets butterflies watching your hands move along the keys of a piano and who can't help but smile every time that you do. I hope that you find another girl who you're willing to ride down a steep hill on a bike with no brakes in the rain for like you did for me. I held on so long for you and I resented you for so long. There are some things I never told you and that I will never tell you, but some of them you can probably guess for yourself. Sometimes I'm still bitter, if we're being honest, that you never realized how big my love for you was. But you're still one of my very best friends and I love you. I will always love you. I hope that one day you find someone who loves you more than I ever could, but I'll always be here for you cheering you on from the sidelines.

To the boy who taught me more about myself and love than I ever thought I'd need to know,
You were my first love, my first serious relationship. My first kiss. Almost my first everything. We had a song, we had our cute little mannerisms. We sang together and held sweaty hands in high school hallways. We went to football games together and sneaked kisses behind doors. I saw myself spending the rest of my life with you, but it wasn't meant to be. We both got engrossed in one another and I forgot who I was without you until I was forced to rediscover who I was. Thank you for showing me who I really was but, also, thank you for showing me what young love looks like. You were "one more kiss" under the porch light, heavy heartbeats under flannel shirts at bonfires, long hugs outside of my car at the end of every school day. We really were cliche`, weren't we? I will always love you for the friendship you gave me and for all of the laughter we shared. Thank you for showing me what love can be and what friendship should be. I'll always look out for you and I'll always check on you from afar to make sure you're doing okay. I hope this life gives you all you deserve and more.

To the boy I love now and forever,
Thank you for showing me what love is supposed to be. I love you more than anything and I'm so grateful for every second it took me to get to you. Every heartbreak and tear that I had before you was worth it. I'll never stop cheering on the ones who got me to where I am, but I'll never stop thanking you for being my teammate, my partner, and my everything. This letter may be shorter than the others, but we have the rest of our lives to write the greatest love story ever told.

Sincerely,

Me.