May 27th
Dear friend,

I’ve decide to write letters to you because it’s easier this way. You see I met you today and I was startled, but intrigued by you. You seem nice! And I’d like to get to know you better.

Today was the last day of exams, which means we’re off for summer break. I don’t know why you arrived on the last day of school, but nobody seemed to question it.

As I’ve been writing this I realized you probably don’t even know my name, or anything about me. Anyway, my name is Alice McGregor, age 16 and in the tenth grade, or I was until today. We have a lot of things in common if you think about it. We both have long curly hair, even though yours is a chocolate brown and mine is a dirty blonde. We both have pale skin, and I don’t want to be mean but your skin looks a bit sickly. I should really work on being more nice. I guess that’s why I only have two friends, three if I could include you.

Their names are Florence and Elias. I don’t think you saw them today, but you could become really good friends with them. Elias can be stubborn and arrogant, but once you get past that he’s pretty great. Florence and I have been best friends since we were in kindergarten, we’ve shared everything with each other, we’re practically the same person.

Anyway, I’m glad I’ve started writing these letters to you, like I said it’s just easier this way.

June 5th
Dear friend,

Summer has started! But it’s not as fun as it used to be when I was a kid. There’s nothing to do really, other than sit around and sleep unless you actually hang out with friends.

Speaking of friends, i'm supposed to hang out with Florence and Elias in a couple of days. I hope things won’t be awkward because they’ve hung out with each other almost every other day so far, and I haven’t seen them at all. But we always find something to do.

I’ve only seen you once, i looked out my window one day and saw you walking down the street. I don’t know where you were going, but it made me smile because it means you live close to me. Maybe I’ll invite you over to my house one day.

I’ve been drawing a lot. My mom yelled at me the other day because I didn’t get all of the pencil smudges off of my hands and it got on the kitchen table. When you come over you can take a look at my drawings, they’re mostly of flowers and landscapes but I think you’d take interest in them.


June 9th
Dear Friend,

You know how I told you Florence and Elias were coming over? Well they did yesterday, and we just moped around my house doing nothing. To be honest it really wasn’t much fun.

One thing that sparked my interest was I noticed every once in a while Elias would just stare at Florence, admiring her. I don’t know much about relationships but I’m pretty sure he’s going to ask her out.

I saw you this morning and asked if you’d like to come over some day. To my delight you said yes. I got your number and we’ve been texting all day. I hope we’ll become great friends.


June 15th
Dear Friend,


Today I asked Florence if she’d like to come over, but she said she was spending the day with Elias. She also told me that they’re officially a couple, and they even kissed.

I felt a bit rejected that she waited until I spoke to her first to tell me this. I guess this means our friendship is drifting apart.

But that’s ok because I have you now! We’ve hung out a total of two times, and as I predicted you enjoyed my art! You decided to show me some of your art so you drew a masterpiece right before my eyes. It was way better than mine, but you didn’t say it.

My mom has been telling me that I haven’t been looking well recently. But ever since we’ve been hanging out I’ve felt better than ever, she’s over protective sometimes. Especially ever since my dad passed away last year.

June 21st,
Dear Friend,

This morning my mom took me to the doctor to make sure I’m not sick. And just like I kept on persistently telling her, there is nothing wrong with me. She’s been really paranoid telling me that I’ve had a somewhat blank and emotionless stare. But I guess there hasn’t been a situation where emotion was needed.

You and I have been hanging out most days now, I’d like to consider you my new best friend! I feel like I can tell you anything, and you won’t judge me.

I’ve been feeling pretty depressed lately over the fact that Florence and Elias have been ignoring me. You suggested that maybe they’ve been doing it to make me jealous. because I’ve been hanging out with you so much. And to be honest it makes a lot of sense.

June 28th
Dear Friend,


My mom and I just got into a really big fight. She had been going through my room, I just know it. My drawings were scattered everywhere and I know I didn’t leave my room like that.

I’ve just been feeling so secluded from everything lately, except when I’m around you. I realized that we never talk about your problems, only mine, and you give your opinion on the situation and tell me what I should do.

I guess the reason why you never tell me any of your problems is because you’re perfect and don’t have any.

July 4th
Dear Friend,


For the Fourth of July this year I’ll be spending it talking to a psychiatrist. My mom must think I’m crazy or something. But I think she should be the one the talking to a doctor, she’s been going through my things, and throwing away my drawings I’m pretty sure. You were the one who told me that you saw her going through my room.

It’s hard to believe my mom would do something like that, conspiring against me. I think impact of the loss of my Dad is finally settling in on her.

July 8th
Dear Friend,


So I’m going to start seeing my psychiatrist regularly now, lucky me. He must think there’s something wrong with me as well.

When I mentioned you to him he was worrisome. I don’t understand, if anyone is keeping me sane, it would be you.

July 10th
Dear Friend,


It’s weird, even though we spend nearly every day together my mom has never met you. So I invited you over for dinner but you never showed up. Maybe you had a family emergency or something.

I saw my psychiatrist yesterday again. He’s been asking me a lot of questions about you, he might end up wanting to meet you one day, he’s so interested in you.

July 15th
Dear Friend,

I don’t know what to believe anymore, my mom has been telling me that you’re not real. I thought for sure my mom was crazy and trying to manipulate me to spend more time with her. Then I saw my psychiatrist today and he calmly told me that you aren’t real either.

This obviously doesn’t make any sense because I can see, hear and talk to you. I think they’re getting ideas into my head

July 26th
Dear Friend,


This will probably be the last letter I’ll write to you. I’ve been spending a lot of time with my psychiatrist and he says he’d need more time to examine me. But my I overheard my mom talking to him on the phone. I might have major depression or a possibility of schizophrenia.

I don’t know how to take this, and it isn’t healthy but I’ve been spending more and more time talking to you. Now that I know you might not be real, it’s easier to imagine you lying to me about how they’re trying to control me.

But I’m supposed to start treatment as soon as they’re certain what’s wrong with me. This just shows me that I can’t trust myself or what I think is real.