Dear Dale,
I’ve never gotten the chance to properly talk to you. But there are some things that I want you to know. I can’t say these things to anyone else. They’d be annoyed. But you won’t. Or maybe you will. I’m just assuming you won’t because this is about you.
You know a part of it. You probably thought I’d forgotten about it. When I said I liked you I didn’t know what I was talking about. Honestly. It was just something I felt like doing. And I was deadly afraid of the consequences. I didn’t have the slightest idea of what it would do to me. To my life.
It was euphoria at first. It made me think I was normal. That I really was just another teenage girl. But how could I escape the reality of my life? How could I lie to myself about what I was? What I am? I couldn’t. I can’t. It’s sad that I only realized that when it was already too late.
When you talked with me I was nine clouds high. When you asked about me I felt so blessed. But you were just playing with me. You were just having fun; toying around with my feelings. I didn’t mind back then. It hurt. But I didn’t mind. It’s different now. Time and tide wait for none, they say. They didn’t wait for me. And neither did you. I was there. I was on my way. But you didn’t wait. You picked up a random trinket and left. I stood there, wondering why you didn’t show up.
I wasn’t mad at you. I’m never mad at you. I just wished you would understand; would at least appreciate me. The Anomaly of the Century. It’s okay. I don’t anymore. You don’t have to try.
You’re probably wondering what that is, right? Ever wondered how weird my name sounds? Tacy? It’s actually TACy. I was never supposed to tell anyone. Then why am I telling you? Because I’m never posting this letter. They don’t even have any post offices anymore. I’m probably just going to send you an automated “Sorry about everything. Be happy with your life” and move on. I wish I could though. I wish you could actually read this…
I’m straying.
Sometimes when I think back to the time when I was brooding over you, I think it was blind infatuation. But then I notice that tiny but distinct heat inside me. The same one that I felt whenever I was around you. And then I wonder, was it really just infatuation? Could it have been something more? Could it have been something less? Why did I feel a pang of guilt whenever you left the room uninterested? Why did I feel a sting of anger when you didn’t notice me? Was it all just a part of a dream?
I don’t know. I don’t want to know I guess. It’s just that I’ve gotten used to it. I am what I always was, but I’m not who I used to be. And I will never be. I am changing every minute, every second of my life. Every day is a new horizon. Every moment a new adventure. I have learned to live my life the way I was meant to. And you were an important part of this change.
I’m grateful to you. You taught me the most valuable lessons of my life. You made me realize what was worth dying for, and what was not.
I don’t know what else I could possibly say to you. So I will stop here. I might come back at some point, but I won’t promise anything.
Your Once-Upon-a
Time-Admirer
Tacy
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The start of the piece reminds me of “The Perks of being a Wallflower”. I think the letter style gives the piece a sense of mystery; this was one of the things I liked in the book “The Perks of being a Wallflower”.
I love the second paragraph it such a typical teenage thing to not feel normal because there’s no one they like or their crushing on, like their in some way not a proper teenager, I think it makes the story more relatable for people reading it. You also show a part of the process people feel when they’ve acknowledge the really like some one, the nervousness in the decision they’ve made but you looked at this in a different light, you looked at the way it would change you, people rarely look at this side they just look at the side of the nervousness of their character or how their character makes a fool of themselves in front of the person they like. You’ve given your readers a different perspective on the craziness involved in liking someone. You don’t completely give up the other side of the crush thing but you showed it skilfully not using too many clichés and not going into to much detail.
Your story suddenly takes a twist, taking an unexpected turn in one sentence “You were just having fun; toying around with my feelings”. I like the use of the comparison with the tide and how it waits for no one with the comparison of Dale the person your characters is writing to. It suggests that Dale as, to your character, was more than a crush he was almost the sun that she revolved around. The story takes another turn that changes the perspective of the reader again.
All in all I think it’s a good story and letter- wunmi.
You may want to clarify the name then, because that is not what I thought it was. And if it's not what I thought it was, then it's mot what most people are going to think either.
I'll work on it
There's only one thing I didn't like, and it was named below. The "TACy" thing. Instead, maybe say "my name is really pronounced like 'Tacky'" or something along those lines.
But to the good things!!!
I absolutely LOVE how this is in letter format! It makes the story so unique, and i am obsessed with the writing style you chose XD
I enjoyed the voice of this piece, also. It was almost like the girl writing it was reading it out loud to me. Well done, there.
"How could I lie to myself about what I was?" Hmm, this opened a whole new closet full of ideas. What is she? I like writing that makes me think. And you accomplished that with this
She seems insecure with the way her name is pronounced. Thy's actually refreshing. Too many characters now a days are much too perfect and unflawed. Tacy isn't, and I like that about her.
That's about it as far as a review. I really really enjoyed this story/letter/thing
I look forward to reading more of your writing!
Thanks! And by the way its actually pronounced the way you pronounce the name Stacy...
Hey there! Scarlet here, as you know It's review day.
You know what that means, time to review!
Nitpicks first...
- I didn't like this mostly because It's not a full sentence and there are a lot of these throughout the story and It bothers me. I suggest going through here and fixing the poor punctuation.
- I'm not sure if this is a mistake or not but is T-A-C suppose to be capitalized?
Other than that I loved this, I'm guessing Tacy was writing to a guy who she once admired and he didn't treat her as fairly?
I don't understand the situation from experience but my best-friend does and I usually hear a lot about it.
You did a spot-on job and I want to thank you for this entertaining and life-sized experience.
I was plenty excited when you said It was a real life inspiration.
Great job and keep writing!
Sincerely, Scarlet; Member of Team Aqua!
clubs/1983 - Team Aqua Headquarters
Thank you! And yes it is meant to be capitalized. Look at the previous para and you'll know why. She was named Tacy because it's letters correspond to The Anomaly of the Century. Weird I know...
Unknown391625 here with a pleasing review!
I think this is an amazing short story. It would bring tears to some eyes. I love how you wrote this in a letter.
"Your Once-Upon-a Time-Admirer"
I love this line. The way you wrote it makes it sound very anonymous. As I said, amazing short story. Keep on writing!
-Unknown391625
Thank you! That is very encouraging!
Hello ConfusedGlasses,
This letter... It just brings tears to my eyes. It's so much like me, and yet, so different. I know people who have a crush on me, but that's not what I want, I just want to forget. To be normal again. Only three people know, and one got the idea that I should be sent to a lab. I do have an alibi, but that just stings. I could find no error in this letter.
~Kelpies
Whoa! Really? I didn't know real life inspiration could be so good...