Hate Mail

by Donna Marchetti

To Harper: Never let a mean letter dull your shine.

“What are you going to say?” “I don’t know. This is stupid.” “You think everything is stupid.” “Everything is stupid.”

I want you to know that if anyone ever did those things to me, it would

be because he’s a shitty person and he doesn’t deserve me. Not the other way around.

“You need to find a man who will build you a house like my daddy did for my momma,”

“Jesus, Naomi,” he whispers against my lips. “I can’t get enough of you.”

“When it comes to you, I don’t have any rules.”

“Do you really think you’re the only one who’s hurting over this? I fell in love with you, and I lost you.”