Dear Lily,
I have not seen you since April 15, the day after the official "Catching Fire" teaser trailer was released on the MTV Movie Awards. You came especially for that, because we needed each other. How else could I have controlled my emotions when Liam Hemsworth walked in to introduce the teaser trailer? I needed a fan girl to be with me. You had it harder, though. You looked like a crying tomato when the trailer ended. It was funny because we were both on the floor crying of joy and happiness. When us fangirls cry they are releasing their excitement and emotions through tears.
I am wondering when we are going to see each other again. Ever since you wrote that letter to your father nobody is able to bring you to my house. I don't understand why you would write that letter. Honestly, you can make your decisions on your own. When I say this, I am not only saying that I can't decide for you whether or not you want your dad in your life, but neither can anyone else, including your mother.
My mother and grandmother are upset about you writing this letter. They think that your mother had something to do with you writing it. I don't know why you did it, but I know you, and you don't seem like the type of daughter to do that. Unless you've changed, the Lily I knew would never want to hurt her dad emotionally, no matter how much anger you felt.
I've known you since the day I was born. Don't you think that after being best friends with someone for 13 years, you know what the person would do in certain situations? I know for a fact you wouldn't have wrote that letter without having your mother on your side. Whatever it was that pushed you to write that letter . . . Was it worth it?
Was it worth it? Was it worth the fact that you will probably see me once a year for a weekend, if we're lucky. You called me your best friend and helped me through so much. After all those secrets we shared, you're going to tell me that your dad calling you the day before your little brother's Christening to tell you about it was worth it? After you considered me your "Hunger Games bestie", or your "over everything", and even your "best cousin".
Summer's already here. This is the summer I've been waiting for this whole school year. This is the summer we talked about. How you were going to come to my house and we were going to go to the park everyday. Summer has always been our savior. The two months that make us closer because we were drifting apart during the school year. The two months that I learn more about you than I did the year before, and vice versa. I guess it ends now, because who will bring you here? Not my mother, because she thinks what you did was wrong and is actually ashamed. Not your father, because you wrote that letter.
That letter that makes people wonder who you are. After all your father has done for you, you're going to say you don't want him in your life? He does the most he can, especially with a new son. Shouldn't you have more sympathy? Did you even think it through, or was it just built up anger that grew over the years, and you've finally had enough of him? As if he did something so wrong . . .
It makes me cry to think about it. Sure, we can interact through Kik or see each other on Instagram. Sure, your mother might be able to take me to your house for a week or so. Although these things are possible, it's never going to be the same as spending the summer together. You won't be able to do my hair in a fishtail braid to go to the pool anymore. We can't buy a big bag of Takis and sit in the park sharing them. Like you wrote in the letter, you've made up your mind. Summer's almost here, though, and I'm wondering if you made up your mind for sure. Like in "Catching Fire", "Tick tock, life is a clock."
That's you on the left, and me on the right. This was taken in the summer of 2012.
Love,
Amanda (a.k.a your Hunger Games bestie)
Author's Note: The name of the person I was writing to was changed, to protect her identity.
