Greetings,

Please note that I will be directly addressing several of you, but without mentioning any names.

A little over a year ago, I met you. We only got to know each other online but we became friends rather quick. From that point on I knew that whenever I talked to you, most of the time you would make me smile. We always discussed back and forth that we needed each other as friends, and that (jokingly, of course) we could never fall for each other for that reason. And through time we got closer. I could always talk to you if I had a problem, and likewise I know I helped you through some hard times as well. Recently you moved away, and we tried to keep in touch over MySpace, but gradually we stopped communicating altogether. Every time I think about this it makes me sad, especially as I'm writing this. I know we always used to joke about it, but I think the real reason I kept bringing it up was because I was trying to convince myself that under no circumstances should I ever fall for you. It's a little hard to say for certain, but I think I failed in that regard, not that it matters now. I'll be amazed if you ever read this.

I remember Valentine's day, when you were excited because you had made plans with your boyfriend of the time. I remember that it wasn't until very late in the evening that he finally even bothered to contact you. All I could think on that day, as I was discussing this with you, was that if it were me, you would've been the first thing on my mind that day, and the first thing I would've done was call you. I know it no longer matters, but I can't help how I feel.

Those last two paragraphs are directed at the same girl. Those of you who know me will immediately know who I'm referring to.

You are an interesting person. You added me on MySpace a while back, but it wasn't until a couple months ago that I started talking to you. One night you posted a bulletin which I thought sounded a lot like something I would say. Soon after that, I started sending messages back and forth to you on MySpace, and eventually I asked you for your AIM screen name, which you gave me. After that I'd start IMing you and, over time, I could've sworn we were getting along just fine! You eventually even started discussing personal things with me. I felt good about that, and glad that we could talk to each other so easily.

One night, however, and in fact only a little over a week ago, I don't know how it happened but somehow I managed to get you angry at me to the point where you would from then on refuse to talk to me. I suppose you felt I was talking down to you, and I will admit that maybe I could've presented the topic I was discussing a little more gracefully. Regardless of this, I find it ridiculous that after nearly two to three months, I can no longer get any kind of response from you. I'd appreciate having conversations with you again. It's even ironic that the topic I brought up, as well as the reason I brought it up, is what made you stop talking to me.

While we're on the subject of girls who don't talk to me, I suppose I should mention another one of you.

You were always so friendly in high school. Yes, I thought you were cute, too. You were the type who would say hi to me just because we happened to cross paths during lunch. I liked that about you. You were always so cheerful and, let's face it, often very wired. I've had your screen name for well over two years. I remember talking to you often. Not long after I got it from you, we started discussing music and I was delighted in finding out that you had very similar tastes in music to mine. I remember when on occasion we'd both be watching "The Apprentice" (for those of you who don't know, we knew we would be watching it the next day in class) and we'd discuss what was happening online. I miss those days.

Over the summer last year, or perhaps it was closer to fall, I began noticing your away messages which would indicate that something was wrong. I would see sad faces and messages that said something was hurting you. I asked you what was wrong, but you replied "nothing". Not long after that, I was getting little or no response to the IMs I kept sending you. Eventually I was getting no response whatsoever. The last time you ever said anything to me was January first. You just bounced back the "Happy New Year" greeting with a simple "you too". I've still been trying to get you to talk, but not successfully. I'm sorry that I cared enough to ask you what was bothering you.

I suppose, given that I've had to put up with all of this, I should be thankful for the ones who still do talk to me.

After you read this, you may not wish to talk to me. I hope it doesn't come to that. I met you online early this year. You're very friendly, very smart, and very pretty. Recently, you've made it known that your past relationships have all failed for various reasons. You may get very defensive on the matter and not be willing to listen, at least not to me. Rather than post a large argument in this text, I'd like to just tell you how I feel, and you can decide whether or not to take anything from it.

I know, I know, you're young, and you're in high school, and the one thing you want most is love. Honestly, I wouldn't mind having that myself. The one thing you have to realize, however, is that you cannot be dependent on other people to make yourself feel better. You've had three different relationships since I met you, and none of them have lasted much longer than a month. I know you're not happy to hear this, but maybe you should stop actively pursuing relationships and work on helping yourself. You're a bright young woman, so you should've figured this out long ago. You've admitted that your grades are suffering, to the point where you might not finish high school. This is a very destructive mentality, one that I have endured myself. Please, PLEASE realize that I'm not trying to put you down, pick on you, be mean-spirited or insensitive. It's just that I don't like seeing you in trouble any more than I like seeing myself in such a predicament. You're smart and you know you are. Please make intelligent decisions. Consider your past experiences and learn from them.

To every one of you, please, realize that I care, or at least cared at one time, for every one of you whom I've addressed in this letter.

Some final thoughts,

Please don't try to rush anything. Life will happen. Life will happen far too fast, and you'll end up wishing you had behaved differently during these times.

I don't like the fact that all I ever try to do is be friendly, really, and yet a couple of you still refuse to talk to me.

Anyone who has a comment, preferably something constructive, please respond.