The Tale Of You & Me Part 1: Since we were kids

Dear Greta

Since I began pursuing a successful career as a writer, I've published several letters that I've written to you. Although we may still be married legally, It's no secret that you and I are no longer together. You have moved on with your life and grew to love another man as much as, if not more than, you loved me. Unfortunately, I haven't had much success trying to do the same... The truth is that I am still in love with you. Any relationship that I have had since we've been apart was nothing more than a failed attempt at filling the whole in my heart that opened the day you left me. The day that happened is the day that I lost sight of who I was... it's the day that I became lost. I didn't just lose you, I lost my daughter too and so I lost my identity... because you two girls were my identity. A husband and a father, that is the man I was... These days I'm a husband on paper alone and due to both of our actions, I haven't really been able to... no, I haven't really given my best effort to be a father. The shame that comes with being that honest with myself is definitely the worst I've ever felt by far.

As dark as things have been over the course of the last two years, one of the few things that's prevented me from being entirely consumed by darkness has been my writing. I have written our daughter several letters, so that when she's older she can read them and know that although her dad was lost these last few years, he always loved her more than anything in the world... I consider it my way of speaking to her during a time when I wasn't really able to. It's also a way of reminding myself that all of this is just temporary... at least when it comes my place in Gabriella's life.

As I previously mentioned, I've written a fair share of letters to you as well. This one being the latest but this one's different from the one's that I wrote before it. You see throughout every letter that I wrote to you in the past, my focus has always revolved around life after you left me. Then, In what could best be described as a light bulb moment, I realized how good the story of you and me actually is. The story of how we met, our first date, and everything that came afterwards... up to it's sad ending. As a writer, I would never forgive myself if I didn't share our story with the world. And, if I'm being honest, I feel like there's already enough things that I'd never be able to forgive myself for as things stand.

That being said, I'm writing this letter to you but for the world. Greta Hernandez, my wife, my daughters mom, my first true love... This is the Tale of You and Me!

Your first husband,

Carlos (Cj)

Part 1

Chapter 1: At First Sight

You and I have been together since back when we were kids... I know that there were a few occasions that we weren't together but with other people instead. However, from 17 to 22 we were in a relationship nearly the entire time. There's no doubt that we spent thousands of days together but there aren't many days that I remember as vividly as the day that I first saw you.

It was on my little sister Massiel's birthday, back in 2013; my mom had decided to throw her a small birthday party at home and allowed her to invite a hand full of friends to come over. Among those friends was Javi, a young man she had been crushing on for the longest and the one who would later on become the father of her first child Lucas. Then their was Alex, the other girl that you and Massey had been friends with since elementary school. Then their was you, the oldest out of you three girls and the one who would play such a significant role in my future.

Back then I was always messing around on the streets like the delinquent teenager that I was those days. I remember my mom having to send me a text message demanding me to, and I quote, "bring my ass home because your sisters birthday can be the one day that your not (Spanish >)comiendo mierda en la calle." At first, I was under the impression that I didn't really need to be at my sister's little birthday get together. Yet, that opinion immediately did a 180 as soon as my high school friend Jacob and I stepped foot into my families apartment. What caused this sudden change of heart? That's simple... it's because the moment that I stepped foot into that apartment, the very first thing that caught my attention was you, staring right back at me.

For some reason in that moment, I began to freak out a little. At that time I had already gained some experience dealing with girls whom I'd found extremely attractive. However, in spite of that experience and for reasons I can't explain, seeing this beautiful girl staring right at me was a bit overwhelming to say the least. I remember resisting the urge to run straight to my room as my sister introduced me to you and the rest of her friends. I remember not zoning out because of the way you were smiling at both my sister and me as she told you my name; although I'm unsure of whether or not she told me yours. Then as soon as we had finished the introductions, I bolted to the kitchen where my mom was preparing Massey's cake.

While you and I hadn't said a word to one another that first day, I'll never forget the answer I got when I asked my mom who the girl sitting on the couch was. My mom had a huge smile on her face as she simply replied "Who Greta? She's been friends with your sister since elementary school."

"But she looks a little old to be in Massey's grade, doesn't she..?"

"That's cause she is, she got held back a couple of times cause of some problems at home, she's actually only a year younger than you."

I couldn't keep myself from smiling as I received the best news I had gotten all year... your age. "Your telling me that girl is 16 years old?" I didn't know anything else about you aside from that. But the one thing I did know was that I just had to get to know you.

Chapter 2: Walking Right Into You

It's crazy how sometimes the smallest moments can feel so significant. Something could literally happen within the span of several seconds and yet it can leave you day dreaming about it for the rest of the day. That is exactly the kind of thing that transpired when you visited my apartment for the second time. You and Massey were getting dressed to go to a dance at your school. I don't really remember all of the details but one thing I do recall is how my sister seemed to be in a rush, concerned that you guys would be late. She seemed so excited about the event but you didn't really appear to share her enthusiasm. What happened next is something that I'm sure I'll remember for the rest of my life.

I was in my room playing my Xbox, when suddenly, I had the urge to use the bathroom. I guess I wasn't thinking because when I got to the bathroom I made the mistake of opening it without knocking first. As I took my first step through the door, I ended up walking straight into you. You had just finished changing, so it wasn't like I saw anything. Anything except you looking right back at me... You looked so beautiful back then and the way our eyes were locked on each others made the moment feel like it had lasted forever, even though it really only went on for a few seconds. I like to believe that it was in that moment that the two of us decided we would find a way to be together. It was like if we had mutually agreed on some unspoken thing. That was the first time you and I were ever alone in a room and it's somewhat humerus that not too many people even know that. Then, just as soon as you were here, you were gone and I was left thinking about our brief encounter for the rest of that day.

Chapter 3: Making The First Move

I really wish that I could say that the day I decided to ask you out was as romantic and memorable as our brief encounter in the bathroom. Sadly, that would be a lie...

Usually my game was at its best when it came to pursuing a relationship with a girl but what can I say? You made me so nervous that it threw me off of my game. Nevertheless, if I was given the opportunity to go back and do things different, I probably wouldn't. Given the fact that, despite my mediocre attempt, you still accepted my offer regardless.

It was May 13th and I had just gotten back home from school. Not long after I arrived, I discovered that you were visiting my families apartment for the 3rd time. As soon as I found out you were there, I made the decision that this was going to be the day that I confessed my feelings to you. The dilemma with this spontaneous decision was the fact that I had absolutely no idea how I was going to approach the situation. After an hour had passed, I realized that I was thinking to much into it. So, as do most teenagers when they're reaching out to their crush, I grabbed a pen and piece of paper and wrote you a note. Can you believe that? You have to admit that it's crazy that everything we've been through together began with that silly note.

I kept the note quick and to the point, writing only one sentence. It read: Hey... I think your really cute. After reviewing my message for a final time, I then walked straight into my sisters room, right to where you were sitting and handed you the note before bolting out the door. The next several minutes had me overwhelmed with anxiety. I was positive that you weren't going to share my feelings and I was about to be massively disappointed. My heart skipped a beat when I heard my sisters door open. Massey came out of her room and approached me holding a piece of paper. She handed it to me while complimenting me on my smooth move. I opened up the paper and discovered that it was my note to you, only now it had your response written on it as well. Never had I thought that so few words could bring me so much joy... Under my compliment read the words: Thanks, I think your cute too =). Wasting no time, I wrote a second message in the form of a question. I asked you if you'd want to hang out with me, to which you quickly replied with a simple yes.

Looking back now, I couldn't have picked a dorkier way of doing that. Maybe it's exactly because of how dorky it was, that it worked in the first place. Who knows? All I know is in that moment, I was extremely excited to finally have the opportunity to sit down and talk to you alone.

Regardless of how dorky our first day hanging out with one another came to be, that doesn't take away from the significance it has by any means. While it may have been our first time talking to one another,, there were a couple of other firsts that happened that day too. In fact, on that first may 13th, we shared our first kiss and made it our first day as an official couple as well. You know to this day I still use that date, 05/13, as my 4 digit code for everything. (Shhhh! Don't tell anyone.)

I think that it's important that you know something Greta. I might not have ever said it back when we were a family... but that first day was one of the greatest days of my entire life. I'm sure you might not believe me but that's the truth, I promise. The reason for that is a simple one... It's day that our story together truly began. Everything that came after that, our trip to Orlando, moving in together, our wedding, our baby girl, and as depressed as I am to have to say this, our end. None of it would have ever happened had it not been for May, 2013.