Love is like a puzzle. When you're in love, all the pieces fit but when your heart gets broken, it takes a while to get everything back together. ~Author Unknown

October 6, 2009

Dear Monica,

I remember the times when we used to be happy, the times when we used to laugh at stupid jokes and act silly when one of us felt unhappy. We were like sisters. We promised to always take care of each other, like a little girl taking care of her favorite toy. In my mother’s eyes, you were like her daughter.

I still remember the first day you saw him, that guy who touched your heart so deeply that you almost let him destroy you. Gerson was his name, also known as “Criminal.” It was during a sunshiny day the sky was bright blue with really white clouds, the wind was so calm and fresh, it was the perfect day. You met him in an after school program to help kids with their homework.

Meanwhile, I was playing uno cards with some friends while you were helping kids with their homework. You were that type of girl that likes to help others. I heard Gerson was asking you for help because he was confused about his homework. He said, “Hey, can you help me? I am confused in my homework. I have been trying to do my homework but I just can’t. Can you please help me? ” He sounded so lovely and honest. I remember you said “Sure! I can help you with your homework.”

Since the moment, you looked straight into his eyes, I knew you would change.You were wearing a black t-shirt, teal jacket, bright blue jeans, black shoes,and your hair was curly and shiny like the sun in the morning. You looked pretty as always, but that day you looked amazing. Gerson was checking you out. While you were helping him with his homework, he surprisingly said to you, “Girl, where have you been hiding all these years? Because I have never seen a girl as beautiful as you.” He said it with a flirty look. You smiled and said, “You are really cute.”

Weeks later, Gerson was your boyfriend. I started noticing the way you were turning from a good girl to a bad girl. You started saying lies to your parents, telling them you were at school but you were actually in some other place with Gerson. I didn’t understand why you would lie to your parents when your parents were your role model to follow. You always told me you wanted to be just like your mother. You had a very strong connection with them. Ever since you were dating Gerson, you were so happy; the only topic you wanted to talk about was Gerson.

Gerson was a bad influence on you because he would make you tell lies to your parents just to prove him that you completely loved him. I try to open your eyes but, you wouldn’t listen to me. You were blind because you were in love; and when people fall in love, they do things without thinking about the consequences of their actions.

I remember when you told me that you were ditching school just to go with Gerson. You broke my heart when you told me that you were ditching school and you even told me that you sneak out of your home just to go with him. I thought to myself, “Why is Monica doing this for him? What is wrong with boys that they have to break a girl’s heart and make them feel like they are worthless?”

In my heart, knew you were the same, but it was just a lie to myself.

I remember I told you, “ Monica, open your eyes. He is not worth it.”

You said with a mean attitude, “Evelyn, you don’t even know him, so don’t judge him! He is the most wonderful guy that I have ever met in my whole life.”

I recall when you told me, “I’m deeply in love with Gerson, with all my heart and soul.”

Moments later, I saw you crying, you were talking on the phone with “Criminal.” I could hear him screaming at you, telling you that you were the worst girlfriends he had in his entire life, that you were not worth anything at all, not even a penny.

I hugged you as you cried.

He said, “Hey Monica, let me tell you something. My first love was my ex-girlfriend and I still have feelings for her. You will never be at her level of woman.”

It was like your heart had exploded and broke into thousands of pieces. You were crying. I decided to stay with you at your house that night. Your tears were falling, your eyes were red and wide like two swollen balloons. You didn’t sleep the whole night and you didn’t go to school the next day.

I knew that Gerson’s influence on you wasn’t over. Two days later he called, saying, “My love, forgive me for screaming at you the other night.”

You said; “You don’t know how much it still hurts me knowing that your ex-girlfriend is your first love and not me.”

Gerson knew how to control you. He said, “Babe, you are the only girl in my heart and you know it. How can I make it up to you?”

At that moment, I saw you blush. You said, “OK, I forgive you. Just blow me a kiss and everything will be fine.” I thought to myself, “How can she forgive him that fast? If I was in her shoes I would not forgive him at all.”

Gerson controlled your life since the day you meet him. Every week you were crying because he made you feel worthless again, but the next day as always he would try to get you back and he used to get you easily. Little by little, the relationship between you and Gerson was getting worst everyday. He even used to say things on purpose to make you feel bad.

For instance, if any girl was walking by him, he would say, “She is so gorgeous , I would like her to be my girlfriend what do you think babe?”

It was on Tuesday October 6, 2009: everything happened so fast. Two blocks away from my house on Mariposa and Clinton streets. I came out from school early that day. As I was walking my way towards home everything was going good, until I got home and I heard someone knocking on the door really hard. When I opened the door, it was you in tears and shaking from your hands. I asked you “What happened? Why are you crying?”

You told me in a broken voice that matched your heart, “I broke up with Gerson because he cheated on me with this girl named Amy. I told him that it was all over between me and him. Gerson got mad and told me that he was going to send his friends after me. He said I was going to pay for dumping him. You were so afraid of Gerson.

You told me, “Gerson is going to do something bad to me, my family, or my closest friends. He warned me. He said that he would do something in the moment I least expected it.” I was shocked when you told me that. I clearly remember what I said to you that afternoon,

“I told you that he was a bad influence on you, but you never listened to me.”

We went to your house and your phone never stopped ringing. Gerson kept calling and calling but you never answered. He left messages saying, “Pick up the phone now!”

He sounded furious. Finally, he left another message saying, “Monica, forgive me for everything. I know I’ve been messing up since the beginning. I know that I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but just let me hear your voice for the last time! Please, babe!”

I remember he sounded sincere and sad, and for a few moments even I felt bad for him. Until moments later, he left another message yelling at you, saying, “If you don’t pick the phone now, I will send my friends after you and even your little friend Evelyn. Pick the phone now or one of these days after school my friends will get you and rape you. ”

I got so scared because Monica life was in danger. After an hour, we heard neighbors outside the window screaming to other neighbors,“Call the police now immediately!” All of the sudden, we hear gunshots around the neighborhood. Your face turn instantly paled and you almost fainted. You told me, “ I am really scared I don’t want to die to soon.”

Finally, I decide to call your parents to come over at your house because you and
I were in danger. After I called them, we didn’t hear any gunshots anymore. Everything was calm. Your parents arrived at their house and they found out about Monica’s situation. They called the police to take over this problem. The police found Gerson and they told him to stay away from Monica because if he gets close to her, he is going to get arrested.
After all, what happened between you and Gerson, you have returned the Monica that I once knew. Now you have become more responsible and you have learned from your mistakes. Your story now teach some teenage girls to get to know the person that you will be dating really well. I am glad that you had a very strong connection with your parents and now it’s stronger than ever. You have taught me a lesson in life that I have to know the person that I am falling in love with because he may turn out the opposite of what I expect. I know that it was a difficult experience for you and your family but, you kept your head high just like a winner does.

Sincerely,

Your friend