Shane waits on the curb until the van is long gone from her sight.  She flicks away the cigarette she bummed and gives up her sidewalk perch.  As the elevator makes its way to her floor she takes notice of her extreme need to pee.  She makes a mad dash to her room, flying into her bathroom in the nick of time.  As she finishes she catches something out of the corner of her eye.  On the mirror, written in black Sharpie is a message.

SHANE.

THANK YOU FOR THE AMAZING WEEKEND.  AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BLOW YOUR MIND.  MOST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME INTO YOUR LIFE.

I KNOW HOW MUCH THAT MEANS.

HERE‘S A LITTLE SOMETHING TO TIDE YOU OVER.

I LOVE YOU!

                                                XOXO,
                                              HARPER

ps. – this will wipe right off

Sitting on the counter is a t-shirt of Harper‘s.  Shane smiles and laughs to herself at their like mindedness.  She holds the shirt to her nose, inhaling deeply, closing her eyes as she drinks in the scent.

With t-shirt in tow she makes herself cozy on the bed and texts Harper.  She writes, “U R amazing!  Love the note + t-shirt!!  Going 2 sleep with it 2nite.  :- )  I love you.  Have a safe flight.“

A few minutes later Harper‘s reply arrives, “Glad u liked it!  :- )  Wish I was still in ur arms.  Have a good day @ work.  I love you!!!“  Shane looks at the clock and groans when she sees the time.  The hour of restless sleep she had will not do much to get her through the day.  If only she hadn‘t been so full of anxiety about Harper leaving she could‘ve slept.  Instead she tossed and turned, eventually giving up her quest and spent two hours sitting on the bathroom floor writing Harper‘s letter.  She smiles proudly when she thinks of it.  She‘s never written anyone a letter, never had anyone to write one too.  The words all seemed to flow effortlessly from her heart and soul right onto the paper.  It might not be the best written letter ever, but it‘s certainly the most honest Shane‘s ever been.  The magnitude of her trust of Harper is unparalleled.  She bared her soul on those pages, sharing things she‘s never told a soul.  She wants Harper to see the big picture that is herself.  And for that to happen she must hear about all of the ugliness she‘s been subjected to.  The Foster Fathers who molested her, the junkie Mom who gave her away, the countless state employees who saw her as nothing more then a number and the endless string of mean children who made fun of her until she ran away.  The leap of faith for Shane stops her heart.  She can only hope that this won‘t fill Harper with the pity that she most fears.  It was only meant to be an act of love, a show of trust and a guide to better understanding.  So that she will know that certain words, smells, actions and types of people make her flinch and why.  Why she found it necessary to never want to see the same girl twice.  How the cool confident exterior is just that.