A letter from Feb 11th, 2022

Dear Valor, Things have been hard this year. Things are probably a lot harder for you now, but I bet it's more manageable. In 2021, I stopped being friends with Eren due to toxicity and whatnot, but I started being friends with Kaylee again. I hope you're still friends because I love her a lot and I want you to as well. I think/hope I can have a future with her. Anyways, how have you changed over the years? I learned a lot about myself and all my medical issues. The biggest one has been my autism because now I know that I have a reason for a lot of the weird things that I do and instead of telling someone that I don't know why I pull my hair or play songs on repeat or cry/yell when it's too noisy. Now I can just say that I'm stimming or have bad sensory issues. It's nice, actually. What are some things you are into right now? I really like drawing, writing, Motley Crue, and GTA V. It's been tough for the first two though because of my many, many, MANY mental illnesses - as you know. If you had one piece of advice to give to your past self, what would it be? As corny as it is and everything, I think I would tell myself that it has to get worse before it gets better. Proof? My abuse. Remember how ma was really upset all the time and fights got physical? Well, he was kicked out shortly afterwards, so that's good. I suppose. Speaking of ma, how is she? How's father? I haven't seen him in three weeks (almost a month) because of his amputation and blah blah blah you already know. I miss him a lot. Anyways, there're a few songs you should listen to after you read this. I Know The End by Phoebe Bridgers; I Was A Teenage Anarchist and Spanish Moss by Against Me!; Keep Ya Head Up by Tupac; Bittersuite by Motley Crue; and Funeral, also by Phoebe Bridgers. Class is about to end, so I'm gonna stop writing this letter now. I hope it's not too awkward to read. Love, your freshman self, Valor Evren Stoneking <3