Dear Elliana, Your long, blonde hair is woven between the veins of my hearts which I do not love but can’t throw out What can I say? I’m sentimental Even though I have deleted every fragrance and reminder of you, the world still sees you before they see me I still have a lot of your old makeup The fear of wearing it brings a stomach ache I liked your eyeliner though You had good taste I get told I looked better as you by family whose eyes see only your pronouns instead of mine I am gifted dresses still in your name, and I throw them out immediately They want you back but **** those poeple because they never even knew you Dear Elliana, I am sorry I had to **** you in my memories I never imagined you would be a bad thing A lot of my new friends don’t know you Dear Elliana, I am sorry I am shattering the mirror of your body I want to sell your hips, gift your ******* to someone who wants them I was born and you didn’t hurt yourself anymore You force yourself out of my lips in a guilty conscience every time I see you in another’s eyes Dear Elliana, I remember when you met me It was the year you turned thirteen It was the first time you said out loud that you didn't want to live anymore In therapy you said you wouldn't make it to 19 On my 19th birthday I thought about you You were right I've been trying to write this letter for 6 months I still can't decide if it should be an apology or not But now you will never hear "Elliana ***" announced at a college graduation, Get married, give birth Dear Elliana, I start testosterone in two weeks I know what will happen when it starts taking effect My body will stop being able to produce the potential for new life every month I thought about your children, how I wanted them too You will never be a grandparent I’m sorry You will never hold your lover’s sleeping figure I’m sorry You will never hear “Mommy! Watch me on the slide!” I’m sorry The child you saw in your dreams will never wrap their arms around your legs for comfort I am sorry The testosterone will come and you will become a memory I wish to forget I am sorry I apologize for the people who see me as a mistake, as something disgusting I ask myself: Am I a mistake? Am I disgusting? No, I don’t think so anymore Dear Elliana, You had a place Never forget that You still do Just not the way you planned Yours, Taron P.S I never hated you Even though sometimes I wish I could P.P.S The one thing we both hated will soon be gone I soon say goodbye to your cheeks!