"Dear Troye Mellet, today is going to be an amazing day, and here's why: because today, today all you have to do is just...be yourself. But also confident that's important! Like easy to talk to, approachable, but mostly be yourself, like that's #1, be yourself. Just be true to yourself. Also though don't worry about whether your hands are going to get sweaty for no reason. You can't make it stop no matter what you do because they're not gonna get sweaty. So I don't even know why you're bringing it up because it's not going to happen because all you have to do is just be yourself! I'm not even gonna worry about it because seriously it's not gonna be like that time where you had the perfect chance to introduce yourself to Jacob Bixenman after the jazz band concert last year and you waited afterwards just to talk to him and tell him how good he was and you were gonna pretend to be super casual like you didn't even know his name and he would introduce himself and you would be like 'I'm sorry I didn't hear you, James, you said your name was James?' And then he would be like 'No it's Jacob.' And you would be like 'Well so you see I thought you said James because I'm just very busy with other stuff right now.' But you didn't even end up saying anything to him because you were scared and your hands were sweaty, which they weren't that sweaty but you started worrying they were sweaty which made them sweaty so you put them under the hand dryer in the bathroom so they weren't sweaty they were just very warm now as well!"
Troye's letter to himself was interrupted when he heard his mom at his door.
"So..." Laurelle said as she stood at Troye's bedroom door, holding a $20 bill in her hand. "You just decided not to eat last night?" She asked her son as he sat on his bed, his eyes trained on his laptop.
Troye just shrugged his shoulders, "I wasn't hungry," he mumbled.
"You're a senior in high school Troye, you need to be able to order dinner for yourself when I'm not home," she said with a sigh, as she got closer to Troye's bed. She had had another late night last night in class and wasn't able to make Troye dinner. Clearly the $20 she had left on the table for Troye to order something hadn't been used.
"You don't need to talk to anyone you know! It's all online now, you don't even need to use the phone! I know you don't like the phone," she said as she sat down on his bed next to him.
"No you see that's not true actually mom. You-you have to talk to the delivery person when they come to the door, a-and they have to make change and you have to stand there while it's silent and they're awkwardly counting the change," Troye bitterly protested.
Laurelle just sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Okay this is exactly what you're supposed to be working on with Dr. Sherman! Talking to people, engaging! And not running away from people!"
"I know I know, and I'm getting better I am," Troye tried.
"I know you are, that's why I made an appointment for today after school. I'll pick you up after work!" She said excitedly.
"But I-I already have an appointment for next week!" Troye whimpered.
"I know I know, but I figured you could use something a little..sooner," she sighed as she picked up a stray sweatshirt from his floor and folded it on his dresser. "Hey, have you been writing those letters to yourself? You know like those little pep talks! Like Dear Troye Mellet...this is going to be a good day and here's why!"
"I uhm, I started one," he said and he saw his mom glare at him worriedly. "I'll finish it at school" Troye added quietly as he looked at his laptop, not really paying much attention to his mother, as he was trying to distract himself from the fact that it was his first day of school today. His first day of senior year.
"Those letters are important honey! They're going to help you build your confidence! And help you seize the day!" Laurelle said, trying her best to reach her son who emotionally seemed too far away.
