Terrible Short Story Things!

Pride

   I looked around at the community I lived in. It was dirty and run down, but it was home. I used to be rich, so this whole community is new to me. But I adapted. I hated being poor. But then again who didn't. I started my hike to school. I refused to let people know I am poor. I had to much pride. And everyone knows pride is a 5 letter word that can be the hardest to swallow. Accepting the fact that I was poor was a struggle.

  So I keep pretending. I keep pretending I'm not poor. I keep pretending that I live in a beautiful manor with a butler and maids and an amazing array of food. Despite the fact that I live in a small crappy apartment with just my mom, and food was hard to come by now a days.

  I walked into school with my back straight and my head held high. It was hard for me to swallow my pride because I have no lead to follow. No one to turn to and no guidance. And it's not like I'm going to go search out guidance. Because my pride won't let me. It's an endless cycle that will never end. People tell you to swallow your pride and ask for help, but eventually you realize there are bad consequences to swallowing your pride and talking to people for help. 

  I watched as people interacted. Some in good ways and some in bad. And today I kept walking. Normally I would help. But today something was different. Everyday when I wake up I realize that all I was going to get was trouble and that I was going to become what ever I had. I guess today was finally the day that I stopped trying to deny the fact.

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  I entered the newspaper room at the end of the day. This was the only thing I could do and had the motivation to do anymore. I sat down in my chair ready to write whatever the world gave to me.

  I opened up the first letter and wrote out a response. I kept doing this. Until I got to the 5th letter. As I read it tears came to my eyes. This may have been the light to lead me out of the darkness. 

You my dude are awesome. You became what you ever had, you took the opportunities you were given. You became someone others could look up to. I don't think you ever meant to be an icon within this community or this school, but thank god you did, because we'd be so lost without you. You taught us that coming out is just one climax of your your story arc, you showed us the beauty of pride and all of its wonders, you may feel lost in the dark but you were such a light to others.

  I thought about that letter the entire day, as I wrote back to all the people who needed advice. It wasn't just relationship advice, it was advice about how to stay alive, advice about how to not feel depressed when coming out. It was all types of advice. As I walked back home I analyzed the letter.

Who could have wrote it? There was no name. No way to tell. I guess maybe people actually like the article and stories I write.