Dear H, it’s been so many years since we last met. In fact, you were one of those people I never thought I’d see again. Because there was simply no reason to. We had no bond that we could speak of. I know now that you knew back then how I felt, but I’d never confirmed it. They were at best, educated guesses or opinions from others. I also know from your roommate that you liked me, although not exclusively. I wonder what stopped you from ever approaching me. Maybe you liked someone else a little better, or you were afraid of being rejected. Or maybe you knew of the inevitable doom and just didn’t want to hurt me, or destroy your imagination of me. Or maybe, even if we’d been bold enough to try, people around us wouldn’t have let us be. I now know that to be true in our kind of society. That is what would have happened. You know how they liked to cheapen any display of fondness, even among just-friends. No, it would have destroyed us – we wouldn’t have stood a chance. Also, I’m kind of grateful because at least now we have moved on from those “silly” things to something possibly deeper. A friendship, for real this time. I can be open and vulnerable with you. And the fact that we’re both partnered up now has enabled us to connect in a respectful way that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. Yes, I’m things turned out this way. I appreciate you, and your support in recent times. May our friendship long abide.