She Wrote Me a Love Letter in High School, but I Never Opened It Until the Day of Her Funeral

I found a love letter from 1979 hidden in my closet for more than 40 years — but when I finally opened it after her funeral, I realized it was never really a love letter at all.

In 1979, Emily sat beside me in chemistry class and loved me in the quietest way a person could.

I know that now.

Back then, I was too stupid to notice.

I was 17, captain of the football team, and convinced the whole world was waiting for me to arrive. I cared about parties, touchdowns, my father’s approval, and whether girls like Denise smiled at me in the hallway.

Emily wasn’t like those girls.