The Gift

Dear Future Self, 

What I have is called the Gift. According to many people, the Gift is… well, exactly that. A gift. I’ve heard it has many different names, a blessing, a superpower, but the most popular is the Gift. To me the Gift is a little too narrow of a name. It implies that there is only one, or only one type. THE Gift. When in reality, the Gift is different for everyone. 

The school I go to, Beeler’s Academy, is for those who have the Gift. There’s only, maybe, 150 of us. And everyone’s is different. Ava-Grace always hit her target, no matter what. Mohamed can turn his skin into a layer of impenetrable metal. Rose can manipulate people’s emotions. 

Our Gift is we can always tell when people are lying. Not because they have a tell, or they are bad liars, or we have good intuition. No. Every time someone makes a statement a small voice in the back of my mind says ‘Truth’ or ‘Lie’.

I call them Marshall. Once I was asked to describe the voice. I couldn’t really. The voice isn’t loud or quiet or masculine or feminine or rough or smooth or deep or high-pitched. If I heard it outside of my head, I probably wouldn’t recognize it. 

I’m sure a lot of people would kill to have a Gift like mine. And, sure, it’s not as awesome as metal skin but I would say it was equally if not more helpful than manipulating emotions. 

I say it’s more of a curse than anything. Though I would never say that out loud. 

For instance, when I was 14 my parents divorced and I went to go live with my dad. Right around then I had this friend named Atticus. My dad thought he was my boyfriend, and told me “If you are gay, I will still love you.” Lie. 

And again, when I moved in with mom, and her new husband, Paris, and our little brother, Leon and Paris told my mom he loved her. Lie.

Or when I was in my first relationship. I was 16, and her name was Siobhan, and she told me I didn’t need to worry about her ‘guy best friend’, Brett. Lie. She ended up leaving me for him after only 3 weeks. 

As you can see, there’s just some things you don’t want to know is a lie. 

Blissful ignorance is a blessing. 

Someday when I, we, read this back, we will remember how shit our ‘blessing’ was. Maybe you’ll still have the Gift, maybe you’ll grow out of it like Grandpa. Who knows. Either way, hopefully things have looked up for us, and when you write me back you will only have good news, not a letter full of complaining like myself. 

Anyways, 

Good luck and hang tight, Braden. 

Dear Past Self, 

It’s been… 14 years since you wrote this letter? I just celebrated my 32th birthday and I have so much to tell you. 

First things first is, it got better. It got way, way better. 

Not long after you wrote this letter, you met Aneesa. Aneesa Blackmore. The most beautiful woman you have ever met. Like, more beautiful than Keira Knightley level beautiful. And you guys went out on your first date and she never lied once. In fact, you guys dated for 5 whole years and she never lied once. 

That’s not even the best part. 

She also likes Brunettes Shoot Blondes and her favorite T.V. show is Deathnote and her favorite fruits are mangoes. You were a Psychology major, Philosophy minor. She was a Philosophy major, Psychology minor, and right after you guys graduated from college, you got married. And you got a job as a counselor for Beeler’s Academy. She is the Philosophy teacher there, even though she has no powers, you used your history there to get her a job. Besides, you know Principal Booker always had a soft spot for you. 

You married her after five years. You were gonna propose, but she beat you to it. It was really romantic. You were at a Brunettes Shoot Blondes concert, and she said she had to use the bathroom, but then they called you up on stage and she came out and kneels down, and proposed to you right on stage. You said yes, of course. She’s perfect, you would have no reason not to say yes. 

It was a Marvel themed wedding, you took her last name, and not even a week later, you find out she’s pregnant. 

They were twins. 

Raymond and Rachel. 

They’re only 8, almost 9, and they’ve lied a few times just like kids do, but never about anything important. 

And then there was Jordyn Hopper. Your best friend. You met in college, through Aneesa. He likes almost all the same things as you.

He likes seafood, which is unacceptable.

But he also is obsessed with lemon poppy muffins, and he knows how to make them FROM SCRATCH!!

He’s a baker, and he’s going to get a degree in Culinary Arts and everything he makes tastes heavenly which is even better cause you still suck at cooking. And you would never tell Aneesa this but she doesn’t cook any better than you. 

Jordyn’s marrying Leon. their wedding’s in a month. Leon and Jordyn fought over who’s best man you would be. Jordyn ended up winning, and Leon decided to make Aneesa his best man. (Best woman?)

Jordyn has only ever lied to you once. When you guys had just met, and he threw a surprise party for your 20th birthday. But he told you he had to stop hanging out early because he had a study session with Aneesa. Lie. But that was a forgivable lie, and after you told him about your ability he never lied again. Not even a fib. 

Now, I’m not saying that your life is perfect now, cause every once in a while someone will lie, but overall, it’s not as bad as it could be. Cause of Aneesa, the only person who has never lied to you. And Rachel and Raymond, the two kids Aneesa gave you. And Jordyn, your best friend and not only brother by law. 

Aneesa’s your blessing. The twins are your blessings. Jordyn is your blessing.

Farewell and maybe I’ll talk to you again, Braden.