biggest fan.— [inside/avriel]

Dear Avriel Baptiste,

Hi, I'm Inside O'Malley! I've been wanting to write to you a lot but couldn't until now! My Ma and Pa wouldn't let me cause of Six, but it's not like you hurt him or anything. Besides, he always tried to be friends with everyone. He wouldn't have wanted anyone to be mean to you even if you were mean to him first. But I know you wouldn't have been mean to him, you're not a mean person like that!

Anyway, I saw you a lot when I watched the games last year. Normally I just paid attention to the interviews and the opening ceremony and stuff. But, I paid attention the whole time cause of Six. After he died, it was hard to watch again. I had to take a few days away from everything. But, I thought you seemed nice. I wanted to make sure everything turned out okay for you so I started watching towards the end when I heard at school you were still in. And then you won!

Of course, I'm still sad about Six. I know it's not your fault, I just miss him. He was a really good big brother. We used to play hide and seek. Sometimes I play with the kids at school but they always forget to find me and just go home instead. But I don't know they aren't looking anymore so sometimes I just sit there for a few hours. You seem like you have trouble making friends too. Do you? It's nothing bad if it's hard for you. I'm not very good at it. But, I just have to keep trying, right?

Did you meet Six? Or Abel? I feel like you and Abel would have gotten along well. Abel has trouble making friends too. It doesn't seem like it sometimes, because he hangs out with Cain and Cain has friends. But no one comes to Abels birthday parties, just Cains. Are you going to come to Abel's birthday party this year? It'll only be a few weeks after he wins. I'm really excited for him to come home. Prop says he has to come home so I shouldn't worry.

Anyway, the point is I think you're really cool, even if you're a bit quiet. I know you probably get a lot of mail. But I'm like your biggest hugest fan in the whole wide world! I know you probably won't respond, but I'm going to pretend you read it. It feels nice to be listened to, even if instead of listening you're seeing and instead of me speaking it's me writing. But you get what I mean. I need to go to the post office with Prop before Ma and Pa get home, so I better get going.

Love,
Inside O'Malley

(sent during the 89th training center)

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