SLEEPING BEAUTY (Charlie is a sixteen year old student from Manchester, UK and he

suffers from depression. He writes letters to his friend who is not

alive any more. He has a crush on Mia (Missy) who has cancer

and falls in a coma.)

I.

“I don’t know why I’m writing this to you but you see…

when I was 10, I was diagnosed with depression. I was in

hospital for 8 months. I tried to cut my fingers (and I did

it, I don’t have one finger), jump out of the window, tried

to dig out my eyes…

Can I call you Michael?

You see Michael, I don’t have any friends, I’m a loser. I

sit alone at lunch, wait for the bus alone, sit on the bus

alone… I only talk to my parents.

Okay, I have to go.

Charlie”

Maybe I’m crazy? Why am I writing letters to someone who

doesn’t exist?

I’m glad that I have good parents. They support me, especially

dad. He’s like no other dad. You can always talk to him. He’s that

kind of parent that you want to talk to when you have problems

that no one can understand, he’ll always listen to you. I’m lucky

but unlucky. –thought he.

II.

“Hi Michael,

today (as usual) I was sitting alone at lunch, reading my

book and eating French toast. I’m used to it, the same every

day. Next to “my” table there was group of popular kids.

They always have something to say and they seem so happy

together. And then there was Mia.

Mia, Mia, Mia, Mia, MIA! Oh, Mia!

She’s so gorgeous. Mia, my silent suffering. I love

everything about her. Her brown eyes, long brown hair, the

way she smiles, walks, talks… Once she asked me how my

brother was and I was speechless, just like “emm” drooling.

“What a loser! Haha.”, she said.

Michael, as you can see my social life is a total disaster.

I’m glad that I have someone to talk to. Thank you

Michael.

xoxo Charlie”

When I’m writing those letters to Michael I feel like I really have

someone to talk to, like he’s my BF even though I know he doesn’t

exist.

I know that I need to get over Mia and to move on. Maybe I

should visit some website to find someone who really understands

me and find true love. –thought he.

III.

“Hi Michael,

today is the day I’m moving on. I’m going to visit Omegle

(talk to strangers).

*****

It was a disaster but I will try again later, maybe I will

work something out.

*****

I met a girl. I don’t know what she looks like but I bet

she’s beautiful because she has a great personality. I really

like her, we have the same interests and she said she liked

me too, I hope that we’ll meet one day, someday…

P.S. I got her number!

xoxo Charlie”

I’m so over Mia and she was never into me. I have that girl’s

number so we can stay in touch. I’m going to text her tomorrow

so she won’t think I’m a weirdo.

I’m wondering, what if Online Girl (I’m going to call her like that

until I find out her real name) doesn’t like me. What if she thinks

that I’m some kind of psycho?

Well I’m a bit sleepy. Maybe I should go to sleep.

IV.

“Hi Michael,

I’m sick. And I have had some strange dreams. Maybe it’s

because of the fever.

In my first dream there was big castle and around it

there was thick wood and bushes. There was some wedding

party but when I came there to see what was actually going

on there, people were asleep. I was confused and I didn’t

know what to do. I saw a prince and a princess, a king and

other people. Everyone was asleep except me!

In my second dream Online Girl and I were at some kind

of street but everything was pink, green and white, except

us- we were blue. And we were just sitting on the street

and hanging around.

*****

Oh Michael, I have made the biggest mistake ever… I texted

her.

It was like: “Hi, it’s Charlie from Omegle ”

“Ummm, okay?”

And that’s it. I’m too afraid to text her back. What did she

mean with “Ummm, okay?”

xoxo Charlie”

V.

I’m feeling better now but I still haven’t texted Online Girl back.

Hah, 100% she thinks I’m a weirdo.

“I don’t know what to do. I’m so confused and scared. I like

that girl (I’m talking about Online Girl). I think I should

text her back. I really think she’s the one that will

understand me and won’t judge me because of who I am.

*****

“I’m sorry, maybe this is the wrong number.”

“No, it’s okay. I’m Missy.”

“Oh, hi Missy.”

“Well Charlie, I would like to meet you in person. You

seem like a really interesting and really nice person.”

“Thank you Missy, I would like that, too.”

And that was it. She didn’t text me back. Maybe I said

something wrong.

xoxo Charlie.”

VI.

“Hi Michael,

Mia has cancer. I’m so emotional right now. I don’t know

how to feel. I would like to break things but cry, too. She’s

in hospital, she’s having surgery tomorrow. Hope she’ll be

okay.

xoxo Charlie.”

Oh Mia, my Mia. I’m going to visit her tomorrow. Her boyfriend

might be there. So…

Missy texted me; she asked me what I was doing and how I

was… etc. I’m very glad that I have someone to talk to. Should I tell

her that my crush has cancer? I think not. –thought he.

VII.

“Hi Michael,

I hope that Mia’s surgery goes well. I’m going to visit her

today after school.

*****

Everyone at school was talking about Mia. They said that

her surgery hadn’t gone well, that she had fallen in a

coma. I don’t believe that, people lie a lot.

I hate her boyfriend so much. Mia is in hospital and

he’s flirting with another girl. I want to punch him in the

face so hard.

*****

When I came to the hospital, Mia’s parents were there

crying so I thought that the surgery didn’t go well, which is

true - Mia fell in a coma. Her parents asked me who I was.

I told them that I’m Mia’s friend from school. They said

that I was the first (of her friends) who came here to see

her.

I was just standing there and watching her sleep. She

looked like a sleeping beauty… it was like in a fairy tale

with all those things (princess, prince, christening, good

fairies, godmothers, pricked finger, a spindle, sleeping for

hundred years, sixteen years old, castle…)

xoxo Charlie”

VIII.

“Hi Michael,

The whole morning I was in the hospital with Mia telling

her everything I feel about her. And then her boyfriend

came. He was yelling at me: “Who are you?”, “Why are you

here?”, “Where do you know Mia from?” and so on and

then boom. His fist met my face. I fell on the floor and I

wasn’t aware of anything. It hurt so much. As I turned my

head around, I saw the cardboard on Mia’s bed and the

name on it was Missy Green. Mia is Missy? I can’t believe it.

Then I got up and walked away. Sorry, Michael, I can’t

write anymore.

xoxo Charlie.”

*2 WEEKS LATER*

IX.

“Sorry Michael,

I was with Mia -I mean Missy- for whole 2 weeks. Her

parents told me that they were glad that I’m with Missy.

Her stupid boyfriend found another girlfriend. Michael,

when will my beauty wake up?

Charlie”

I’m afraid that Missy, won’t like me when she wakes up. Maybe

she knew who I was when we were texting.-thought he.

X.

“Hi Michael,

Missy woke up. She recognized me. She told me that she

was dreaming about waking up and seeing me beside her. I

kissed her. That was my first kiss. Hope that everything

will go well between us. I think that I won’t write to you

anymore. Michael, it was nice to have a friend like you.

Now I’ll devote my time to my sleeping beauty.

xoxo Charlie.”

Antonija Margetan, Ivona Dabac & Monika Pavlović