Ughhhh I have the worst case of writer’s block. The good news is that I think I know how to fix it… the bad news is that it probably won’t be fixed for a while. I managed to squeeze out something mediocre in three hours though, so that’s good? I guess?

1. Sit up in bed. I know it’s been three days since you’ve felt alive, but your phone has been blowing up from people who care about you. Answer them. Don’t look for texts from him.
2. Look around. Your room has never looked as much of a disaster as it does now. In the corner you see the outfit you wore that night. You don’t remember pulling it off. Throw it in the wash. Or throw it out. Or throw it back on the ground to deal with it later. They’re just clothes.
3. Go eat something. If the smell of anything decadent makes your stomach churn, eat a banana. Don’t think of that time you both got a banana split at the ice-cream shop and you dropped it seconds after he paid for it. What a waste of seven dollars.
4. Clean your skin of that night. I know you want to hang onto the last time he touched you, but watching it wash down the drain can be cathartic. Scrub as hard as you can. Rub yourself raw. Scour your lips, your cheeks, your collarbone, your neck, every placement of every kiss. They’re gone now. That’s okay.
5. Decide to go outside. Fresh air is going to feel much better in your lungs than the stale air you’ve been breathing. Besides, your room has started suffocating you with the memories anyways, it’ll be good to see walls that don’t remind you of him.
6. Tie your shoes. Over, under, pull it tight, pull it through to do it right. Blink away his shadow, tying your shoe when you broke your leg and couldn’t reach it. Open the door. Take a breath. You’ll be okay. You’ll be okay without him.