"More than a stunning debut. It is the announcement of a bold new literary voice"
—Stephen Chbosky, author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower

You’re not dead but you’re gone and that’s almost the same as dead.
You were a good dad. You taught me how to fight, mostly just self-defense, you taught me how to make a wooden spoon, you taught me how to play soccer, you taught me how to use a bike, you taught me how to climb trees, you taught me how to fish even though I didn’t like it. Somewhere along the road, you stopped being my dad. I know that you and mom’s divorce was tough and you were unhappy for a long time – and maybe you’re still unhappy but I’m your child and I can never stop being your child, which leaves me very confused because how come you can stop being my dad when I can’t stop being your child?
It makes me sad that I have to walk up the aisle someday not knowing whether you’ll be there.. Whether I want you there.
We are now strangers to each other and I feel sick to my stomach when I visit your house once every sixth month. I know it’s wrong. It’s wrong of me to visit you that rarely, it’s wrong of me to feel that way and it’s wrong of you to stop being my dad.
I don’t know how to let go, I don’t know if I want to let go, and I don’t know how to go somewhere else from here. I want so desperately to hate you because it would make a lot of things easier but after all you’re still my dad and I need you to act like a dad. I need to stop missing you all the time because you’re there and I need to keep on loving you. Please come back. I love you.