“Dear Mikey” was born from reflecting on my first love—an obsessive, all-consuming relationship. At the time, I wasn’t in a good place with myself, and I placed the weight of my well-being entirely on her.

When she broke my heart, I was devastated. Later, she wrote me a birthday card, telling me how much she appreciated me and how I had changed her life. It was the most beautiful birthday card I’d ever received, yet it filled me with rage.