"I don't know how you eat raw salmon straight," Leo scrunched up his noes as he watched Annie eat.She shrugged, "I'm not a picky eater. I thought you said you like sushi.""I do!" He retorted. "But raw salmon, alone, not in sushi or anything... that's a no."Annie chuckled softly, "It's not that bad.""Or maybe you're just not a picky eater," he grinned.Annie's lips twirled up in a grin, "Or that.""I want to know more about you, Annie Halden," Leo leaned forward a bit, propping his elbows up on the table and resting his chin on his folded hands. "You're a mystery."Annie quirked an eyebrow, "What do you want to know, Leo Smith?"Leo grinned, "First kiss."Annie's eyebrows shot up. "Okay..." she shifted in her seat a little. "14, freshman year. I was volunteering at a summer camp for kids. One of the other volunteers, same age as me. His name was Frankie Fisker. Terrible kisser."Leo's eyes were lit up with amusement. "Frankie Fisker, although a terrible kisser is a lucky man."Anni
The following Monday at school, things had shifted.Leo walked over to Annie when he saw her at her locker, taking her books out. "Hey," he leaned against the neighbouring locker.Annie nearly jumped out of her skin, surprised by him."Woah," Leo chuckled. "Didn't mean to scare you. Sorry."Annie avoided his gaze, her breathing more heavy than normal. "It's okay," she exhaled out, continuing to grab her things.Leo's eyebrows pulled together, quickly seeing that things were off. "Are you okay?" He reached forward to touch her arm but she quickly stepped away from him and shut her locker."I'm fine," she looked down at her feet. "I just... have to get to class." She turned and scurried down the hallway before he could stop her.Leo ran a hand through his hair, frustrated because he couldn't understand why she was being so weird and pushing him away. He thought they were at a point where she could trust him and actually tell him what was on her mind.Throughout the day, every time he wo
"Annie, can we please talk. Just let me explain." Leo was practically begging, standing in front of her table where she sat in the library.Annie ignored him, picking up her book and walking out of the library.Leo wanted to hurt someone, to punch anything, even himself.He knew all along that what he was doing by reading her letters was wrong. Especially after they had become friends and she had started to trust him. He knew he should stop and he wanted to, he even tried to but then he couldn't help himself.It was the only way he could know how Annie was feeling, to know what she was thinking and to get a brief glimpse on what was going on.He didn't excuse it because he knew he messed up. He should have returned the first letter he had ever found.He tried to justify it in his head, tried to come up with ways to explain this to Annie so she could know that he was only ever worried about her but he knew there was no use. Nothing he said would be good enough, nothing would make her t
For the following nearly two weeks, Leo kept trying to get Annie to talk to him or at least hear him out.At this point, he debated whether or not to just let it go and accept that their friendship was over but he couldn't sit still with that. He just could not let go of her, nor did he want to.He knew nobody like Annie. As innocent as she may seem, she sure left a mark. He missed her all the time, he just wanted to hear her voice again. He would always glance at her at school and hope to even catch her smiling but she hadn't. He hadn't seen her smile in the past two weeks.He hated it. He missed her and everything about her. He couldn't stop thinking about her. He couldn't get rid of the guilty and heart-clenching feeling he had, regretting having hurt her the way he did.He knew she rarely opened up to new people or trusted people. When she finally did, like an idiot he ruined it.He didn't want to let go of her. He wanted to hug her again. He wanted to see the confused look on her
"Sorry, Annie. I know you don't want to talk to him but it was freezing so I let the poor kid in." Jack spoke from the other side of the door because Annie refused to unlock her room door. He sighed, giving Leo a sympathetic look before walking away.Leo sighed, his eyes filled with hurt and pain. "Annie," he spoke softly. She was sitting with her back against her room door, a straight face on as she heard his voice and instantly felt like she was choking on a sob. He knocked softly, "Please, please just talk to me."No response.Leo sighed, leaning his forehead against the door. "I know I messed up but at least let me explain."Annie shut her eyes, inhaling deeply but she didn't move.Leo bit the inside of his cheek. "I know I should walk away, let it go, let you go but I can't. I just can't. I don't want to either because I can't imagine not seeing your smile or hearing your laugh again."Leo waited for an answer but didn't receive one.When he hadn't spoke in a few minutes, Annie s
"You're just going to say you love me and walk away?"Leo spun around faster than he thought was possible. His eyes were wide."Annie," he exhaled, a warm feeling going through his body as he heard her voice after what seemed like forever."Well," she crossed her arms over her chest, her face straight.He blinked, unsure of what to say. "Annie, I'm so sorry."She frowned a little, "You messed up."Leo nodded quickly, "I know. I know I did and I should have never read those letters because I know they were per-"Annie shook her head, cutting him off, "Not because of the letters. Well those too."Leo gave her an odd look, "Then... messed up with what?"Annie gave him a very, very small and sad smile."You messed up by falling for the broken, damaged girl."Leo blinked, shaking his head slowly. "What? No, Annie. You're-"Annie turned around and cut him off, "Let's talk." She walked further into her room.Leo, still confused about everything that was happening, faltered and paused for a m
"There's something you should know."Leo peered at Annie with soft eyes, holding her hands in his. "What is it?" He exhaled, a little worried to hear what it was she had to tell him.Annie inhaled deeply, a squirmy feeling going through her stomach. This wasn't something she talked about - ever. But she knew that in order for anything to work out with Leo, she should tell him the truth. He should kno all her dirty and dark secrets before deciding he was going to love her.As much as Annie hated having to even speak of this, she felt guilty having to hide it from Leo.She stared at their hands, not wanting to meet his gaze as she worried what he would think of her after hearing what she had to tell him.Leo gently traced circles on her skin with his thumb, in a reassuring and comforting manner."My uncle... I'm sure you've heard of him in the letters," she didn't look at him as she spoke, her voice soft and vulnerable.Leo nodded slowly, looking at her with sweet and warm eyes. "Yes,"
Dear Leo,It's been seven years since I met you in the parking lot of our high school and now I share your last name.You're at work right now so I'm writing you a letter for old times sake because it's our two year wedding anniversary today and I thought I'd bring back the thing that put us in each other's lives in the first place - letters. This time, I'm not writing to myself but instead to you because you're my rock.The funny thing to me was how I found you when I wasn't even looking.I never knew I needed you in my life until you had already come into it and left a dent I couldn't get rid of.I knew you had a spot in my heart when I looked forward to seeing you every day at school, missed you if I didn't. I never had a person like that - a person I would glance around the halls hoping to see, in fact I hated attention so I'd always keep my head down and stay out of the way.You taught me to love myself. It took a while but I did learn and it was all thanks to you.We never reali
"I can't believe you came!" Amari squealed as she looped an arm around Annie's shoulders as the two of them, along with Jay, walked up the crowded bleachers to find some seats."It's not that big a deal," Annie mumbled, staring at her shoes as she walked up the steps. She knew this was very unlike for her. She never came to any after school events - even when Jack wanted her to stay for games.She didn't know how she managed to come tonight. Something about Leo asking her made her feel a sense of importance, a feeling she hadn't felt in awhile. After how kind he had been to her, she felt bad not showing up."It is!" Amari laughed as the three of them took a seat on the bleachers. It was packed, the whole school here to watch the game. "What convinced you to come?"Annie glanced out at the field to see if she could spot Leo. She shrugged softly, "Thought it'd be fun. A change."Jay quirked an eyebrow as he nudged Annie, "I like this side of you. Annie breaking out of her shell."In res
"I can't believe you came!" Amari squealed as she looped an arm around Annie's shoulders as the two of them, along with Jay, walked up the crowded bleachers to find some seats."It's not that big a deal," Annie mumbled, staring at her shoes as she walked up the steps. She knew this was very unlike for her. She never came to any after school events - even when Jack wanted her to stay for games.She didn't know how she managed to come tonight. Something about Leo asking her made her feel a sense of importance, a feeling she hadn't felt in awhile. After how kind he had been to her, she felt bad not showing up."It is!" Amari laughed as the three of them took a seat on the bleachers. It was packed, the whole school here to watch the game. "What convinced you to come?"Annie glanced out at the field to see if she could spot Leo. She shrugged softly, "Thought it'd be fun. A change."Jay quirked an eyebrow as he nudged Annie, "I like this side of you. Annie breaking out of her shell."In res
"I can't believe you came!" Amari squealed as she looped an arm around Annie's shoulders as the two of them, along with Jay, walked up the crowded bleachers to find some seats."It's not that big a deal," Annie mumbled, staring at her shoes as she walked up the steps. She knew this was very unlike for her. She never came to any after school events - even when Jack wanted her to stay for games.She didn't know how she managed to come tonight. Something about Leo asking her made her feel a sense of importance, a feeling she hadn't felt in awhile. After how kind he had been to her, she felt bad not showing up."It is!" Amari laughed as the three of them took a seat on the bleachers. It was packed, the whole school here to watch the game. "What convinced you to come?"Annie glanced out at the field to see if she could spot Leo. She shrugged softly, "Thought it'd be fun. A change."Jay quirked an eyebrow as he nudged Annie, "I like this side of you. Annie breaking out of her shell."In res
"I can't believe you came!" Amari squealed as she looped an arm around Annie's shoulders as the two of them, along with Jay, walked up the crowded bleachers to find some seats."It's not that big a deal," Annie mumbled, staring at her shoes as she walked up the steps. She knew this was very unlike for her. She never came to any after school events - even when Jack wanted her to stay for games.She didn't know how she managed to come tonight. Something about Leo asking her made her feel a sense of importance, a feeling she hadn't felt in awhile. After how kind he had been to her, she felt bad not showing up."It is!" Amari laughed as the three of them took a seat on the bleachers. It was packed, the whole school here to watch the game. "What convinced you to come?"Annie glanced out at the field to see if she could spot Leo. She shrugged softly, "Thought it'd be fun. A change."Jay quirked an eyebrow as he nudged Annie, "I like this side of you. Annie breaking out of her shell."In res
"I can't believe you came!" Amari squealed as she looped an arm around Annie's shoulders as the two of them, along with Jay, walked up the crowded bleachers to find some seats."It's not that big a deal," Annie mumbled, staring at her shoes as she walked up the steps. She knew this was very unlike for her. She never came to any after school events - even when Jack wanted her to stay for games.She didn't know how she managed to come tonight. Something about Leo asking her made her feel a sense of importance, a feeling she hadn't felt in awhile. After how kind he had been to her, she felt bad not showing up."It is!" Amari laughed as the three of them took a seat on the bleachers. It was packed, the whole school here to watch the game. "What convinced you to come?"Annie glanced out at the field to see if she could spot Leo. She shrugged softly, "Thought it'd be fun. A change."Jay quirked an eyebrow as he nudged Annie, "I like this side of you. Annie breaking out of her shell."In res
"I can't believe you came!" Amari squealed as she looped an arm around Annie's shoulders as the two of them, along with Jay, walked up the crowded bleachers to find some seats."It's not that big a deal," Annie mumbled, staring at her shoes as she walked up the steps. She knew this was very unlike for her. She never came to any after school events - even when Jack wanted her to stay for games.She didn't know how she managed to come tonight. Something about Leo asking her made her feel a sense of importance, a feeling she hadn't felt in awhile. After how kind he had been to her, she felt bad not showing up."It is!" Amari laughed as the three of them took a seat on the bleachers. It was packed, the whole school here to watch the game. "What convinced you to come?"Annie glanced out at the field to see if she could spot Leo. She shrugged softly, "Thought it'd be fun. A change."Jay quirked an eyebrow as he nudged Annie, "I like this side of you. Annie breaking out of her shell."In res
"I can't believe you came!" Amari squealed as she looped an arm around Annie's shoulders as the two of them, along with Jay, walked up the crowded bleachers to find some seats."It's not that big a deal," Annie mumbled, staring at her shoes as she walked up the steps. She knew this was very unlike for her. She never came to any after school events - even when Jack wanted her to stay for games.She didn't know how she managed to come tonight. Something about Leo asking her made her feel a sense of importance, a feeling she hadn't felt in awhile. After how kind he had been to her, she felt bad not showing up."It is!" Amari laughed as the three of them took a seat on the bleachers. It was packed, the whole school here to watch the game. "What convinced you to come?"Annie glanced out at the field to see if she could spot Leo. She shrugged softly, "Thought it'd be fun. A change."Jay quirked an eyebrow as he nudged Annie, "I like this side of you. Annie breaking out of her shell."In res
"I can't believe you came!" Amari squealed as she looped an arm around Annie's shoulders as the two of them, along with Jay, walked up the crowded bleachers to find some seats."It's not that big a deal," Annie mumbled, staring at her shoes as she walked up the steps. She knew this was very unlike for her. She never came to any after school events - even when Jack wanted her to stay for games.She didn't know how she managed to come tonight. Something about Leo asking her made her feel a sense of importance, a feeling she hadn't felt in awhile. After how kind he had been to her, she felt bad not showing up."It is!" Amari laughed as the three of them took a seat on the bleachers. It was packed, the whole school here to watch the game. "What convinced you to come?"Annie glanced out at the field to see if she could spot Leo. She shrugged softly, "Thought it'd be fun. A change."Jay quirked an eyebrow as he nudged Annie, "I like this side of you. Annie breaking out of her shell."In res
"I can't believe you came!" Amari squealed as she looped an arm around Annie's shoulders as the two of them, along with Jay, walked up the crowded bleachers to find some seats."It's not that big a deal," Annie mumbled, staring at her shoes as she walked up the steps. She knew this was very unlike for her. She never came to any after school events - even when Jack wanted her to stay for games.She didn't know how she managed to come tonight. Something about Leo asking her made her feel a sense of importance, a feeling she hadn't felt in awhile. After how kind he had been to her, she felt bad not showing up."It is!" Amari laughed as the three of them took a seat on the bleachers. It was packed, the whole school here to watch the game. "What convinced you to come?"Annie glanced out at the field to see if she could spot Leo. She shrugged softly, "Thought it'd be fun. A change."Jay quirked an eyebrow as he nudged Annie, "I like this side of you. Annie breaking out of her shell."In res