november yumary otp prompt challenge!

love poem

Mary was in a shitty mood when she found the envelope on her desk. It had a shiny gold rimming on the edges and the flap down the center. Dropping her briefcase under the desk, she eyed the classroom around her.

About eight students were scattered in their seats or clumped around a desk. Nobody seemed to notice Mary or the strange offering on her desk. At least, she assumed it was some kind of offering, message... gift?

Mary slid the envelope off of the desk ledge and into her hands, then flipped it over with her right hand. "Saotome Meari," her own name in clear defined strokes and clean lines. She almost felt honored to have her name written so pristinely.

She sighed as she pulled back her chair and sat down. Carefully, she picked at the fold. It was too pretty to be ripped open like a toddler after being reminded to open the card before the gift. Mary would know.

It made a gentle tearing noise as it peeled back. She noticed the folded paper inside, too big for the envelope encasing it almost immediately. Once it was completely opened, she pulled out the lined paper. It was tucked into the three and Mary smoothed the creases out on her desk. The writing was just as crisp as the print on the back of the envelope.

Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself for whatever she was about to read.

"I'm not one for writing.
I'm not even one for anonymity,
but it seems you, Saotome, have changed a lot about me." Mary noted the lack of greeting. The way it went right into the message felt distinct.

"You know me as the girl who is bold and very odd.
At least, from what I've picked up on you, you share the same views about me as the rest of our classmates do."

It's Yumeko. Holy shit, Yumeko wrote her a poem. She just knows it.

"You might think im even more strange for approaching you like this,
and I probably am,
but I have something to tell you, and face-to-face I don't think I can.

"So here it goes Mary,
I think you're really fun to be around.
When you tease me, I feel like I'm lifted off the ground.

"You put on a front.
You're a wrestling star,
and I like to know what you're like outside the ring, who you truly are.

"All I'm asking for is a chance.
I want to see you from a different lens.
And if it doesn't work out, I'm happy to just stay friends.

"After school today,
meet me in the courtyard,
right where the one first-year broke that classroom window to shards.

"Let's get to know each other.
Shall we look past our reputations?
I want to make your view of me something of my creation.

"Just like I want to see behind your mask,
I want you to see behind mine.
Study me with a magnifying glass and take a look at every line.

"I'm done being poetic now.
Hopefully this didn't make you drool.
Meet me at the established place right after school <3"

Mary's eyes softened as she placed the paper back on the desk. No one had ever done anything like that for her. It's the kindest and most genuine gesture she's ever received, and it made her heart warm up.

"Ooh," her airy voice floated as she walked to Mary. "What's that?"

Mary looked up to find Yumeko in the aisle beside her desk. Suddenly, she felt very aware of the contents of the letter and who wrote them.

"Uhh," what was she supposed to say? Did she want to act clueless for Yumeko's sake? Or maybe allude to the realization? Mary truly wanted to thank her for the letter and tell her how much she appreciates it.

Making a decision, she frantically folded the letter back into the envelope: "Uhh, it's just, um, an invitation."

"Oh, how nice! You looked very intrigued when you were reading it," Yumeko laughed.

Mary is pretty sure it's not an accident that she knew so easily who wrote the poem.

"It's a very interesting way to invite someone," Mary raised a brow toward Yumeko, somewhat trying to share her knowledge.

"It looks like it," they held curious eye contact for a few seconds, like they were dancing a tango around figurative lines in their head. Mary wouldn't try denying the kaleidoscope of butterflies flying through her stomach at the delicacy of the moment. "Well, you'll have to tell me how it goes," Yumeko started walking back to her own desk on the other side of the room.

"You'll hear about it somehow," Mary joked.

"Somehow," and Yumeko turned away with the most adorable smile Mary's ever had the joy of causing.