Leticia [The ADAMS Family]

02

WHEN I was thirteen, the first time I saw Letty, I was entranced. Not only because she was beautiful but also because she was the only person who paid attention to me other than my mother. Azriel used to bully me when we were kids–pushing me in the swimming pool with my clothes on, tripping me while I walked and he even broke my toys. But, the one time he went overboard was when he took me to a bus stop after school and told me to wait for him because he was going to buy something from the convenience store but he never came back.

I waited until it started raining heavily and I wasn't cladded in warm clothing as I watched people board and alight the bus until night started to creep in. Some people noticed and tried to help me but I told them that my brother was coming to pick me up but that was just a facade because I didn't know my home address. I was terrified and I remember crying silently to myself but they came to a halt when I heard my name being called. When I looked up, it was Letty.

She was standing in front of a black saloon car with an open umbrella in her hand.

...

"Bale?" she calls, worry drawn all over her face. "What are you doing here?"

I didn't reply, too terrified to answer and that made her walk closer to me until she crouched and looked up at me after closing her umbrella. I gazed at her big tired eyes and my body froze when her thumb softly grazed my cheek.

"Why are you crying? Did something happen? Did Azriel hurt you? Where is Azriel?" she fired, looking around as if she would see him and that made me chuckle. The sound made her whip her head at me and she furrowed her eyebrows but her face softened and she gave me a small tight-lipped smile before standing up and stretching out her hand.

"Come on," she said. "I'll give you a lift home,"

...

Letty ensured that I reached home safely and told me to tell my parents about what Azriel did to me but I told her that I would deal with it on my own. She was reluctant but complied and left me be.

...

"Thank you, Letty," I told her, and her eyes widened in surprise before she smiled and nodded.

"Your welcome, Bale,"

...

That was the time I fell in love with Letty and that feeling has never changed up to this day.

When I look at her now, I still feel the same.

"You're beautiful," I whisper and her cheeks redden before she turns away from me to look outside the window. That makes me smile and my eyes find her attire–white trench coat over a black blouse and matching slacks with a pair of stilettos. Even in the simplest clothing, she still managed to look gorgeous.

She finally turns to me with a frown on her face. "You're joking, right?"

I relax on the seat. "Joking about what?"