This is You and Me (WATTYS2017)

Chapter Eight

Not too long later, about fifteen minutes, I saw a tall, masculine figure walk through the door. As he got closer, I could tell it was Drake.

Drake? What is Drake doing here?

I tried to keep my attention focused on Caleb. But when Drake sat across from me, in the booth behind Caleb, I saw him whenever I saw Caleb. I tried to focus my eyes solely on Caleb, but I always caught Drake staring at me.

"So Caleb." I said. "Have you ever been on a date before?" I randomly asked to keep attention away from Drake. I face palmed.

Why would I ask a question like that?

He smiled sweetly. His crooked grin sent shivers through my spine, and I couldn't help but smile back into his beautiful blue eyes.

"No, I haven't." He replied.

I suddenly got a text from Noah.

"Sorry, Caleb let me get this." I said.

Him: Dude where are you? You were supposed to be home a half hour ago.

I responded quickly.

Me: Sorry, Noah. Tell mom and dad not to worry about me I'm at the diner, and I'll be home in a few.

Him: Okay. Next time you go off somewhere after work text me, Kay?

Me: for sure

I clicked my phone off and stared into Caleb's eyes for a minute before I said,

"Hey, I've got to go. My family wants me home."

"I can give you a ride if you'd like." Caleb responded.

"Really?" I asked. "That would be great. Thank you so much."

His car was warm and snug. He looked at me, smiled and turned his attention back to the road. I wish I knew how he felt about me.

What if he is with someone else already? Maybe he's just being nice to me. No, he said he's never been on a date. Is he telling the truth?

I looked at him the rest of the way home. He looked at the road. But I think I saw a smirk when we got close to the neighborhood I live in. He knew I was looking at him.

~*~*~*~*~

When we arrived at my house, Caleb got out with me and walked me to the doorstep. The night air was cool, and there were millions of stars shining bright in the sky.

There was silence, but then Caleb said, "Well, I'd better let you go, your family probably wants you back now." He smiled his crooked grin and stared at me through those marvelous blue eyes of his.

"O-okay, bye." I said. I walked in and shoved the door closed. I saw Caleb walk down the path to his car, and drive away.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The next day was very unusual. I had decided to get up and go for a walk in the morning, and when I came back, there was a slip of paper hanging from the mailbox.

I took the paper, pushed some hair behind my ear and read,

To: Stella

There was no name for whom it was from, but I decided to read it. I opened it up right then and there.

Stella,
I have always had a huge crush on you. I've never had the guts to tell you, but now I am. I can't let you know who I am, because I don't want to know if you don't have the same feelings for me. But I just wanted to let you know that there is someone around here who loves you for you.
                                           Signed, Anonymous

I turned my head around and back quickly, just making sure the person who wrote the note didn't literally mean around here. I wiped my forehead in relief.

Taking the note with me, I went inside and to my room to reread and ponder the note.

Was it Caleb? Maybe. Drake? Naw, he has feelings for Gretchen.

I sat on my bed and thought and thought. Who in the whole world would send me an anonymous love letter? It had to be someone around here, because they know my name and they write in English. And it also had to be someone I knew for a while, because it says they have always had a crush on me.

I sat and pondered for a good thirty minutes. I was suddenly disturbed by someone banging my door open and barging in. I could only guess Alice.

"Hey." Yup, it's Alice. She came to me and sat on my bed with a thump.

"Oh. H-hey there." I frantically looked around for a spot to hide the note. I decided I would just sit on it. So I did. I shoved the letter under my legs and clasped my hands together.

Alice looked suspicious, but quickly shook of the idea and said with a huff, "Have you ever had boy problems?"

Tell me about boy problems right now.

"Depends." I said, to try to make it not so obvious. "What kind of boy problems?"

"There are two guys who like me right now. One person I like back, and one person I don't know very well." She said. She looked me in the face with her dark brown eyes inherited from mom's side of the family.

My jaw dropped when I heard what she said. I couldn't speak.

"Uh, you okay?" She asked. I shook off and said,

"Oh uh- y-yeah I'm fine. It's just-"

"Just what?" She asked.

"Nothing, never mind." I said. "Which boys?"

~*~*~*~*~

That night in bed, I thought about the night before. I had a great time with Caleb. I couldn't help but wish I wasn't so weird. I just want him to know how I feel about him so I could know if he feels that way back. But I would never have the guts to tell him. What if he doesn't feel the same way?

Monday we would go back to our everyday routine. I would secretly stare at him and turn bright red when he smiled at me. He would smile at me, and I would gaze into his beautiful blue eyes, but I would never know how he felt about me. I fell asleep not knowing how I feel.