Dear Richie

Worth It

Chris stepped foot back onto the football field. Other students passed by, paying no mind to him.

Despite being so tall, he felt so insignificant to the world around him.

So small.

He checked his bell schedule and then began to make his way to his first period class.

Physics.

On his way, he caught up with some of his friends, all making their way to the same class.

"Dude, Hawaii was amazing. I wanna go again next year," his close friend, Conner, said as they made their way down the hall.

"I wish I could go to Hawaii," Chris mentioned nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders as he adjusted the strap of his backpack. "It seems to be so-"

Something knocked him off balance and sent him to the ground.

He glanced up, still holding his binder in his arm while using his other one to break his fall, and beheld not somthing.

But someone.

"Ow," she said, rubbing her head.

"-beautiful." He had not meant to say that. He had never thought of anything as beautiful before. It just sort of... slipped.

The girl noticeably swallowed back her tears as she reached out for all her empty binders.

Chris took one pink binder, that already had a slip of paper on the outside sleeve with doodles, and held it out to her.

"I am so sorry," Chris admitted. At this moment, he realized that his friends moved on to class ahead of him, not even bothering to help him.

She sniffled and took the binder from him. "Thanks," she mumbled, but Chris was pretty sure he saw her flash her teeth a bit.

"Your name's Leia? Like the princess?" Chris inquired, pointing at the calligraphy that was doodled across the binder.

"Yeah." He stood up as she tucked a strand of her blonde hair from her blue eyes. He put  a hand out to her, which she stared at for a few seconds, possibly hesitating or questioning his motives, before placing her delicate, pale hand in his. He hoisted her up, causing her to squeal in surprise.

"Not used to being helped up?" he chuckled.

Little did he know that she wasn't used to being helped... at all.  

"My name's Chris," he bowed to her as if he were her servant. "But you, m'lady, may call me 'Richie'."

"Richie?"

"The last name's Richards. Chris Richards," he said, impersonating James Bond, "is my full name."

This managed to get a few giggles from her, which made him smile. "Nice to know that you actually have teeth."

This made her blush, but she withheld her smile.

"I guess I'll see you around, Leia..."

"Meadows," she bit her lip before saying, "Leia Meadows."

Chris chuckled and stared at the ground. "See ya later, Meadows."

°°°°°°°°°°°°

"So what's up with you and Luke's sister?" Conner said casually as he placed his tray down on the table beside his best friend. He tossed a grape into the air and caught it in his mouth.

"You mean Leia?" Chris raised an eyebrow at him, but Conner wasn't paying attention to him anyway. He continued, placing his sandwich down on his paper sack lunch, "What about it?"