letters

Tea and Trouble

It all started four years ago, the summer after seventh grade. When the town did an "anonymous letter exchange". You filled out a sheet in the library and they assigned you an 'anonymous buddy' and gave you the location you two would share as a drop/receive location. The exchange was supposed to just be for the summer and like expected the town's hype and love of it died by the end of summer and most the 'buddies' in town slowly quit writing one another. Except us. School started but we kept writing and leaving the letters.

The secret of it is, six months ago I found out who my 'anonymous buddy' was—accidentally. Our drop place was this little hollowed out crack in the oldest oak tree in the town's park, and this park just so happened to be right across the street from the coffee shoppe. I was walking out of the shoppe into the crisp autumn air when I saw him. He was putting a letter in the tree. My—apparently our tree. I stood there watching him until he turned towards the shoppe and started walking over. I ducked my head and walked the other way.

Now I am sitting across from him, and he has no clue who I am.

"Sooo—" smiling, he dragged me back to the present, "may I know your name?"

"Why this is Leesha Rye! She is our most faithful customer, beside yourself Mark. She's in here every day—why! At this very table," interjected Alice, as she walked up holding a tea pot and mugs.

"Thank you, Alice," I said blushing.

By now the café was buzzing about the duo: 

WHO is she? 

What happened? 

Why is Mark sitting with her?

"So, Leesha huh?" he smiled at me.

Looking out the window I smiled, "yeah, and you would be?"

"Mark. Mark Lanimeir," he poured their tea still looking at her face.

Mark. I can't believe I know his name! Stop it Leesha!

"I've never seen you around here, yet you're a 'faithful customer'."

I looked at him, his face, his darling face, was quizzical and intrigued.

I laughed, "yeah I'm normally gone to the beach long before school gets out. I was just stuck today writing a let—paper."

"A paper? On the last day of the semester?" his eyes were comical.

"Yeah well, I don't go to school, so my assignment schedule is actually pretty random."

No no no. this is too much information...he's going to figure out it's me and he'll never write again. I have to stop this. NOW.

"Well, I should be going. Thank you so much for the tea, Mark. Oh, don't feel bad about the nose; I'm fit as a fiddle now!"

I stood up to leave and he caught my hand, "May I accompany you to where ever you are headed?"

"Umm," I was headed to the library to print off my letter. His letter. What if he would see? I don't want to be rude though, "I'm just going to the library so sure."

Smiling, he swung my backpack onto his own back and walked me out of the shoppe. And with that I was walking out with Mark Lanimeir. My anonymous letter buddy, Mark Lanimeir. Outside the shoppe we turn right, his hand bumping mine and a small electric warmth runs from my finger throughout my body. His hand lingers near mine for a few seconds until he shoves it into his jean pocket.

"So, Leesha, how long have you lived here?" his deep voice startling my mind from the feeling still shocking through my body.

"Seventeen years," I reply simply looking at the traffic rushing past as we stood at a crosswalk.

His look was incredulous, "Seventeen years? How have we never met?" He looked at her with a small smirk tucking his mouth up on one side.

"ye-yeah," I glanced up to him to find him already looking at me, "I really don't go anywhere other than the shoppe, the beach park and the library."

"hmm"

I couldn't tell what he was thinking, and it drove me crazy. I didn't like this, this is exactly why I never went to school, why I didn't have friends. Stop. This is MARK. You know Mark—kinda. Four years of letters and we'd become each other's best friend, so why was I driving myself crazy now, here with him in person? Because he doesn't know it's ME.

We cross the street and walk up the steps of the library, and I walked to the printer. 

I have to figure out a distraction for him so he doesn't see the letter...

"So what's this paper on?" he asked setting my backpack on the table top.

"umm," I stammer trying to think of a topic, "communication." Stupid. Stupid stupid... who writes a paper on communication. Really Leesha?...

"Sounds—interesting?" he laughed trying to be kind.

"No it doesn't, it sounds perfectly dreadful," I fire back.

"Nahhh," he laughs, "let me read it and I'll tell you if its dreadful or not."

"No," I say a little too quickly, "I mean, trust me its terribly boring."

"Okay, okay I shan't read it," he laughed.

"Hi Mark!" a soft voice came out of nowhere. Looking up from logging on to my laptop, I see a stunning cheery-eyed blonde on the other side of the table.

Mark walks around the table to her, "Hey Janet, what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing; you're not one to inhabit the library..."

I take to opportunity to print off my letter—Mark's letter—while Janet is talking, shoving it into my backpack, but I am snapped back to their conversation when I hear Mark say my name.

"....after which, I came with Leesha here," he walked back over to me and touched my arm. Instantly the warm electrical sensation went down to my fingertips and back throughout my body.

"I see," Janet snapped, "well, don't forget dinner, tonight, with my family. 7pm." She sends me a harsh look before smiling at Mark.

"I should go," I choke out. Emotions I can't even name clawing at my throat, I grab my backpack from the table, "have a good dinner you two."

"Leesha!" I hear Mark call my name, but I keep walking to the door, "see what you did, Janet... LEESHA!"

I hear foot steps coming up behind me, but I just shout, "you don't want to be late for that dinner, Mark." The footsteps cease, and I cross the street—making my best time to the beach.

~
a/n: vv quick update and a little of a longer chapter for y'all! Don't be inactive! Like, share, comment!! Thanks y'all!