A Mailbox Of Letters | ✓

| SIX |

"Because of you, half of the time I don't even know I'm smiling."

Kayla said that we should complete our project before next Saturday because she had to go to Paris for two days some day this month. 'Emergency Vacation' as she called it.

Whatever, it wasn't really my business so I agreed to draft the first part and then pick the second part with her to work on that together.

She said that we'd meet in the same place as last time and I accidentally raised an eyebrow to which she rolled her eyes and said that she'd be there for sure on Monday.

The rest of the day rolled by without a hitch.

Neil and Amelia were teasing each other all through lunch and I picked on my food while staring at your table. I couldn't understand how you didn't feel afraid with all that attention on you. Even now many others were staring at your table and you were carrying on normally.

Your confidence was something I admired about you. You were perfect in my eyes. Sometimes it annoyed me how perfect you seemed, I wanted to see your flaws so I could love you more. Flaws are the hidden things that really define a person.

"Hey Auriana, what are you smiling at?" Amelia asked me as she dabbed away the gravy from her face. Neil chuckled as he rolled his eyes and rubbed his thumb over the gravy and wiped it off for her. Cute.

"Nothing."

"Is it him again?"

Neil's ear perked up as he looked at me, "Is he Damian?" The spoonful of mashed potatoes I had just swallowed came up as I coughed, choking.

After making sure that I wasn't about to die choking on potatoes, Neil smirked impishly. "I knew you had something for him." I sighed as my cheeks turned pink and I turned my head, "Was it that obvious?"

"Yep! You looked just ready to faint that day. How long?"

Amelia giggled as she shot me a wink, "Three years - four if you include this year."

Neil whistled as he shot me a look of surprise and bewilderment, "That long? Why haven't you told him yet?"

I sighed because I was tired of answering this question, Damian. I mean I couldn't possibly just come up to you and declare my unrequited feeling for you since freshman year! You would be weirded out and I would be dead by embarrassment. You'd probably laugh it off.

If you consider death by potatoes lame, consider death by embarrassment.

"Damian isn't that kind of guy, Auri. Even if he wanted to decline you then he would do it nicely-"

"You see! That's why I don't want to tell him! It's the reason that he'd reject me that haunts me Neil! I can't live with that shame, I can't. I don't want him to like me because I like him, he should not feel obligated to return my feelings. That's not what I want."

Neil stroked his chin and Amelia looked at me wide eyed before wiping a fake tear, "Pop, go off my sweet child. Your first tirade, I'm growing so old."

Despite my stressed state I couldn't help but laugh along with Amelia. She always knew how to make me feel better. While we were laughing I sighed deeply as I looked at the couple opposite of me.

"I'll tell him, maybe after we grow closer. I have hopes we will, one day. I'll tell him one day."

Amelia nodded, "And we'll be the first people cheering you on, Auri. You deserve this so much." Neil smiled as he agreed heartily. Amelia then proceeded to smudge gravy on Neil's cheek. He gasped as they got into a little banter.

So into the moment I didn't register you looking at our table with a little smile until after you looked away. I was stupefied and did a double take at you but you had already turned away.

Why were you staring at our table?