Saint Vals 2022 Anthology

English Winners

Dear Elias by AlexaBlake22

Dear Elias (Part 1)

"One." I slowly exhale and focus on my current goal. "Two." I adjust my hand in his. "Three." I put all of my body weight into my arm and squint my eyes as though it would help me win. Using all of my force and straining every bit of my energy into this match. 'This is it.' I thought. 'After weeks of training, I'm finally going to win.' After what had felt like minutes but was only a mere three seconds the thud of a hand hitting the table sounded through the room. Opening my eyes I find not his arm against the table, but mine.

"Dammit." I harshly whisper to myself. "One day. One day, Elias I will beat you in arm wrestling."

"Nope. I'm just that good." He cockily replied, flexing his muscles. "Besides, I've been working out." He smiles. The same smile I have grown to adore. The same smile that makes my heart flutter. The same smile that is so contagious that you can't help but return it.

"And I haven't? I go to the gym six days a week and box two days a week!" I don't get it. I have beat every other guy here but for whatever reason, I can't seem to beat him.

"How could you possibly have time to workout?" He questions. "You are always at work."

"The heavy boxes count as my bonus workout." He rolls his eyes but smiles at me nonetheless. "Besides, it means you get to see me every day." I give him the most innocent look one could give.

"As if I don't listen to your obnoxious voice enough." He jokes while I continue to devour my tub of cookies and cream ice cream.

"Do you want a bite?" I ask after noticing him eyeing my lunch, offering my spoon.

He took my offer and we sat through lunch eating my ice cream. He's lucky I shared.

I met Elias at work nine months ago and we instantly clicked. "I have to go clock back in now." He says in disappointment. I watch him stand from his seat and walk in the direction of the office.

"Dude? You got ice cream?" I hear Bryan ask from behind me as he comes to sit at my official table.

"Don't worry I didn't forget you." I hand him a plastic spoon I got from the deli.

"So," he began as he picked up the spoon. "You still like him?" He raises an eyebrow in question.

I pause for a moment due to his bluntness but eventually gathered my thoughts. "Ugh. Unfortunately." The thought of my liking someone has not once occurred to me until I met him, but this is more than just a simple crush. I think I have fallen for him. I have fallen so deep it would take decades to climb my way out, as my mind is not so easily changed.

"Why don't you ask him out already?" He asks for the umpteenth time.

"I don't know. I guess I'm just afraid."

"Afraid of what? Of him saying no? Alex, he likes you and he would be an idiot not to." I smile at my best friend.

"You're the best non-related brother, you know that?"

"Of course I am." He smiles. "Look, you're my twin sister that I never had. I want you to be happy... but if you don't walk up to him and confess your undying love for him then you are going to end up an old lady with a hundred goats and a dog."

I laugh knowing that he is not wrong. "Okay," I say, surprising myself.

"Okay?" He questioned not believing the words that came out of my mouth either.

"That's what I said. I think you're right. Don't let this get to your head because this is a one-time thing and it won't happen again."

"So how are we doing this?" He smiled an ear-to-ear smile.