Lisa's hopes were to get up, clean up, and speed the whole way to school so she could get to Leo. The plan was that she would daydream about him all day, and then when third hour came, they would laugh together about her letter and after falling in love, they would float away from their boring little Hartson High School and live a happy life. Of course, before that, she would have to get past her father, which was very unlikely.

With her hopes high, Lisa tip-toed down the stairs while clutching her shoes in her hand. From her position, the old coffee machine in the kitchen sounded louder than her socks on the carpeted floor and escape became that much clos- "Lisa. Father-daughter breakfast can't really be had with just a father." Her dad, Samuel, called from their usual breakfast seats in the dining room.

"Of course not, dad." Lisa said, readjusting the bookbag on her back and making her way to the seat across from her father's at the colorful table. "I was just looking for you." Samuel arched his eyebrow as he took a sip of coffee from his favorite mug - one made by Lisa two years ago. Realizing that her dad wasn't exactly biting into the bait yet, Lisa tried shrugging nonchalantly, "Really, dad, it's a beautiful morning. I thought that maybe you would be out there drawing inspiration, letting nature move you, you know?"

This still was not appeasing the sipping man, his eyebrow raising a bit higher in what he liked to call the 'papa bear face'. The two stared at each other for a full three seconds before Lisa cracked, her shoulders slumping like she had spent her morning running a marathon. "Man! One day, I will be able to deny the magical powers of that stare." Lisa doesn't continue speaking, waiting on her father to jump in and continue her change of subject.

"Don't think you diverted my attention young lady, but since you were in such a rush, go on ahead. Take a banana with you though, you need to eat something." Lisa grabbed a banana and kissed her father on his smooth cheek before running out of the house and jumping into her car without her shoes on.

When she finally got to school, Lisa ran to her locker, knocking over at least ten people just on the first floor. She couldn't help it, all the night before, she tossed and turned in excitement and her plan seemed to be working out perfectly so far. Today was the day it all happened! Well, if he liked her back, then today was the day, either way she was excited, just by the boldness she displayed with writing him the letter. One pat on the back for Lisa. A great big pat on the back.

Lisa smiled widely imagining a crispy envelope in her hands as she'd read of Leo's newly declared love. She opened her locker and sighed when a beautiful envelope wasn't one of the things falling out of her locker amongst the extra notebooks she'd managed to steal from the supply closet. She didn't let it bum her too much though, she still had third hour, the magic hour.

*     *     *     *     *

C'mon... C'mon. Lisa thought as she waited on the bell ending second hour. It only took ten gruesome minutes of yelling C'mon in her head, but it finally happened. Third hour had finally arrived.

As the bell rang, Lisa threw her purse across her body and bolted out of the room. As she ran through the hallway, she almost knocked over a boy. He wasn't much taller than her, and he was walking with Leo. "Sorry! I'm sorry!" She yelled over her shoulder as she sped around the corner - her arm throbbing a bit from slapping into his, he was more muscular than he looked, or bonier - and into her creative writing class.

Panting as she plopped into her seat, Lisa opened up her third hour folder. She yelped in excitement when she saw a plain blue envelope tucked into the pocket. It was absolutely beautiful and meant she was either finally suspended for always running in the hallway, or her prayers had been answered and Leo liked her back.

"Whatcha got there, Lisa?" Asked her 'school friend' Amelia. She was as sweet as apple pie, but it just was NOT the time. "Nothing Amelia. I have nothing, shouldn't you head up to your seat?" Lisa was hoping that her dismissal would be blatantly obvious, but Amelia just smiled wider, her blonde ponytail falling onto Lisa's desk as she leaned closer. "Come on Lisa. I need some juicy secrets to hold, I won't tell! Please please please?" Lisa smiled politely, teeth gritting, "Amelia, please, I just want to read my note..." The girl just nodded for Lisa to open the envelope, her peach colored lips smiling widely. Lisa realized that she couldn't do this smiling, "Alone. As in, no thank you, Amelia. I would prefer you didn't read my secret letter." Amelia smiled sympathetically before walking off. 

Lisa's excitement charged right back up with Amelia gone and her privacy back. Moving as quickly as she could without ruining the tender envelope, she opened the letter, her smile touching the tips of her ears. The smile dropped a little when she read the letter though. She moved her lips along with the words as she read it over.

After her third time reading it, Leo walked into the room with the rest of the class. Despite the letter not being from him, and him not openly - openly, she still had hope -loving her, he stopped at her desk. "Hey Dimples, what was the rush? You stormed the the hall like a Tasmanian Devil back there. Almost knocked my friend to the ground. Must have been something important." He said with a smile.

Lisa melted, hoping he didn't step in the puddles of her heart that he'd just created with his smile. His teeth weren't perfect, but they seemed perfect to her, the way his canines overlapped the tooth in front of them a little bit made her wonder why every girl in the school wasn't on his back and in his face. It was lucky for her though, there was no one for her to destroy in her daydreams. Ugh, she was a mess for this boy.

When he chucked a bit, she realized she'd been staring. "Oh! Sorry. I uh, I thought I might have been suspended, but lucky for my peers, I'm still available to show up bright and early everyday." Leo laughed, "Lucky indeed, Dimples. I mean, what would I do if you weren't here to breeze through the halls and smile in class everyday?" He said to her before sitting in his seat.

Leo had just implied that he would miss her. He liked things about her, things that she did, a step in the right direction. Lisa was in such a good mood. Leo, red-haired, crooked-smiled, high school senior Leo, liked seeing her everyday. Lisa was actually so excited that she decided she would write this Mystery J a letter anyway. He deserved a little slice of happiness too, since she was enjoyable enough for Leo to be happy to see her and all.

For the remainder of class she doodled on the envelope for J's letter. She was going to have fun with this.