Kiry felt a nervous burst of energy flow through her body as Chris pulled into the entrance for a well-known nature trail. It wasn't Jai, but it was still her first date.

Kiry got out of the car as Chris tugged a picnic basket from the backseat.

He's not very chivalrous, she thought.

A slightly awkward silence enveloped them as they headed down a path, following the bright blue arrows.

"So," Chris started. "Tell me about yourself."

Kiry, always being self-conscious talking about herself, said, "Well, um, I like music, and running and school."

"That's surely not all." Chris said, looking down at her and steering her off the path to a clearing.

"Surely?" she asked.

"So?" he asked, face slightly flushed. "Am I not allowed to be smart?"

"You are, I was just surprised." Kiry said.

"I know, I'm just supposed to be the dumb, funny jock, but I'm not. The only reason I play sports is for my dad. He played for the longest time and then at his prime, a guy went through a red light and hit him. He's paralyzed from the waist down."

"I'm sorry," she blurted awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

"Don't be." Chris began setting things out on a wooden table. "He's accepted it, but it makes him happy to see me play, and he comes to all my games."

"That must be nice." Kiry said, thinking of her own very different parents.

"My mom isn't into sports really, but she supports me." Chris said. "Come on, sit down."

Kiry sat down on the bench across from Chris and folded her hands in her lap. Chris bit his lip and offered Kiry various dishes, then helped himself.

"So are you anything else that will surprise me?" Kiry asked.

"Eh," Chris thought for a moment. "Not really. What about you?"

"No. I'm not a very interesting person."

"I disagree with that. You seem very interesting to me."

"How?" she asked.

"Well..."

"Exactly!" she exclaimed.

"I don't really know you yet!" Chris protested.

"There's not much to know, really."

"We'll see about that." Chris said, giving her a sly smile.

*****

"Dear Jai,

It wasn't as bad as I thought it would

be. The date, I mean. We went to a nice

place, and he's a nice guy, but in the

end...he's not you. You must think I'm a

crazy person with this whole stupid

anonymous letter thing, don't you?

Don't answer that. Well, you can't

answer that. Oh, geez, never mind.

I'm rambling. I do that quite a bit, or

so I'm told. Okay, I'll stop now, before

I have to rewrite this whole letter.

Love,

Your Secret Admirer"