The Failed Confession

“Today’s the day!” Sunny smiled at her best friend as they stood by Yara’s locker. The girl who wore red-rimmed glasses fitted over a button nose, adjusted it towards her blue-eyes that blinked at her best friend confusedly.

“The day for what?”

“The day for you to confess to Mathers, silly!” Sunny replied, her smile reminding Yara of the purplish cheshire cat from Alice in the Wonderland. Yara let out a snort before turning around and exchanging the math books from her arms, for the ones she would need for literature class.

“I thought April Fools was a month away.”

“Nuh-uh! We’re not doing that,” Sunny shutdown. “Remember we made a bet last week at the church bake sale that whoever sold more of Mrs. Able’s pies-- who no competent soul would touch willingly-- would confess to their crush. I sold ten, while you sold zero.”

“Come on Sun, I thought we were joking around-”

“Nope! We pinkie-promised, Yara. And pinkie-promises are important for maintaining friendships. If you go back on that, who knows what you’ll go back on. Would you ruin my wedding day? Sabotage my prom dress? Think about it, Yara!”

The girl let out a sigh. As she softly closed her locker, she couldn’t escape the almost betrayed look that marred Sunny’s features. The girl was doing what she was best at–eliciting guilt in her best friend, she knew wouldn’t be able to resist. Disgusted, almost in pain at the puppy dog expression on her face, Yara sighed and turned away.

“I’m not doing it face-to-face!”

“Yes!” Sunny cheered. “We can work on the letter in lit!”

Sitting in literature class, deaf to the droning voice of their teacher, the girls had mapped out the perfect plan. At lunch, when the people in the halls are sparse and Mathers is usually preoccupied in the cafeteria, Yara would slip a letter into his locker, nameless, undetected. The perfect plan.

“I still think not putting your name on it defeats the purpose of a confession.”

“It’s a confession on my terms,” Yara replied, licking the red envelope Sunny had bought, closed.

The shrilling sound of the bell permeated the air, followed by the loud scraping of chairs and the closing of books. As Sunny packed up, the sight of the red envelope she had casually placed to the side, caused her heart to skip a beat.

For years, Mathers Park had been a secret fixation of Yara’s. A thought that was placed to the side, tucked away until she was alone and could fantasize about a situation that would never be. Mathers was everything a high school boy should be, that they usually weren’t.

He was handsome and the best player on his lacrosse team, but it was his attitude that caught her attention. Not only was he incredibly down to earth…he was sweet. He treated people like humans, a feat that didn’t happen much these days. Just the sight of his addictingly sweet smile made a light blush coat her cheeks.

Walking slowly to the locket that seemed to emanate a golden aura, Yara looked around ensuring she was alone before her fingers grasped the corners of the envelope that seemed to heat in her hand. Slowly, daringly, conflicted about this entire thing, she hesitated. Could she untuck the pieces of herself that was only made to be seen by her?

You're being an idiot, Yara! A Coward, she thought.

Just do it. Do it. Do it. Do it. Do it.

With a fast squeal, she shoved the letter into the slits of his locker and as she turned to march away, collided into a hard chest. Rebounding back from the solid wall, her nose took in the smell of spearmint before her eyes reached the cause.

A brown, confused gaze stared back at her as it shifted between her and the locker.

Before he could say anything, Yara laughed. “Sorry, I’m new! I haven’t gotten around the school yet, I was leaving a thank you note for the girl who showed me around.”

“New? I could’ve sworn I’ve seen you around since Freshman year.”

“I had-have a twin,” she nods as if convincing herself. “We went to separate schools but it closed down!” she said before she could stop herself. Jesus-

“What school?” He asked, his eyes narrowing in serious inquiry but the corners of his lips betrayed his amusement at this situation.

“I should go get lunch!” Yara began to rush off to the direction of the cafeteria before she was stopped.

“Don’t you want your thank you letter back?” She stopped.

“Oh right!” She facepalmed herself internally as she swiveled back around and watched his back. Inside her head, she began to flip through any and every excuse she could think of. Having five sisters really did make you a good liar.

She watched as his slender fingers turned the knob of his combination and looked on haplessly as a red envelope came flying down towards his shoes.

She dived for it instantly, but was interceded as he picked it up first and analyzed it. Code red. Code red. Code red.

“I’ll take that-”

“It has my name,” he said, flipping it around. He opens his mouth to say more, but before he could finish Yara had tugged the letter from his hand and ran down the hall.

Well, that's just great!