Lovely Letter. (Lucy Christopher "Stolen" FanFiction) SLOW UPDATES

Chapter 9

We settled down in Haley's room, more on my insistence than hers. The wind had picked up on the walk back, causing the tips of my fingers to go numb. I held my hands up to my lips and blew gently as I plopped down onto Haley's bed, shifting back through a mound of unfolded laundry to get comfortable. You took a seat in Haley's wooden desk chair, the legs squeaking heinously loud at any slight shift of your weight. I bit back a smile as you fiddled with the screws, eyebrows knitting together in concentration as you tried to find the problem.

"So, do you live around here, Ty?" Haley asked, voice muffled as she rooted around in her mini-fridge for her pastries. My eyes went wide, flashing between the back of Haley's head and the side of your face, which paled once you registered the question. My hands froze, held stiff against my mouth,

"Um...no," you replied, eyes finding mine instantly. You sat upright in one swift movement, the chair forgotten, but continuing to shriek just as loud. At the sound, your cheeks went red, mouth scrunching up in frustration. I smiled a little wider, fear temporarily forgotten.

"Ohhh, mister mysterious! So, do you have a secret mansion out there somewhere?" Haley all but crooned, finally settling on a half-eaten cupcake. She chose to sit on the floor, her back against the bed frame as she waited expectantly for your answer. I fiddled with the cuffs of my sweatshirt, eyes fixed on the toes of your sneakers.

"It's not a mansion, but it's as good as one, to me," you said, the sincerity of your answer almost too much for the joking manner of the question. I caught it immediately, but Haley simply turned slightly to wink at me. I rolled my eyes in response, but they soon wandered back to you.

"Okay, now, I know I promised that I wouldn't do too much digging, but I need to know– how'd you two meet? I swear, that'll be the only question I'll ask about your relationship. Cross my heart," Haley said, and the world seemed to fall away– in bits and pieces and then shattering completely. I could tell that you were at a complete loss, unsure of how to filter through the past for something appropriate and logical. "I stalked Gemma for ten or so odd years" wouldn't do anyone any favors here and I could see the first tendrils of panic in the tightening of your mouth. You wanted to answer, didn't know how to answer, didn't know if I wanted to answer and let you add layers onto some elaborate fabrication...

"We met in a park... near my house," I said, words catapulting forward before I could stop myself. "I was ten... we didn't really meet until a few years later." Your chest almost collapsed from the force of your exhale.

"That's adorable!" Haley said, clasping her face between her hands, fingers pulling up her already wide smile. I couldn't help but smile in response, eyes calculating and the tiniest bit fond when they finally settled on you. You blinked at me, whole body having gone slack, and you smiled like I'd never seen you smile before– bright, and open, and just shy of tearful. My breath hitched at the sight and I hurriedly looked back down at my hands, cheeks coloring crimson.

"She was the most beautiful person I'd ever seen," Ty murmured, and Haley outright squealed, ogling you like you were a god descended from the heavens– a true gift to mankind. I was silent. I knew the weight behind those words, knew that sincerity was laced through every syllable, and my heart lurched, steady rhythm tumbling into a sharp staccato.

"And let me guess? Ms. Oblivious over here didn't catch on until almost a decade later?" Haley said, tossing me a severely unimpressed look over her shoulder.

"Something like that," I said, shrugging, and your smile dimmed a bit but stayed firmly in place.

"Aw, it's just so sweet! But as much as my curiosity is clawing at my insides, I'm done with questions," Haley said, miming the pulling of a zipper across her lips. I nudged her shoulder with my leg, a silent 'thank you', and she turned to grin at me, chocolate frosting smeared across one of her incisors.